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Word: This tour is presently totally booked. Nonetheless for those who’d prefer to be added to the wait checklist – please electronic mail me at [email protected].
To essentially expertise Eire – you want to really feel it – really feel its land, its rain, its temperate local weather, and most of all – its soul. This can be a nation that can not be rushed and exploring it on foot is among the finest methods to expertise it. This permits you the chance to fulfill the locals, come nose to nose with hundreds of years of historical past, and see what it’s that makes Irish folks so distinctive.
I’ve partnered with information extraordinaire, Rachel Nolan of Rachel’s Irish Adventures, to place collectively an Ottsworld tour that may deliver Nation Mayo’s landscapes, mountaineering, native tradition, and distinctive touches collectively in an unbelievable personalized tour.
Overview and Map
Word: This tour is presently totally booked. Nonetheless for those who’d prefer to be added to the wait checklist – please electronic mail me at [email protected].
Dates: April 20 – 27, 2024
Value: €2,780* (€450 single complement)
This can be a small group tour – solely 7 folks + me! The area will replenish quick so enroll shortly.
*All costs shall be charged within the Euro – some USD worth fluctuations may happen by the point of your last fee – nonetheless you possibly can pay in full at any time and lock within the worth.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill Eire tour. That is an unique personalized Ottsworld tour within the firm of me as your host, accompanied by our skilled native Irish information – Rachel. Our small group of seven folks will get to go to a few of Eire’s best-kept secrets and techniques, hike on distant trails, keep in boutique lodging, meet locals, expertise distinctive Irish tradition, and benefit from the lush inexperienced of the Eire panorama within the spring.
I can even supply pictures instruction for these of you who’re fascinated by bettering your pictures (cellphone or digicam). As well as, I shall be taking images of the whole tour and every visitor will get a obtain of all pictures I take. So for those who don’t need to take footage – I’ll do it for you!
The journey will discover all the fantastic thing about County Mayo’s stretch of shoreline alongside the Wild Atlantic Approach and its islands. What’s that – you haven’t heard of County Mayo? That’s precisely why I selected it! It’s a hidden gem away from the closely traveled websites in Eire.
Whereas most individuals head to the Ring of Kerry or the Cliffs of Moher, we’ll have the attractive shoreline of County Mayo all to ourselves.
How you can Guide This Tour
Word: This tour is presently totally booked. Nonetheless for those who’d prefer to be added to the wait checklist – please electronic mail me at [email protected].
I’d like to speak to you first to reply any of your questions previous to your reserving. Due to this fact observe these steps to guide:
- Ship me an electronic mail at [email protected] letting me learn about your curiosity. We are going to arrange a name to debate any questions you’ve got. This shall be on a primary come first serve foundation – there are solely 7 spots out there on this tour.
- I’ll ship you a fee hyperlink to Rachel’s website the place you possibly can guide your deposit and safe your spot for this tradition tour. A 500€ nonrefundable deposit is required to safe a spot.
- Closing fee is due January 21, 2024 (90 Days previous to April 20, 2024)
Cancellation Coverage and Charge
- In the event you cancel greater than 90 days earlier than the beginning date of the vacation, you’ll lose the deposit quantity.
- In the event you cancel between 89 – 42 days earlier than beginning date of the vacation, you’ll lose 50% of the vacation value
- In the event you cancel lower than 42 days earlier than the beginning date of the vacation, you’ll lose 100% of the vacation value
I extremely suggest that you just get journey insurance coverage to cowl any dangers of cancellation. I usually use Allianz Journey Insurance coverage for my very own travels and it is rather fairly priced.
Day by day Itinerary
The itinerary is one-of-a-kind and is full of included experiences comparable to a number of ‘spa’ experiences, visits to sheep farms, entrance to historical websites, lamb cuddling, cooking expertise, falconry, whiskey tasting, and the possibility to fulfill a whole lot of locals. As well as, we have now included loads of hikes, walks, and even some biking!
Word: The journey begins in Ballina and ends in Westport. You may be chargeable for your individual transportation to the beginning and from the end, nonetheless, there’s a common prepare and buses which can be simple to take from Dublin with a number of departures instances throughout any given day.
