After checking in at Auckland Airport we board our Emirates flight to Dubai.
On arrival in Dubai early this morning, we clear customs and immigration and transfer to our hotel.
We can check in straight away because we have booked an early check-in.
The rest of the day is at leisure.
Late morning we go to the airport for our flight to Dublin.
On arrival at Dublin airport this evening we are met and transfer to our hotel.
‘It’s the top of the Morning to you, and the rest of the day to yourself’ as we find ourselves in the Emerald Isle with its friendly faces and many lovely sayings.
A day to enjoy in Dublin; you can do your own thing or join Stu, your Tour Leader for a walk around to take in some of the local highlights.
It’s an exciting day as we leave Dublin behind and head off to County Wicklow.
Our first walk starts in the valley of Glendalough, Gleann Dá Loch in Irish, meaning “Valley of two lakes”; and takes us to a 6th Century Monastic Settlement, where we will have a short tour of some of the monuments and ruined churches.
From here, we will continue along to explore the glacier-moulded valley and its two lakes before starting a short ascent to Poulanass Waterfall and into Derrybawn Woods. Here, we will be offered stunning views down over the Glendalough Valley and surrounding countryside.
We then drive to Kilkenny where we’ll be staying the night.
There will be time to explore the town on foot and visit the 13th century Kilkenny Castle. Your local guide and Stu, have some suggestions for a cordial dinner.
On our way into Ireland’s beautiful south-west we pause in the County of Tipperary to visit the 12th century Rock of Cashel, a castle that was once the home of the kings of Munster.
When we are near Killarney we visit the Victorian mansion Muckross House and its gardens. This property, located in the Killarney National Park was once owned by the Guinness family and was visited by Queen Victoria. The parkland has some unique flora and fauna, including the rare Irish Red Deer.
We will have a leisurely walk around Muckross Lake. This is a stunning low-level walk that takes in some wonderful views of the Lakes of Killarney and the MacGillycuddy Reeks Mountain Range.
We have an excursion today to the most westerly point in Ireland: the Dingle Peninsula.
Our walk takes us to majestic Inch Beach; that was used in the making of the 1970 film “Ryan’s Daughter”. This is a very easy and relaxing walk.
In the afternoon we will visit some of the famous sites that dot the peninsula, including Minard Castle, the Great Blasket Centre, An Riasc (an early Christian centre) and more.
This morning we cross from County Kerry into County Clare via a ferry over the River Shannon that links Tarbet to Killimer. The Shannon is Ireland’s longest river and is such a key feature of its geography that it was mentioned by Graeco-Egyptian geographer Ptolomey. We will pass through numerous little villages as we head north to one of Ireland’s most iconic attractions, the Cliffs of Moher, whose sheer rocky face rises directly from the sea to a height of 200m.
We will enjoy a two hour walk to the cliffs, and go to the visitor centre and O’Brian’s Tower.
We then travel to our accommodation in Lahinch.
We begin our morning with a 1-hour ferry ride from the beautiful village of Doolin to the village of Kilronan on Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands.
Inis Mór is a land steeped in myth, legend, and ancient culture. It is famous for its stone forts, which are thought to date from the late Bronze Age (1100 BC) through to the Iron Age (300 BC-500 AD). Our walk takes us to the Black Fort (Dun Duchathair), a solitary fort situated on the cliffs at Cill Éinne on the southern side of the island.
After our walk its back on the ferry and a return to Lahinch for dinner and a sleep.
Our next stop on our adventure will be in the seaside village of Ballyvaughan.
Here we will do a wonderful circular walking route through a mixture of lush hazel woodlands, country roads and laneways, and green pastures. The route passes close to Aillwee Cave, the best known of the Burren’s many ancient geological sites and boasts some wonderful views of Galway Bay.
After our walk, we will travel to our hotel in the city of Galway.
This morning is at leisure in Galway.
After an independent lunch we set off for the most northerly county in the Republic, Donegal. On our way we’ll past through Sligo which is one of the smaller counties in Ireland.
We will stop in Drumcliff where the poet William Butler Yeats is buried in St Columba’s churchyard in the shadow of Benbulben Mountain.
Our final destination and home for three nights will be Donegal Town, protected by the proud O’Donnell Castle. Built in the 1400s by the first Red Hugh and his wife Lady Nuala, the castle is an excellent introduction into this region’s tradition, strong heritage and abundance of culture.
Tonight before sleeping we can see if the Guinness is up to par.
Our walk first begins with a drive west to the sea cliffs of Slieve League, covered in heather. This sight is always colourful, always changing, and always spectacular.
Our walk then takes us Northwest along the eastern side of the mountain. We’ll enjoy views of rolling mountains, patchwork fields, and gentle streams on one side and the sea cliffs with the backdrop of the wild Atlantic Ocean on the other side.
Today we visit Glenveagh National Park with its remote and mysterious Glenveagh Castle.
Situated in the Derryveagh Mountains, Glenveagh will immediately conjure up thoughts of Gothic literature and a sense of freedom in the midst of this true and impressionable remote wilderness. After visiting the castle and gardens we walk deep into the glen along Loch Gleann. We will pass ruins of settlements abandoned before and during the Great Famine as well as through native oak woodlands.
Today, we will depart County Donegal for Northern Ireland’s County Antrim and the world-famous Giant’s Causeway.
The Causeway was declared the Emerald Isle’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Some of the 40,000 polygonal basalt columns are over 6 ft tall, neatly standing side-by-side. The formation is over 55 million years old.
Our walk takes us along the beautiful shore to the astonishing Causeway where we will explore the landmark. The area is home to over 200 varieties of plant species and birds, such as the Chough and Peregrine Falcon, so we will have good company as we walk to our finishing point at the ruins of Dunseverick Castle.
In the morning, we will travel to Island Magee and the iconic Gobbins Cliff Path. There, we will walk along a narrow path hugging the dramatic cliff face, across spectacular bridges amid the crashing waves of the North Channel, traversing hidden tunnels under the Irish Sea, up and down rugged staircases carved into the cliff face, and into caves that were once home to smugglers and privateers. This is a true adventure!
We travel on to Carrickfergus and visit Carrickfergus Castle.
Then we travel to our accommodation in Belfast.
This morning we will visit the Multi-award winning Titanic Visitors Centre.
This afternoon is at leisure in Belfast.
It’s time to return to Dublin today but on our way south we’ll be visiting one of the most important megalithic sites in all of Europe – Newgrange.
Newgrange was constructed between 3100 and 2900BC. It’s older than the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt or Stonehenge.
Once back in Dublin you’ll have free-time until we meet for our farewell dinner this evening.
There is so much to do in Dublin and you can either cross off things on your ‘To-Do’ list or join Stu for another walk around and some further highlights.
This evening we will be transferring to the airport for our international flight homeward.
This morning we transit through Dubai airport and fly back to New Zealand.
Home to New Zealand with wonderful memories of walking in beautiful Ireland.