Adventourus Active Vacations

8 day Independent OR Escorted tour

Our starting point is Cork City on the banks for the river Lee. It is the river that provides our inspiration as we begin our journey following backroads along its course to the wonderful glacial lake and hermitage retreat of Gougane Barra.

The fresh salty air of the Atlantic Ocean is our next inspiration as we sweep down towards Bantry Bay and take in the wonderfully remote and unspoilt charms of the Sheep’s Head Peninsula.

We hug the coastline for the rest of the week taking in the charming vilages of Baltimore, Union Hall and Glandore, with the nearby Neolithic stone circle of Drombeg.

The towns of Clonakilty and Kinsale await where the brightly coloured villages compete with each other for your attention, all this connected by sweet scented fushia-lined backroads. The group tour finishes up in Kinsale, whereas the self gided tour heads back to Cork city for the last night.

The group meets at 6.30 pm in the Bar of River Lee Hotel, Western Road. The hotel is only the meeting point and not our actual accommodation. However if you get there before the meeting time and wish to explore the city you can leave your luggage in the left luggage at the hotel reception.
An introductory talk from the guide is followed by a light bar food menu, while your bags are transferred to our guesthouses. Afterwards you might decide to head into the city for a drink in one of Cork’s lively pubs.

Your cycle starts by the banks of the Lee where you travel along quiet back roads to a lunch stop in the market town of Macroom. In the afternoon you continue up the Lee Valley through rolling countryside to the wonderfully peaceful Lakeside retreat of Gougane Barra , the source of the River Lee and Irelands first National Park.

Day 3: Gougane Barra - Ahakista (43 km)

You cycle down to the coast past fields of grazing cattle and sheep to the coastal town of Bantry for lunch. In the afternoon you head out to the beautiful Sheeps Head Peninsula and cycle along quiet coastal roads with stunning views of the surrounding landscape. That night you have a home cooked dinner in your guesthouse.

You cycle onto the Mizen Peninsula in the morning and the village of Schull. After lunch you can either cycle the coast road or else take a ferry across Roaring Water Bay (it is usually quite calm!) to the village of Baltimore.

Baltimore is a lovely village to potter around for the day or else you can take off to explore the nearby islands and countryside.

In the morning you cycle along quiet backroads to the peaceful Lough Ine and then follow the West Cork coast to the village of Glandore where you can have lunch overlooking the beautiful Glandore Harbour with its two islands, Adam and Eve. In the afternoon you can visit a 3,000 year old stone circle , one of the best examples of its kind in the country, before following another scenic coastal cycle to the bustling town of Clonakilty.

In the morning you head straight to the village of Timoleague, where you can visit a 15th Century Franciscan Friary. You continue to hug the coastline all the way to the historic town of Kinsale, site of the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 where you can have lunch.
Unlike the group tour on the self led tour we continue our journey back into Cork city, along quiet roads, where you spend the last night of the tour.

After breakfast your cycling tour comes to an end and you may begin your journey home. We would also be more than happy to extend your stay in Europe.

PRICE & DETAILS

Price & Schedule

INDEPENDENT TOUR

DEPARTURE DATES:

This tour starts daily from April to October, except on escorted tour start dates.

- 7 nights in excellent quality, small family run guesthouses and B & B's; all rooms with private facilities.

- Breakfast each day

- One dinner

- Luggage transport from hotel to hotel.

- Maps with indicated routes, detailed route description, tourist information about places of interest.

- 21 speed Giant hybrid bike with pannier.

Price & Schedule

ESCORTED TOUR

DEPARTURE DATES:

June 23        July 21          August 11         September 15

- 7 nights in excellent quality, small family run guesthouses and B & B's, all rooms with WC and shower.

- Substantial breakfast each day

- One dinner at Gougan Barra

- Professional tour guide at your disposal each evening, in an accompanying van during the day.  

- Daily tour discussion in the morning

- Luggage transport from hotel to hotel

- Maps with indicated routes, detailed route description, tourist information about places of interest.

- 21 speed Giant hybrid bike with pannier, mudguards & water bottle.

MODERATE: The roads are all sealed and the route is designed to ensure that you spend most of the week on quiet back roads, away from the main tourist routes.

A shorter version of this tour is available using easier routes, thus ideal for novice cyclists and families.

The nearest international airport is Shannon, with Dublin a little further afeild. Buses depart each city to Galway on a regular basis. There is also a regular train service from Dublin to Galway. Schedule are provided in your tour package.