Day 1: Arrival in Clifden
Warm welcome and a chance to settle in. You will be given your route notes and general information and your bikes and equipment will be delivered to your accommodation. One of our representatives will meet you on either the afternoon of your arrival or the following morning at your first night's accommodation to answer all your questions and go through your routes together.
Clifden is a small, colorful town, also often labeled the "Capital of Connemara." There are many restaurants where you can choose a lovely evening meal and a great selection of traditional pubs where often you will find Irish music.
Overnight in Clifden
Day 2: Clifden – Renvyle (22-28 miles/35-45 km)
After a hearty breakfast, you will set off along the Sky Road, if you opt for the longer option (45 km), it offers fabulous views of the Atlantic Ocean and its islands. Traveling quiet back roads, you will pass through the quaint fishing village of Cleggan and on to Letterfrack, home of the Connemara National Park.
Then your journey will take you to the Renvyle Peninsula which is steeped in history and archaeological sites and is renowned for its pristine sandy beaches and spectacular vistas of the Twelve Ben mountain range.
Overnight in Renvyle
Day 3: Renvyle – Leenane (20 miles/26 km)
Leave Renvyle after a hearty breakfast. You will set off, passing through Tullycross with its many thatched cottages and meander along the coast passing perfect beaches to the small village of Leenane, situated at the head of Ireland's only fjord.
You could take the boat along Killary Fjord for a sightseeing expedition at either 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm or 4:30pm (ticket not included). This is a 1.5-hour boat ride on the Connemara Lady catamaran. The trip is often honored by the company of leaping dolphins and always includes commentary on all major points of interest along the way. Tonight you will stay the night in Leenane.
Overnight in Leenane
Day 4: Leenane – Lough Inagh (15 miles/23 km)
After breakfast you will continue your journey leaving Leenane. You cycle away from the coast back towards the mountains on a road through lake-strewn moorlands to the stunning Inagh Valley.
You will have the option to visit one of Ireland's top visitor attractions, Kylemore Abbey & Gardens. This gothic fairytale lakeside castle lodged in a wooded hillside is the site of one of Ireland's finest gardens. The six-acre Victorian walled garden at Kylemore was created by Mitchell Henry along with the building of Kylemore Castle in 1867. It has won the prestigious Europa Nostra Award for Gardens. Tonight you will be staying in welcoming accommodation overlooking spectacular Lough Inagh.
Overnight in Lough Inagh
Day 5: Lough Inagh – Roundstone (17 miles/28 km)
Cycle back towards the coast today, leaving the mountains behind as you head towards Roundstone. You will be traveling along a route dotted with pretty fishing villages. You will cycle through peat bogs and lovely moorlands still divided by the Neolithic field systems. Your journey will bring you into the Gaeltacht (Gaelic speaking) region, which is considered the last bastion of Celtic Ireland. You will rest and relax tonight in the small picturesque fishing village of Roundstone.
Overnight in Roundstone
Day 6: Roundstone – Clifden (15 miles/24 km)
Well-fed and well-rested, you will begin your day with a gentle cycle along Mannin Bay. With its coralline beach and glorious turquoise bay, it is a paradise for the beachcomber. This route brings you past Ballyconneely, or can be made shorter by taking the Bogroad. Roundstone bog is unique in that it is an unspoiled area of bogscape with rare acid-loving plants.
You will arrive back at your starting destination of Clifden where you will spend your last night getting a second chance to enjoy the "craic" in this vibrant town - one of the last true treasures in Western Europe.
Overnight in Clifden
Day 7: Departure
Breakfast, followed by departure.