Bike Tours on Ireland's West Coast!

8-Day / 7-Night Bike Tours

Inns

• Lahinch Golf and Leisure Hotel, Lahinch
• Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan
• Rosleague Manor, Letterfrack
• Quay House, Clifden

Dates

• Jun 3-10, 13-20, 25-Jul 2
• Jul 5-12, 17-24, 28-Aug 4
• Aug 8-15, 19-26, 30-Sep 6
• Sep 10-17

Itinerary / Distances

• Day 1: Arrival Day. 15 mi (24 km)
• Day 2: 32 mi (52 km)
• Day 3: 21 or 27 mi (32 or 44 km)
• Day 4: 22 mi (36 km)
• Day 5: 23 or 29 mi (37 or 46 km)
• Day 6: 27 mi (44 km)
• Day 7: 32, 39 or 56 mi (52, 63 or 91 km)
• Day 8: Departure Day.

Rates

• Tour Cost: $2695

Deposit

$300 per person. Final payment due 60 days prior to your tour (personal check, Visa or MasterCard)

Bike Rental

$110

Single Supplement Fee

$400

What's Included

7 nights of lodging (double occupancy); 7 breakfasts and 6 dinners; detailed maps and itineraries; 2 experienced guides; full van support; transfers from and to Shannon Airport (on the beginning and ending dates of the tour); all transfers during the tour; and the cost of all ferries and excursions and most entry fees. Airfare is not included.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel...
(a) at least 61 days prior to your tour we will return 100% of your tour payments;
(b) 60 days or less from the date of the tour you must pay the full tour price.

Should Bike Vermont have to cancel your tour we will refund all your tour payments immediately as full settlement.

We strongly recommend you purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance as soon as possible. A detailed comparison of trip cancellation insurance policies and prices is available online and links for these sites are available at the end of the reservation page. We recommend CSA Travel Protection based on their rating by Consumer Reports. We will also send you an application form with your Confirmation.

Terrain

Easier to Intermediate

• Average Daily Mileage: 25 mi (40 km)
• Average Daily Mileage with Options: 30 mi (49 km)

We start in County Clare at the seaside village of Lahinch. Here we enjoy a scenic warm-up ride, then explore the town, walk the expansive beach, or browse the superb shops filled with Irish linens, wool sweaters, Waterford crystal, and local crafts. We stay in the center of the village at the new four-star Lahinch Golf and Leisure Hotel, which has quickly gained a wonderful reputation for its pleasant rooms and excellent dining.

In the morning we take winding country roads out to the Cliffs of Moher where we stand at the edge of 700 vertical feet of seawall, looking down at the pounding Atlantic. We have lunch in Doolin, a mecca for traditional Irish music and home to Doolin Crafts, one of the finest craft shops in Ireland. Then we finish the day with a spectacular coastal ride around Black Head and Galway Bay, and a visit to the pretty fishing village of Ballyvaughan.

"Ireland, especially the rural West, is a cyclist's dream." So says Bicycling magazine, and you will surely agree. There's an endless network of winding back roads where lazy sheep are often your only company. Green meadows lead down to the sea, magical mist-covered mountains are off in the distance, while around every turn you are likely to come upon cows grazing around a medieval castle, Stone Age ruins, or the remains of an ancient cathedral. Stone cottages are tucked along the edges of green pastures dotted with sheep, and each small village looks more Irish than the last. And the Irish are even friendlier than their reputation - warm and welcoming, and always ready to engage you in the gentle pleasures of good conversation while you enjoy a bit of traditional Irish music at the local pub.

The next two nights we are the guests at Gregans Castle Hotel. This exquisitely furnished inn is surrounded by award-winning gardens that overlook superb views of the Burren and Galway Bay, and we are treated to the nicest rooms and finest cuisine imaginable.

Our days here include cycling country lanes to the pretty village of Kilfenora and its 12th- century cathedral, and a spectacular ride through the heart of the "Burren." Here we are joined by local guide Shane Connolly as we explore this fascinating moonscape plateau of limestone and shale that supports an amazingly diverse variety of rare flora. We then ferry out to the Aran Islands (weather permitting) where we weave our way through a labyrinth of high stone walls leading in every direction, enjoy panoramic views of the rugged Atlantic coastline, and visit Dun Aengus, a fort dating back to 2000 B.C.

From the Aran Islands, we transport you to Rosleague Manor, an extremely comfortable country house hotel overlooking Ballinakill Bay. Here we enjoy cozy lounges with turf fires, beautiful furnishings, a garden style conservatory and a wonderful selection of superb food. Our cycling takes advantage of our lovely surroundings with a ride along the valleys of the Maamturk Mountains and past Killary Harbor, and we always include a visit to beautiful Kylemore Abbey.

The next day we cycle through the village of Cleggan, then follow the ocean along spectacular Skye Road. We pass handsome Clifden Castle as we enter Clifden - "the prettiest village in Connemara." Here we spend two nights enjoying the marvelous hospitality of Julia and Paddy Foyle at the Quay House (recipient of the 2002 Cesar Award as the "Best Bed & Breakfast in Ireland"). They have converted the former harbormaster's house into a warm and stylish quayside hotel, and we are treated to an exquisite dinner at one of Clifden's finest restaurants.

Our last day of cycling takes us past thatched roof cottages, green bogs, rugged fishing villages, and beautiful farmland that reaches down to the shore. A highlight is our visit to the scenic fishing village of Roundstone, where local crafts include pottery, silversmithing, and the making of Bodhrans, the traditional Irish drum.