To actually expertise Eire – it is advisable 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’t be rushed and exploring it on foot is among the greatest methods to expertise it. This enables you the chance to fulfill the locals, come nose to nose with 1000’s of years of historical past, and see what it’s that makes Irish individuals so distinctive.

I’ve partnered with information extraordinaire, Rachel Nolan of Rachel’s Irish Adventures, to place collectively an Ottsworld tour that will convey Nation Mayo’s landscapes, climbing, native tradition, and distinctive touches collectively in an unbelievable custom-made tour.

Overview and Map

Dates: April 20 – 27, 2024

Value: €2,780* (€450 single complement)
This can be a small group tour – solely 7 individuals + me! The area will replenish quick so join rapidly.

*All costs shall be charged within the Euro – some USD worth fluctuations might happen by the point of your ultimate fee – nevertheless you’ll be able to 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 custom-made Ottsworld tour within the firm of me as your host, accompanied by our skilled native Irish information – Rachel. Our small group of seven individuals 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 will even provide images instruction for these of you who’re involved in enhancing your images (cellphone or digicam). As well as, I shall be taking pictures of the whole tour and every visitor will get a obtain of all pictures I take. So in case you don’t need to take photos – I’ll do it for you!

The journey will discover all the great thing about County Mayo’s stretch of shoreline alongside the Wild Atlantic Manner 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 gorgeous shoreline of County Mayo all to ourselves.

Methods to Guide This Tour

I’d like to speak to you first to reply any of your questions previous to your reserving. Subsequently observe these steps to guide:

1. Ship me an e-mail at [email protected] letting me find out about your curiosity. We are going to arrange a name to debate any questions you could have. This shall be on a primary come first serve foundation – there are solely 7 spots obtainable on this tour.
2. I’ll ship you a fee hyperlink to Rachel’s website the place you’ll be able to guide your deposit and safe your spot for this tradition tour. A 500€ nonrefundable deposit is required to safe a spot.
3. Last fee is due January 21, 2024 (90 Days previous to April 20, 2024)

Cancellation Coverage and Price

• 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 simply 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 extremely moderately priced.

Each day Itinerary

The itinerary is one-of-a-kind and is full of included experiences similar to a number of ‘spa’ experiences, visits to sheep farms, entrance to historic websites, lamb cuddling, cooking expertise, falconry, whiskey tasting, and the prospect to fulfill a number 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’ll be chargeable for your personal transportation to the beginning and from the end, nevertheless, there’s a common prepare and buses which might 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 luxuriate 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 scorching cuppa tea.

We are going to get pleasure from a welcome dinner for the group to get to know each other. After dinner when you’ve got 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. Chances are you’ll even get the prospect to drag your personal 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. Right this moment we are going to hike the fantastic Knocknarea hill and add a stone to the 1000’s adorning the imposing grave or cairn of Maeve, the nice warrior queen, which overlooks Strandhill.

Distance: 7.5km | Elevation acquire 404m | 2-3 hours

It’s time to get pleasure from an natural, fair-trade espresso on the excellent Shells Café which overlooks the strand, having fun with one in all their delicious selfmade treats. With time to loosen up and discover this quaint location.

Go to Aughris Head Seashore bar – a standard thatch roof pub and luxuriate in a warming Irish espresso.

Take pleasure in a very distinctive native expertise and unwind with a seaweed tub in Enniscrone. Seaweed baths are literally a centuries-old follow in Eire. Courting again to the twelfth century, monks harvested seaweed from the coastlines and gave it to the poor as a nourishing meals. We’ll get pleasure from a soak on the 100-plus-year-old Kilcullen’s Bathtub 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 novel alternative to fulfill and deal with a wide range of Birds on the Mount Falcon Aviary.  Get an enchanting perception into the lives of those magnificent creatures and get the prospect to carry and admire them shut up; it’s a really visceral and satisfying expertise!

Tour the Foxford Woollen Mills and study 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 photos and study concerning the historical past and traditions of the area…just like the Fairy Path!

For anybody who doesn’t need to cycle at the moment, an alternative choice is to relax out and luxuriate in a calming therapy in an award-winning spa (at your personal value).

