Tourism Pure Walking

Guided Walking Holidays in Mayo, Ireland
 

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Multi Day Tours

New Year Rejuvenation Hikes

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • January 6, 2012 to January 8, 2012

Event Details :

This walking weekend, based in lovely Westport, will be filled with a series of short to medium length walks around the hills, forests and bogs of west Mayo. The weekend will be about shaking loose the cobwebs from the end of year festivities and getting out and about again.

Walks will be low level – no high hillwalks on this mid-winter weekend! We will stay in a nice, cosy B&B, with hot dinner included each evening (Fri and Sat).

Friday, January 6, 2012 :

Arrive in Westport Friday evening. Why not  take the train ? No need to bring the car to Mayo. Jump on a train from Hueston at 12.30, relax and arrive in Westport at 16.00.

We will enjoy a nice evening stroll of 2 hours under cover of dark.

Saturday, January 7 :

We will walk below Mayo’s hills. There will be two separate walks, with a hot lunch in between.

Sunday, January 8 :

An invigorating dawn walk will be followed by an early afternoon stroll through a lovely forest, before departure on the 15.45 train that gets in to Dublin at 19.25.

Get in touch if you are interested in taking part in this small group, relaxed, slow paced guided walking weekend to start off the New Year with some activity out in the crisp fresh air of winter.

Prices & Reservation : 

B&B in a twin or double room (price for one person)
Date :
€ 199
B&B in a single room (total price for one person)
Date :
€ 219

Please Note : This guided walking weekend is not suitable to people under the age of 18, or those with limited or restricted mobility. Access transport (including by train) is not included in the price.

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A Tale of Two Horseshoes

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • August 31, 2012 to September 2, 2012

Event Details :

Two of Mayo’s finest hill walking loops are to be found within easy reach of the lovely little west Mayo village of Newport.

Join our small group on two long hiking days, over this first weekend of autumn. The views from both summits (698 m and 714 m) are wonderful, each with their own characteristics.

Friday : Collection from the train at Westport, dinner together (hotel bar food) and first night in our Newport B&B.

Saturday : We will spend 6 to 8 hours on the Glendorragha Horseshoe, with high points at 564 m, 698 m and 517 m. This hike offers great views over the Mayo blanket bogs and inland to Lough Conn and Nephin Mór. Descent to our B&B, dinner (hotel bar food).

Sunday : Another 6 to 8 hours in the west Mayo mountains, completing the beautiful Glendahurk Horseshoe, with high points of 582 m, 714 m and 681 m. This hike includes a short stretch of spectacular, though relatively easy scrambling, with some exposure. The views out over Clew Bay and to Croagh Patrick beyond are magnificent. Descent and return to Westport for the train.

The price inlcudes minibus transfer from Westport train station. No need to bring the car to Mayo! Check Iarnród Éireann’s timetables here.

Included : Two nights in a B&B, 2 x dinners, 2 x packed lunches, 2 x breakfasts, local transfers, full guiding throughout.

Not included : Travel to Mayo by train or other, miscellaneous purchases, drinks.

Prices & Reservation : 

B&B in a twin or double room (price for one person)
Date :
€ 199
B&B in a single room (total price for one person)
Date :
€ 219

Please Note : This outdoor adventure is not suitable to people under the age of 18, or those with limited or restricted mobility.

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Deer Rut Discovery Weekend

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • September 30, 2011 to October 2, 2011

Event Details :

The bellowing sound of the Red Deer stag during the annual rut is an impressive indicator of our autumn season.

Join our small group, as we tramp through thick forest and boggy mountainside, in search of this most imposing of Ireland’s wild animals. While hearing the stag warning off competitors through his huge roars is in itself magnificent, we will attempt to add to the experience, by getting a look at some males and females (hinds).

We will spend Friday night out in the mountains, so you will need a bivvy bag, plus your sleeping bag, torch, warm clothes, etc. You can bring a tent, if you don’t mind carrying the weight. For Saturday night, we will retreat to the comforts of a local B&B, for a well-earned shower and bed.

This is a weekend for true lovers of the Irish outdoors, her mountains, bogs and forests. In addition to hopefully spotting a Red Deer or two, we may be lucky enough to see some other wonderful residents of this area of the West of Ireland, like Pine Marten, Red Grouse, Mountain Hare, Fox, etc.

Friday : Collection from the train at Westport, dinner together (hotel bar food) and departure into the mountains. Possibility of hearing some stags at night.

Saturday : Long tramp through the forests, bogs and mountains. Descent to our B&B, dinner (hotel bar food).

Sunday : Full Irish breakfast in our B&B, then a pleasant 3-hour off-road stroll back to Westport for the train.

The price inlcudes minibus transfer from Westport train station. No need to bring the car to Mayo! Check Iarnród Éireann’s timetables here.

Included : One night in the mountains, one night in a B&B, 2 x dinners, 2 x packed lunches, 2 x breakfasts (one outdoors), local transfers, full guiding throughout.

Not included : Travel to Mayo by train or other, miscellaneous purchases, drinks.

Prices & Reservation : 

Fri night outdoors plus Sat night in B&B in a twin or double room (price for one person)
Date :
€ 199
Fri night outdoors plus Sat night in B&B in a single room (total price for one person)
Date :
€ 219

Note 1 : This outdoor adventure is not suitable to people under the age of 18, or those with limited or restricted mobility.

Note 2 : For your information, sunset on Friday, September 30th, is at 19.20 in West Mayo. Sunrise on Saturday, October 1st, is at 07.40.