Day 1 – April 20 – Arrival in Ballina Eire
Your vacation kicks off within the charming city of Ballina in County Mayo the place your information will meet you on arrival and switch you to the lodge. Settle into your room and take within the magnificent view over the River Moy and Belleek Woods, go to a museum, and revel in a river stroll.
Take pleasure in a day baking expertise in Marjorie’s Kitchen, hosted by Rachel’s mom in her kitchen. Marjorie is the creator of 4 cookery books and loves nothing greater than to share her ardour within the kitchen, adopted by savoring the fruits of your labor over a sizzling cuppa tea.
We are going to take pleasure in a welcome dinner for the group to get to know each other. After dinner you probably have any power left, we are going to hit the city and go to Pat Rouse’s bar, Ballina’s oldest family-owned pub the place a standard Irish music session and singsong will go on late into the night time. You might even get the possibility to tug your individual pint of Guinness.
Day 1 Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2: Sligo Coast – Following the traces of the Historic Queen Maeve of Connacht
After a refreshing sleep and a scrumptious breakfast. It’s off to hit the paths of Mayo and get our boots soiled for the primary time. At this time we are going to hike the fantastic Knocknarea hill and add a stone to the hundreds adorning the imposing grave or cairn of Maeve, the good warrior queen, which overlooks Strandhill.
Distance: 7.5km | Elevation achieve 404m | 2-3 hours
It’s time to take pleasure in an natural, fair-trade espresso on the excellent Shells Café which overlooks the strand, having fun with one in all their delicious do-it-yourself treats. With time to loosen up and discover this quaint location.
Go to Aughris Head Seashore bar – a standard thatch roof pub and revel in a warming Irish espresso.
Take pleasure in a completely distinctive native expertise and unwind with a seaweed tub in Enniscrone. Seaweed baths are literally a centuries-old observe in Eire. Relationship again to the twelfth century, monks harvested seaweed from the coastlines and gave it to the poor as a nourishing meals. We’ll take pleasure in a soak on the 100-plus-year-old Kilcullen’s Tub Home perched proper on the coast the place they harvest their seaweed.
Take pleasure in a hearty dinner in Ballina and conventional Irish music at Lilly’s Bar.
Day 2 Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 3: Conventional Irish Trades & Treats
Begin the morning assembly and dealing with birds of prey. The Birds of Prey Expertise is a singular alternative to fulfill and deal with quite a lot of Birds on the Mount Falcon Aviary. Get an interesting perception into the lives of those magnificent creatures and get the possibility to carry and admire them shut up; it’s a really visceral and satisfying expertise!
Tour the Foxford Woollen Mills and be taught the historical past of the mill in addition to how necessary it’s to the close by village. Have an opportunity to buy any wool mementos. Take pleasure in lunch on the Woolen Mills Cafe.
Head again to Ballina and get fitted for bikes at Rachel’s bike shed. We’ll cycle to the Monasteries of the Moy, and discover the Belleek woods, and Rosserk Abbey. There shall be a lot of events to cease off and take footage and be taught concerning the historical past and traditions of the area…just like the Fairy Path!
For anybody who doesn’t need to cycle as we speak, another choice is to sit back out and revel in a soothing therapy in an award-winning spa (at your individual value).
This night you’ve got an actual deal with earlier than dinner. A whiskey appreciation masterclass, your whisky knowledgeable will take you thru a choice of Irish Whiskey and educate you on this world-famous spirit and its origins. Style the completely different whiskeys and ask any questions you will have. Following the masterclass, we’ll have dinner at Quay West.
Day 3 Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4: North Mayo coast (The Ceide Coast)
Depart Ballina with a scenic drive to the coast the place we are going to take a simple strolling route alongside the coast to a hidden seashore. We’ll additionally make a cease on the iconic Downpatrick Head the place your information will deliver this place to life with information and folklore about time passed by.
Now it’s time to reward you in your morning’s journey with some scrumptious lunch and home-baked treats at Mary’s Cottage Kitchen. The proper place to cease for some tasty house cooking is located within the coastal village of Ballycastle. Mary’s Cottage Kitchen was constructed within the early 1800s and maintains many conventional options such because the stone wall exterior, open loft, uncovered beams, flag flooring, and open hearth.
