Connemara & Kylemore Abbey Day Tour One-day tour
Our partner: Spirit of Ireland Executive Travel Ltd
Description
Our Connemara tour takes in all the highlights of Galway Bay and Connemara along the Wild Atlantic Way. This tours’ focus is on taking you from the centre of Galway, into the true heart of Galway, Connemara!
Departing from the Kinlay Hostel on Merchants Road, Galway at 09:30, your fully trained, local driver / guide will take you out from Galway City through the Claddagh and Salthill, then west along the southern shores of Connemara, looking out across Galway Bay, travelling along the Wild Atlantic Way.
As our tour passes through the picturesque villages of Barna, Furbo, Spiddal and Inverin, you will see thatched cottages, dry stone walls, mountains, woodlands, rivers and streams, lakes, Connemara ponies, amazing beaches and unspoilt bogs and deserted islands.
On through Connemara’s hidden jewel, Bothar na Scragoige. View the wilderness bog landscape and experience the tranquillity and isolation of Connemara.
We have a photostop at the picturesque little fishing village of Roundstone and then it’s out along the Wild Atlantic Way. To our left is the iconic Dog’s Bay Beach stretching a mile out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Our next scheduled stop is Derrygimlagh Bog (Wild Atlantic Way – Signature Point). This remote site was the centre of the communications and aviation world in the beginning of the 20th century.
After travelling through Clifden, the capital of Connemara, we head skyward. Renowned worldwide for its heart stopping twists and turns, the Sky Road (Wild Atlantic Way – Discovery Point) swoops and soars above the Atlantic Ocean. The views and photo opportunities from this ‘Discovery Point’ have to be seen to be believed.
Our main stop of today is a 3 hour stop to explore the majestic Kylemore Abbey. Few buildings in Ireland or the world have such a dramatic setting or history as Kylemore Abbey. Built in the 1860's by Mitchell Henry as a wedding gift for his wife Margaret, the magnificent castle at Kylemore is a must-see in Connemara.
To finish off our tour we weave our way between the majestic Twelve Bens and Maumturk mountains through the Inagh Valley and onto the main Galway to Clifden road where we greet the impressive Connemara Giant as well as a visit to the famous ‘Quite Man Bridge’ before returning to Galway City.
What´s Included
Guided coach tour
Luggage space on tour vehicle
What to bring
Weather appropriate clothing and comfortable footware.
Map
Itinerary
Excursion
09:30 - Depart Galway
09:30 - Depart Galway
Our locally sourced and trained driver / guide will take you from Galway City out into the wilds of Connemara. En route, you will pass beautiful coastal villages, thatched cottages, fields of dry stone walls and vast expanses of bog land.
Excursion
10:45 - Arrive Peacockes, Maam Cross
10:45 - Arrive Peacockes, Maam Cross
Peacockes is a charming family run hotel located in the heart of Connemara. Our pamper stop here to use the facilities, grab a tea / coffee or maybe explore the replica of the Quiet Man Cottage.
Excursion
11:15 - Depart Peacockes, Maam Cross
11:15 - Depart Peacockes, Maam Cross
After our pamper stop we re-board the tour vehicle and continue our journey through Connemara.
Excursion
11:30 - Photostop Roundstone
11:30 - Photostop Roundstone
A quick photostop in the picturesque fishing village of Roundstone.
Excursion
12:30 - Derrygimlagh
12:30 - Derrygimlagh
Our stop here to look at the remote site where Alcock and Brown crash-landed their plane after making the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in 1919 and where Marconi sent the first wireless message connecting Europe to America.
Excursion
13:00 - Arrive Sky Road
13:00 - Arrive Sky Road
The Sky Road is one of the 'Discovery Points' on the Wild Atlantic Way. On a clear day the view from here has to be seen to be believed.
Excursion
14:00 - Arrive Kylemore Abbey
14:00 - Arrive Kylemore Abbey
Built by Mitchell Henry in the 1860's as a wedding gift to his wife Margaret, the magnificent castle at Kylemore is a must-see in Connemara.
Excursion
17:00 - Depart Kylemore Abbey
17:00 - Depart Kylemore Abbey
Following our main stop of the day, we re-board the tour vehicle, sit back and relax while out driver / guide continues with our Connemara tour.
Excursion
17:30 - The Quiet Man Bridge
17:30 - The Quiet Man Bridge
The Quiet Man movie was filmed in Cong, Co. Mayo in the 1960's. This bridge was used in the opening scenes and is still a 'must-see' for all John Wayne fans.
Excursion
18:30 - Arrive Galway
18:30 - Arrive Galway
Our driver / guide will return you to our departure point on Merchants Road, Galway, where our tour for today concludes. Time to say ' Good Bye' or 'Slan Abhaile' to our driver / guide.