An Irish Fortnight

Bicycle Ireland’s West Coast & Connemara

Essentials of An Irish Fortnight:

The enchanting "Emerald Isle" is a land of thatched and whitewashed cottages, lush vegetation, dramatic coastal regions, shy and surreptitious sheep, witty wordsmiths, and welcoming pubs offering a plentiful supply of the other "black gold" – Guinness.

The aromas and sounds of the Irish countryside greet you as you cycle by and will linger on in your memory for a long time to come – turf fires, drying kelp, freshly baked soda bread, blooming heather, traditional Irish music and clever conversation. Explore the treasures of this island, steeped in history and culture, and see for yourself how every farmer is poet or a musician, and why some of the most unique authors of this century hail from Eire.

Cycling along off-the-beaten-track country lanes we see, feel, and taste the best of Ireland, including the unspoiled beauty of Connemara and the cobalt-blue sea, rocky headlands, and dramatic shoreline of the Dingle Peninsula. In certain areas we visit, the Irish language is still spoken and the Irish folklore, music and song are very much a part of everyday life.

Cuisine: Ireland produces an abundance of fresh food and the quality and variety is used imaginatively by award-winning chefs in creations designed to delight you. Salmon, trout, shrimp and other seafood delicacies are served, as well as beef, lamb and game. The freshest of vegetables and herbs are home grown and fresh from farm to table.

Highlights: Limerick, Bunratty Castle, Castletownbere, Glengarriff, Beara Peninsula, Kenmare, Dingle, Ballybunion, Lahinch, the Aran islands, "Burren Country", Galway, Cashel Bay, Connemara, Clifden, Cong, Ennis, Golf*.

*Golf: With well over 300 courses, Ireland boasts more golf courses per person than anywhere else on earth (and gives another explanation for why the island is so green)! Our itinerary passes by some of the most challenging and ruggedly scenic links in the country. The fact that the courses are geared to visitors and generally not crowded, in addition to the friendly way in which the sport is played here, make Irish golf an endearing experience.

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