This night you could have an actual deal with earlier than dinner. A whiskey appreciation masterclass, your whisky knowledgeable will take you thru a collection of Irish Whiskey and educate you on this world-famous spirit and its origins. Style the totally different whiskeys and ask any questions you could 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 convey this place to life with details and folklore about time passed by.

Now it’s time to reward you to your morning’s journey with some scrumptious lunch and home-baked treats at Mary’s Cottage Kitchen. The right 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 fireplace.

Subsequent, it’s time to go to the gorgeous Ceide Fields which is the oldest, most intensive Stone Age monument on the planet, which lies beneath our toes! Consisting of megalithic tombs, fields, and homes, the relics are softly coated by a pure blanket bathroom, which itself is a marvel with its distinctive natural world. 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 shocking coastal view. And the very best half is that we’ll have the whole space to ourselves. We’ll get pleasure from 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 Crushed Path

After a refreshing sleep and a scrumptious breakfast. It’s off to hit one of the crucial beautiful trails in County Mayo. This area of the Wild Atlantic Manner has among the most dramatic coastlines to be discovered anyplace in Eire. The hike we are going to get pleasure from at the moment 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 acquire: 300m | 2-3 hours 

After the difficult hike reward your self with a standard heat whiskey and lunch at Connoly’s Pub and luxuriate 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 lively blanket bathroom methods in Western Europe. If time permits we’ll do a brief stroll there.

Drive to Achill Island, the most important 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 numerous visitors who’ve stayed right here. It’s a low, tucked-in sort of place with a little bit wicket gate giving direct entry to the seashore. There may be an other-worldliness concerning the Bervie that could be very uncommon lately.

In spite of everything of that climbing – get pleasure from some scorching & 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 planet. 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 street on the southern slopes of Slievemore Mountain. Settlement on this space dates from at the least early Medieval instances and we’ll get to stroll by way of the village on a simple street stroll.

After lunch on the island, we’ll drive in direction of the village of Westport. We will have a ‘select your personal journey’ afternoon with a number of stops to select from relying on curiosity, climate, time, and so on)

Keep within the well-liked city of Westport tonight the place we are going to get pleasure from dinner, dwell 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 get pleasure from views of the notorious peak that 1000’s 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 Manner. Right here we’ll get to see a sheepdog demonstration, study 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 ultimate memento purchasing and luxuriate 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 are able to share our favourite Eire recollections and enjoy our new friendships.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: April 27 – Departure Day

After breakfast, you’ll be able to catch the prepare again to Dublin, or possibly you’ll determine to stay round and luxuriate 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

(Occasions may be barely totally 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 areas and all transport as outlined within the itinerary.
• Fundamental images instruction in the course of the journey.
• Entry to a full gallery of photographs (shot by me!) of the whole journey, which you need to use 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 could have the proper information, it may ‘make’ a complete journey! Rachel is the final word out of doors information. She’s an unbelievable athlete and such a beautiful advocate of her house area in County Mayo. One in all 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. Actually, we could 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.

Opinions

What makes this tour ‘Ottsworld’? This isn’t your common tour…it’s an Ottsworld tour. I have to confess – that I’m kind 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: climbing, native journey, booze, hands-on native experiences, and images. Sure – all of this in solely 8 days! Right here’s what previous visitors needed to say beneath.

“Undoubtedly a ten! I actually loved the truth that the tour was a ‘white glove supply’ experience- every thing 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 (printed 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 way of the woods.”

“Undoubtedly met expectations and in addition uncovered me to issues I’m positive I might not have thought of 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 to your persistence in serving to us seize superb recollections! 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 Think about This Tour?

• Individuals who prefer to discover lesser-known locations, and be adventurous and lively.
• People who find themselves versatile.  You have to be keen to exhibit flexibility, as itineraries might change because of climate, and it helps when you’ve got a ‘keen to strive new issues’ perspective.
• Individuals who don’t thoughts getting moist or having fun with the thrill of inclement climate.
• Individuals who really feel snug climbing 3 to five miles in uneven terrain.

Photographs

If in case you have any questions – please be at liberty to contact me at [email protected]. I’m comfortable to reply something concerning the journey!

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