Subsequent, it’s time to go to the attractive Ceide Fields which is the oldest, most intensive Stone Age monument on the earth, which lies beneath our toes! Consisting of megalithic tombs, fields, and homes, the relics are softly coated by a pure blanket lavatory, which itself is a marvel with its distinctive wildlife. Put together to be blown away on the viewing platform on the fringe of the 110-metre cliff shut by.
Tonight we keep on the luxurious Ceide Glamping Pods. Every of the 6 Glamping Pods comes with a surprising coastal view. And the very best half is that we’ll have the whole space to ourselves. We’ll take pleasure in dinner within the widespread space whereas we benefit from the sound of the waves crashing on the coast.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Off the Overwhelmed Path
After a refreshing sleep and a scrumptious breakfast. It’s off to hit some of the beautiful trails in County Mayo. This area of the Wild Atlantic Approach has a few of the most dramatic coastlines to be discovered anyplace in Eire. The hike we are going to take pleasure in as we speak was described in Lonely Planet as “The best sustained coastal stroll in western Eire, with a profusion of precipitous cliffs, crags, caves, chasms and islands alongside the distant North Mayo coast”.
Distance: 7km | Elevation achieve: 300m | 2-3 hours
After the difficult hike reward your self with a standard heat whiskey and lunch at Connoly’s Pub and revel in assembly some locals at this tiny, distant institution.
Drive to Ballycroy Nationwide Park. Situated on the Western seaboard in northwest Mayo, the park covers an enormous 15,000 hectares of uninhabited and unspoiled wilderness, dominated by the Nephin Beg mountain vary. To the west of the mountains is the Owenduff Bathroom, one of many final intact energetic blanket lavatory methods in Western Europe. If time permits we’ll do a brief stroll there.
Drive to Achill Island, the biggest of the Irish isles but it solely has 2500 inhabitants. Right here we’ll keep on the secluded Bervie B&B. The magical beachside home was as soon as a coast guard station, and since 1932 has been the final word escape for the various friends who’ve stayed right here. It’s a low, tucked-in sort of place with just a little wicket gate giving direct entry to the seashore. There may be an other-worldliness concerning the Bervie that could be very uncommon nowadays.
In any case of that mountaineering – take pleasure in some sizzling & chilly Atlantic remedy! Heat up within the cute beachside saunas after which cool off with a refreshing dip within the Atlantic Ocean…and repeat. Dinner at Bervie B&B.
Included: Breakfast
Day 6: Achill Island & Clew Bay
After having fun with the very best breakfast on Achill Island, we’ll drive to Keem Seashore which is honored as among the best seashores on the earth. From there we’ll hike as much as Eire’s highest sea cliffs (it’s steep – however brief)!
Subsequent, we’ll go to the Abandoned Village at Slievemore which consists of some 80 – 100 stone cottages positioned alongside a mile-long stretch of highway on the southern slopes of Slievemore Mountain. Settlement on this space dates from no less than early Medieval instances and we’ll get to stroll by the village on a simple highway stroll.
After lunch on the island, we’ll drive in the direction of the village of Westport. We are able to have a ‘select your individual journey’ afternoon with a number of stops to select from relying on curiosity, climate, time, and so on)
Keep within the in style city of Westport tonight the place we are going to take pleasure in dinner, reside music, and iconic pubs.
Included: Breakfast
Day 7: Killary Fjord & South Mayo
Morning drive alongside Clew Bay and cease on the iconic Croagh Patrick to take pleasure in views of the notorious peak that hundreds pilgrimage to the highest of.
Lunch open air if climate permits. For animal lovers, we get to go to an iconic Eire sheep farm. The Killary Sheep Farm in Connemara is a standard working mountain farm with approx 200 ewes and lambs roaming freely within the mountain overlooking Killary Fjord, on the Wild Atlantic Approach. Right here we’ll get to see a sheepdog demonstration, be taught concerning the farm, and even get to cuddle some spring lambs!