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Poland Walking & Wildlife Trip

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • April 10, 2012 to April 15, 2012

Event Details :

Visit the great Polish National Parks of Biebrza and Bialowieza. We spend five days observing nature, birds and mammals, while walking in wonderful forests.

Our guide is a fabulous local National Parks and Wildlife Service worker. He’s so good, he’s written the guide book to the National Park!

Day 1 : Fly from Dublin to Warsaw with Aer Lingus. The cost of the flight is NOT included. Transfer to our pension accommodation (3 hours).

Days 2 to 4 : The Biebrza National Park, with river marshes, Elk, Beaver, Red Deer, etc. This NP is a wonderful low lying area, where the Biebrza River floods in winter and is home to a wonderful variety of birds, including Hen Harrier, Lesser Spotted and White Tailed Eagle, etc.

Days 4 to 5 : Bialowieza National Park, home to one of Europe’s last great primeval forests. Look for Bison, Owls, Woodpeckers, Red and Roe Deer, etc. There are Lynx and Wolves, but we are unlikely to spot these elusive inhabitants. Bialoweiza Protected Forest is of major international importance and a great site for wildlife.

Day 6 : Return to Ireland.

Accommodation is shared in traditional Polish pensions and all meals (except one lunch out) are included.

The dates for 2012 are provided below.

For more details, see here.

Prices & Reservation:

B&B (‘pension’) Accommodation in a twin room
Date :
€ 500
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Cong Lakes Walking Weekend

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • May 4, 2012 to May 7, 2012

Event Details :

Cong Lakes Walking Weekend is a May bank holiday weekend three-night guided walking event, involving three days of walking in and around the picturesque south Mayo village of Cong.

Cong and Clonbur villages inhabit the narrow isthmus between the great Loughs Mask and Corrib, on the Galway Mayo border. This is lakeshore and woodland country, with lovely off-road trails that take our group through native woodlands, inhabited by pine marten, red squirrel and fallow deer.

Two days walking are classed ‘easy’, on relatively flat ground through the lovely woods of this special part of the West of Ireland. The third is labelled ‘moderate’ with a climb to the 417 m summit of Benlevy, offering tremendous views over the two great lakes.

We stay in a Cong B&B, with full board, including three breakfasts, three dinners and three packed lunches for the walks.

Day One (Fri.) : Arrival, dinner and orientation.

Day Two (Sat.) : Hiking the linear walk between Clonbur and Cong, through the native woodland regeneration site and on the limestone pavement (a ‘mini Burren’) landscape at Lough Mask.

Day Three (Sun.) : Hill climb of Benlevy, wedged between the two lakes and offering fabulous views of Mask, Corrib and the higher Connemara and South Mayo mountains in all directions.

Day Four (Mon.) : Low lying walk through woodland and along the shore of Lough Corrib. Departure.

Apart from our lovely, relaxing walks, Cong has a great traditional music scene, with live séisiúns in several pubs each night of the bank holiday weekend.

Accommodation is in a choice of a local and rural Bed and Breakfast, or hostel, with full board (3 x breakfasts, 3 x packed lunches, 3 x dinners). The hostel and B&B are literally straight across from eachother. Packed lunches will be provided for each day out in the wonderful countryside.

All prices inlcude minibus transfer from and back to Castlebar train station. No need to bring the car to Mayo! Check Iarnród Éireann’s timetables here.

Prices & Reservation :

B&B Accommodation in a twin room (price for one person)
Date :
€ 260
B&B Accommodation in a double or twin room (total price for two persons together)
Date :
€ 500
B&B Accommodation in a single room (price for one person)
Date :
€ 290
Hostel Accommodation in a dormitory (price for one person)
Date :
€ 230
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Mayoyo Hiking & Cycling Break

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Barry Murphy

Dates :

  • June 3, 2011 to June 7, 2011

Event Details :

A stretched out Bank Holiday weekend (Friday to Tuesday) of great fun in the wilds of Mayo, where we will enjoy hillwalking and cycling, from sea level up to 800 m altitude.

One great attraction of this break is that there will be little usage of motorised vehicles. Once we arrive in Castlebar (do try to take the train, if you can!), we get from point A to B each day on foot or bicycle.

Mayoyo is five days packed with activity, from cycling off-road and on very minor roadways and tracks, to walking on national waymarked ways and classic Mayo blanket bog landscapes, to tackling some of the area’s great hillwalking sites.

Day One : Arrival in Castlebar around 18.30 (train), dinner and orientation.
Day Two : Cycle to our first climb, then hillwalk to over 800 m, then cycle on to our accommodation.
Day Three : Walking and cycling back down at sea level.
Day Four : Cycle to our second climb, then hike up to over 700 m. Cycle back to our accommodation.
Day Five : Back down to lower ground, for a moderate hike of 4 hours in the bogs and low hills. Departure from Castlebar around 18.00 (train).

Accommodation is in local, rural Bed and Breakfasts, full board, in twin rooms. Packed lunches will be provided for each day out in the wonderful countryside.

Trust me, this is a really proper outdoor break. Mayoyo will have you up and down the hills of West Mayo. You will love it !

The price quoted includes : bicycle hire, high visibility vest, helmet, full guiding throughout, transfer back to Castlebar train station on Day 5, luggage transfer from first B&B to second, breakfasts, packed lunches, dinners.

The price does not include : Transport to Castlebar, drinks, dinner on Day 5, incidental expenditure of a personal nature.

Prices & Reservation:

B&B Accommodation in a double or twin room (total price for two persons)
Date :
€ 850
B&B Accommodation in a shared twin room (total price for one person)
Date :
€ 450
 B&B Accommodation in a single room (total price for one person)  
Date :
€ 490
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