As a country that starts with I listed on Countryaah.com, Ireland borders the United Kingdom to the north and east. The geography of Ireland is characterized by green plains inland, which are bordered on the edges by hilly areas. The highest mountain on the island is the Carrantuohill at 1,038 m; the longest river is the Shannon: It runs through the island from north to south-west and flows into the Atlantic at Limerick.
- Day 1: Arrival by plane to Dublin and shared transfer to Doolin
- Day 2: Cliffs of Moher
- Day 3: On the islands of silent stones
- Day 4: Killary Harbor
- Day 5: Leenane Hill
- Day 6: Cong Forest
- Day 7: The Benlevy
- Day 8: journey home
We take a small ferry across to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, the “Islands of Silent Stones”. Hopefully everyone has thick sweaters and rain jackets with them, because on “Inis Mór”, as the “island” is called in Gaelic, the wind whistles around our ears. Fog also likes to hang over the barren ground. You can get into a completely secluded mood when you wander along, past stone walls, Bronze Age ring forts and church ruins.
WWW employee Robert Wolf was impressed by the trip to the “rough west”: “Contrary to the cliché, the food is excellent, the accommodations are familiar. And the tourist highlights like the Cliffs of Moher are approached quietly. ”
We hike along the coast for several hours until we reach these most famous cliffs in Ireland. If you can’t stand to look 200 m down at the thundering waves while standing, you better lie down on your stomach.
Then it’s on to the Connemara Mountains. We climb Leenane Hill up to 510 meters above the Atlantic Ocean and walk along Killary Harbor, the only fjord in Ireland. With Cong we visit one of the most beautiful historical villages in Ireland: In the middle of the village lies the ruins of the Cong Abbey.
Robert Wolf has one more piece of advice for travelers: “Be sure to visit the pubs in Doolin late in the evening!” At McGann’s, McDermott’s and O’Connor’s, banjo, fiddle and guitar are regularly unpacked, “and rarely”, says Wolf, “you see young and old singing and celebrating so exuberantly”.
Meals: B = breakfast / L = lunch / packed lunch / D = dinner
1st day:
Flight arrival to Dublin and collective transfer to Doolin
About 70 kilometers southwest of Galway is the starting point of this week-long hiking tour through the most beautiful part of Western Ireland, the small village of Doolin, which is best known for its music scene. In the evening, a visit to the local pub is recommended for dinner (optional).
Driving time: approx. 4 hours
overnight stay at Doolin Lodge ** in Doolin
(- / – / -)
2nd day:
Cliffs of Moher
We hike along the coast to the most famous cliffs in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher. We have a particularly impressive view of this natural monument, which is up to 214 meters high and plunging steeply into the sea, from O’Brien’s Tower (optional). On the way there, we enjoy a spectacular view. Back in Doolin we can look forward to dinner and live music in the pub, because there is a session almost every day during the summer months.
Hike: approx. 5 hours (approx. 16 km, max. 200 m altitude)
Overnight stay in the Doolin Lodge ** in Doolin
(B / – / D)
3rd day:
On the islands of silent stones
A small ferry takes us from Doolin to Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands off Galway Bay, the “Islands of Silent Stones”. Behind this mythical name are unique geological formations, so-called cart fields, which we explore on our island hike as well as old stone fortresses and lonely beaches. Incidentally, Gaelic culture and language have always been particularly cultivated on the Aran Islands.
Hike: approx. 4 hours (approx. 16 km, max. 100 HM)
Overnight at the Aran Island Hotel *** in Inishmore
(B / – / D)
4th day:
The Killary Harbor
After breakfast we take the ferry across the Connemara to Rossaveal and then continue to Killary Harbor, the only fjord in Ireland that leads deep into the mountains. We climb up to 185 meters on a “green road” that runs along the coast of the fjord. Relics of the past, abandoned villages, holy springs and “lazy beds” (remnants of old potato fields), which clearly illustrate the history of the great famine in the middle of the 19th century, await us on this hike.
Hike: approx. 5 hours (approx. 15 km, max. 130 altitude difference)
Overnight at the Leenane Hotel *** in Leenane
(B / – / D)
5th day:
Leenane Hill
The local mountain of the village Leenane rises behind our accommodation in a horseshoe shape up to 600 meters high into the sky. From the summit of the mountain, which belongs to the Maamturk Mountains, there are fascinating views of the surrounding mountains when the visibility is good.
Hike: approx. 5 hours (approx. 12.5 km, max. 580 m altitude)
Overnight at the Leenane Hotel *** in Leenane
(B / – / D)
6th day:
Cong Forest
After breakfast we drive to Cong. From this particularly beautiful village, which served as a backdrop for the 1952 film classic “The Quiet Man” with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in the leading roles, we hike through the Cong Forest to our next accommodation.
Hike: approx. 4.5 hours (approx. 14 km, max. 80 HM)
Overnight at the Fairhill House Hotel *** in Clonbur
(B / – / D)
7th day:
The Benlevy
Today’s hike in the Connemara Mountains brings us to the Benlevy and into the middle of the typical mountain world of this region with raised bogs, lonely mountain lakes and an abandoned village.
Hike: approx. 5 hours (approx. 15 km, max. 420 HM)
Overnight at the Fairhill House Hotel *** in Clonbur
(B / – / D)
8th day:
Home trip
After breakfast collective transfer to the airport in Dublin and flight home.
Travel time: approx. 4 hours
(B / – / -)
If you would like to spend a few days in Dublin, we would be happy to book the return flight for you later. PLEASE INDICATE US THE DESIRED RETURN DATE WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR TRAVEL! Various hotel booking engines have great deals on downtown Dublin hotels.