We’ll head again to Westport the place you’ll get time to do some last memento purchasing and revel in extra of the colourful city. We’ll have our goodbye dinner (how did it go so quick?!) in Westport that night the place we will share our favourite Eire reminiscences and experience our new friendships.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8: April 27 – Departure Day
After breakfast, you possibly can catch the prepare again to Dublin, or possibly you’ll resolve to stay round and revel in extra of Eire’s west coast!
Practice to Dublin (direct):
- 07:15 – 10:27
- 09:45 – 13:04
- 13:10 – 16:29
- 18:20 – 21:36
(Instances could be barely completely different in 2024)
Bus to Galway:
- 06:18
- 09:19
- 12:27
- 15:19
- 18:19
(Approx. 2 hours)
What’s Included
- 7 nights keep in an en-suite room at our premium hand-picked lodging.
- Scrumptious Full Irish breakfast every morning, and three Dinners.
- 7 days of actions with an knowledgeable Irish information who will accompany the group all through the vacation
- All experiences as outlined within the itinerary; Whiskey Tasting, Foxford woolen mills, baking class, Seaweed tub, Ceide Fields, sheepdog demonstration, Sauna Achill Island, and bike rental.
- Courtesy transfers to and from every day’s strolling places and all transport as outlined within the itinerary.
- Primary pictures instruction through the journey.
- Entry to a full gallery of pictures (shot by me!) of the whole journey, which you should utilize for private functions.
What’s Not Included:
- Flights to/from Eire
- Transportation to Ballina and departure from Westport
- Journey Insurance coverage
- Some dinners and lunches
- Private drinks
- Medical prices
- Gratuities
Our Superior Native Information
When you’ve got the best information, it may ‘make’ a complete journey! Rachel is the final word outside information. She’s an unbelievable athlete and such a beautiful advocate of her house area in County Mayo. One among my favourite issues about staying in Ballina is that it’s the city she grew up in (and nonetheless lives there) and with that comes unbelievable native connections. In reality, we may have a particular cooking class from her mom. It doesn’t get far more native than that! Plus, Rachel ensures that we all know everybody on the town introducing us to the bartenders once we go right into a pub, restaurant homeowners, and even the native man who smokes fish.
Critiques
What makes this tour ‘Ottsworld’? This isn’t your common tour…it’s an Ottsworld tour. I have to confess – that I’m form of a journey snob. I don’t love to do the ‘anticipated’ or see the everyday sights; I like to hunt out the weird, and fewer traveled. I’ve labored collectively very intently with Rachel to place collectively a tour that impresses even me! It has all of my favourite parts in it: mountaineering, native journey, booze, hands-on native experiences, and pictures. Sure – all of this in solely 8 days! Right here’s what previous friends needed to say under.
“Undoubtedly a ten! I actually loved the truth that the tour was a ‘white glove supply’ experience- every part was so meticulously deliberate so we didn’t have to fret about transportation, meals, what we’re doing for the day, or if we’re making an attempt to an excessive amount of or not sufficient. I went again to reread the outline of the tour (revealed in Could) after we returned house and couldn’t consider that we hit EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. AS. PLANNED.”
“It was excellent for me, a bit difficult however that’s what I like. The primary day was probably the most stunning, second probably the most difficult, third very attention-grabbing with the steps by the woods.”
“Undoubtedly met expectations and likewise uncovered me to issues I’m certain I might not have thought-about if I used to be planning a visit.”
“Meals was AWESOME – manner higher than anticipated. Appreciated doing issues I might not have performed by myself.”
“Thanks in your persistence in serving to us seize superb reminiscences! The one factor I knew earlier than your class was the rule of thirds, and now I’ve an important basis of information to construct upon – no extra level and shoot! Instagram be careful!”
Who Ought to Contemplate This Tour?
- Individuals who prefer to discover lesser-known locations, and be adventurous and energetic.
- People who find themselves versatile. You have to be prepared to exhibit flexibility, as itineraries could change as a consequence of climate, and it helps you probably have a ‘prepared to attempt new issues’ angle.
- Individuals who don’t thoughts getting moist or having fun with the joy of inclement climate.
- Individuals who really feel comfy mountaineering 3 to five miles in uneven terrain.
Pictures
If in case you have any questions – please be at liberty to contact me at [email protected]. I’m joyful to reply something concerning the journey!
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