The west of Ireland is considered by many to be the most Irish part of Ireland. It certainly possesses some of the most spectacular scenery and beautiful villages and towns. One of those special towns is Westport. Westport is the very essence of Ireland's magical west. Nestling under the shadow of Croagh Patrick, overlooking Clew bay and its enchanting islands, the town weaves a spell around its visitors. This is sacred ground. Croagh Patrick is where St. Patrick spent forty days and nights in fasting and prayer. For his dedication, God is said to have vowed that the Irish would never lose their faith.
The islands off the coast are also legendary. This is where the famous pirate woman, Grace O'Malley sailed and raided. But Grace was also a patriot and fought the Tudors. She was the mainstay of the rebellion in the West. When Grace gave birth to her first child aboard ship, her ship was attacked by a Turkish vessel. The battle seemed about lost until Grace appeared wrapped in a blanket and shot the Turkish captain. Her men rallied and won the day. Although she died in 1603, many people of the area still talk of her almost as if she were still alive.
But this walk is not all legends and battles, Westport is one of the few planned towns in Ireland and its design and layout are credited to James Wyatt (1746-1813) an English architect most famous for his Neoclassical design for the London Pantheon. It is a beautiful place which few visitors wish to leave.
You will have an opportunity to explore the area in detail including nearby Connemara. As most lovers of Ireland know, Connemara is one of the most beautiful places on earth with its green hills, sheep pastures and the omnipresent sea.
Your accommodations are in downtown Westport at a lovely local hotel. You are conveniently located to some wonderful shopping! Plus, there are a number of pubs situated nearby where you can delight in some traditional Irish music. Each room is equipped with private facilities.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Pick up at Shannon Airport at 11:00 am. The drive to Westport takes about 3 hours. Your accommodation in Westport is the Clew Bay Hotel. Please note that the earliest check in time is 3 pm. Meet your guide at 4:30 in the lounge for a briefing of the coming week’s activities. For anyone who wants some musical entertainment, Westport is a veritable mecca for traditional music with a member of the famous Chieftains owning a bar in the main street less than a five minute walk away. Traditional sessions can also be heard in the hotel's bar.
Day 2: Transfer by car for about an hour to Connemara where you will visit Kylemore Abbey (please note a small fee of about 8 Euros applies to enter the Abbey and Cathedral) with its completely restored Victorian Gardens. The Abbey, now a girl’s boarding school, is run by the Benedictine nuns whose order came here from Ypres in Belgium after the First World War. The house itself was built by a business man called Mitchell Henry who, while honeymooning in the area, fell in love with the unspoiled natural charm of the valley and decided to build a home there. The chapel in the grounds is a miniaturized replica of Norwich Cathedral. The tour, which is self guided, should take no longer than two hours. A 15 minute drive takes you to the head of Ireland’s only fiord, Killary Harbour, for the first hike of the week. You will walk on an old famine road that was built by the starving Irish peasants during the great famine 1845 – 1849. On the route you will clearly see the ruins of famine villages and lazy beds, the name given to the potato ridges where the starving Irish peasants tried to provide food for his family. Walk Details: 6 miles, no ascent, good track but wet and boggy in places.
Day 3: The wonderful quartzite coned mountain of Croagh Patrick has been a sacred place for almost 5000 years. As far back as 3000 BC the megalithic ancestors worshiped there. Before the birth of Christ, the festival of the god Lugh was held on its slopes. Lugh is the god whose name gives us the Irish word Lughnasa for August, and it would seem that there is a connection between the pagan worship which took place at the end of the summer and the date fixed for the present day Christian pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick.
Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holy mountain where Patrick, the patron saint, spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting in 441AD. While on the summit Patrick was tormented by blackbirds which surrounded him and in later stories became demons and serpents. Ancient chroniclers say that Patrick threw his bell at them and banished them into the hollow known as Lug Na Deamhan, which is located on the North side of the mountain. It is a common belief that this is why no poisonous snake or reptile can be found in Ireland today. The plain iron bell said to belong to the patron saint is preserved in the National Museum. Walk Details: 8 miles, 1750 feet, uphill climb on a loose stoned, pilgrim track, small section of bog and country lanes.
Day 4: Take a short sail to Clare Island this morning. Clare Island is synonymous with Grace O’ Malley, the formidable ruler of the Clew Bay district during the second half of the 16th century. One of the most interesting places on the island is the remains of the late 12th century Cistercian Friary, founded by the Monks of Abbeyknockmoy in County Galway. According to local folklore, following the death of Grace O’ Malley in 1603, her remains were interred in the decorated O’Malley wall tomb in the Friary. The Chancel Vault was once covered in wall paintings, patches of which remain. The walk will take you to northernmost end of the island before returning to the quayside for the return ferry. (Please note that the crossing to the island is subject to wind and weather conditions and may in some cases be taken earlier in the week at the discretion of the guide). Walk Details: 8 miles on good level surface on back country roads - some uphill.
Day 5: Today is your free day. Some of the many things you can do are golfing, fishing and horseback riding but they need to be booked in advance and transport organized to get there and back. It also gives you the opportunity to catch up on your emails and laundry. Dinner tonight is left to your own choice and in Westport there is a wide range of ethnic restaurants to choose from.
Day 6: You journey south once more to Connemara. The hike today is through a pine forest with excellent views of the quartzite 12 Bens mountain range. The final 3 miles are on an elevated section with great views down Killary Fiord. The walk ends in the village of Leenane - famous as the location for the film The Field which starred the late Richard Harris and Tom Berenger as "The Yank". Leenane has a very small population but don’t worry, it also has two pubs for you to slake your thirst in. Walk Details: 9 miles. Ascent 300 feet on good track.
Day 7: For the last walk of the week you head to the north side of Clew Bay and walk the foothills of the Nephin Mountain range which is a huge wilderness area. You will see peat or turf cutting as you walk. By mid afternoon, you will return to Westport in time for you to catch up on some last minute shopping. Walk Details: 7 miles, ascent 300 feet on a good quality bog road.
Day 8: After breakfast, please check out by 10am. If you are planning to return to the USA on Saturday please be advised that continental breakfast is served in your hotel at 7am with bus transfer to the airport at 7:30 am. sharp. Please do not schedule your flight before 1:00 pm.
Note: The itinerary may be changed at the discretion of the guide and that the walks listed may not always take place in the sequence indicated as determining factors such as weather conditions and tides may prevail.
2008 Dates: May 10-17, May 24-31, June 14-21, June 21-28, July 12-19, July 19-26, August 9-16, August 23-30, September 6-13, September 13-20.
Meeting Point: Shannon Airport or Westport Train Station. Transfers are included at pre-set time.
Difficulty of Walk: Walking over fields, dirt paths, and gradual ascents.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
$2,110 per person, shared.
$300 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 7 nights hotel accommodation
- 5 days guided walking
- Guide
- All breakfasts
- 6 dinners
- 5 days packed lunches
- Transfers to/from Shannon Airport at pre-set time
- Tax.
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