| Day
1 - Monday 22nd June - Travel to Ireland
Departures from Manchester or Heathrow to Cork. Met on arrival by our
agents and transfer by coach to Ross Hotel, Killarney, where we spend
the first four nights of the holiday. Or make your own travel arrangements
and meet up with the rest of the group at Ross Hotel, Killarney. Welcome
reception followed by dinner in the hotel. D
Day
2 - Tuesday 23rd June - Gap of Dunloe
Our coach drops us off at the start point of our first walk and we follow
The Kerry Way, descending through oak woodlands to the shores of Killarney's
Upper Lake. After about two miles we reach Lord Brandon's Cottage, the
traditional departure point for boats to Killarney. We then follow a narrow
asphalt track westwards towards the Black Valley for a mile, turning right
at the signpost for the Gap of Dunloe and Kate Kearney's Cottage. With
the Macgillycuddy Reeks Mountains on the left and the Purple Mountains
on the right, our route rises for two miles before we reach the "Summit
of the Gap" (altitude 500m). The descent to Kate Kearney's is through
a narrow glacial valley lined with a series of ribbon lakes. Picnic lunch.
9 miles walking. Dinner tonight in the hotel. BLD
Day
3 - Wednesday 24th June - Skellig Rocks "Skellig Michael"
and "The Little Skellig"
Today our coach takes us on a scenic drive along the Ring of Kerry to
the small fishing village of Portmagee, near Valentia Island, where we
take a boat to a World Heritage Site, the monastic Great Skellig Island,
lying eight miles to the west of the Ring of Kerry Peninsula in the Atlantic
Ocean.
Renowned
for spectacular and dramatic scenery, the islands are an important breeding
ground for gannets and puffins. We land on Skellig Michael, the largest
of the two islands and climb 600 steps to the monastic settlement, used
originally around 1200 years ago by Irish monks. Resident guides introduce
us to the history of the island and monastery. Time has been allowed to
explore before retracing our steps and sailing to "The Little Skellig
Rock" to see steep rocks colonized by thousands of gannets. We then
return by boat to Portmagee where our coach will be waiting for the return
scenic drive to Killarney. Picnic lunch. Dinner in the hotel. BLD
Day
4 - Thursday 25th June - Devil's Punchbowl and Mangerton Mountain
Our coach takes us to the south of Killarney to Muckross, passing Molly
Darcy's pub, we start the walk at the Mangerton view point and car park.
The first part of the ascent is a fairly steep uphill walk, travelling
south along a well worn track next to a deep river gully. After ascending
about 500m the track veers south-west on to a more gradual slope where
it is easier going until we reach glacial corrie-lake, known as the "Devil's
Punchbowl". The final stage to the summit at 843m involves a circuit
around the ridge overlooking the Horses-Glew, where care has to be taken
due to exposure.
The walk
today provides the option of walking to the Devil's Punchbowl - 5 hours,
or continuing to the top of Mangerton Mountain - 6 hours walking, depending
on weather or personal choice. On completion of the walk our coach takes
us back to the Ross Hotel. Dinner in the hotel. BLD
Day
5 - Friday 26th June - The Dingle Way (Ventry to Slea Head)
Check out of the Ross Hotel this morning after breakfast. Our coach takes
us through landscape littered with archaeological sites. We walk over
the rocky shores of Dingle Bay to the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy the spectacular
scenery of Slea Head and Dunquin (the nearest parish to America) captured
in many movies. We will be tempted to stop at the Dunquin Café
for optional coffee and delicious homemade pastries before continuing
an extra two miles to Dunmore Head, the most westerly mainland point in
Europe with its ogham stone. Picnic lunch. 7.5 miles walking.
On completion
of the walk our coach takes us to Dingle where we check into the Dingle
Benners Hotel, where we stay for three nights. Dinner in local restaurant.
An option
this evening is to attend a two hour Irish Folk Concert at St James' Church
starting at 7.30pm, followed by dinner. BLD
Day
6 - Saturday 27th June - Masatiompan to (Cloglane) Brandon Village
Our coach takes us from Dingle to the old fishing harbour at Brandon Creek,
our starting point for today's walk. Follow the "Dingle Way"
signs which at first lead steeply uphill in a north-easterly direction
along the old 'green' track. We pass dramatic scenery with steep sea cliffs
on the left and Mount Brandon Ridge on the right. After three miles we
reach a summit col, or saddle, at Masatiompan where we look out for an
ancient 'ogham stone' marked with pre-Christian inscriptions.
The track
now descends across wild open moorland towards "Sauce Creek",
a dramatic bay surrounded by steep sea cliffs which we continue along
for about a mile. The final section of the hike is along a track to Teer
overlooking Brandon Village, a tiny fishing harbour on Brandon Bay. Spectacular
scenery across Brandon Bay towards Castlegregory and the Maharee Islands.
Picnic lunch. 8 miles. Dinner at Out of the Blue Seafood Restaurant or
Lord Baker's Restaurant. BLD
Day
7 - Sunday 28th June - Celtic Culture Day and series of short
walks
This relaxing circular tour of the Dingle Peninsula includes Celtic culture
at its richest and three walks that include, Brandon Creek, Ballydavid
cliff walk and Connor Pass, each about an hour's walk. By the northern
shore of the Dingle Peninsula in the shadow of the Three Sisters we visit
the renowned Louis Mulcahy Pottery, the Heritage Centre of the Baile and
Fheirtearaigh (Ballyferriter) and the unique stone oratory of Gallarus
(8th/10th century). Optional lunch today at a pub or café. 3 miles
walking. Dinner at The Chart House. BD
Day 8 - Monday 29th June - Departure
The time has come to say farewell to Ireland. After breakfast we have
free time in Dingle. Transfer by private coach to Cork airport for the
return flights to Manchester or Heathrow. B
B
= breakfast L = lunch D = dinner |
