This August walking weekend in north Mayo takes place over the bank holiday weekend, in a landscape dominated by the North Atlantic. Erris occupies the North Western corner of Mayo – a spectacular landscape of Atlantic blanket bog, high sea cliffs and low-lying peninsulas.

Day One : Arrival, dinner and orientation.

Day Two : The truly wonderful cliff-top walk at An Ceathrú Thaidhg, in the far corner of NW Mayo. We follow that with a second, shorter stroll on Erris Head’s beautiful cliff-top walk.

Day Three : Out on the wonderful, evocative Iniskea Islands, deserted since the 1930s and now home to many seabirds and grey seals.

Day Four : Walking The Mullet peninsula, with its fabulous beaches and views to take the breath away. A visit to a ruined church in a stunning location, plus  the local heritage centre, Ionad Deirbhile.

For this August walking weekend, we stay in Léim Siar and Brú Chlann Lir, two lovely local rural B&Bs, use the services of a local boat owner for the island and travel in a locally owned minibus. The price includes three nights B&B, three packed lunches plus three dinners.

All prices for this glorious August walking weekend also inlcude minibus transfer from and back to Castlebar train station. No need to bring the car to Mayo! Check Iarnród Éireann’s timetables here.

August Walking Weekend Prices & Reservation :

Please note that due to the very small stock of accommodation on the Mullet peninsula and that this walking weekend takes place over summer’s busiest bank holiday, single occupancy is NOT available. I’d like to support local B&B providers as best I can, by filling their rooms on this busy weekend, rather than having them only half-full with single occupants. I do hope you will agree to support these rural businesses in this manner and choose to share a room.

Having hit the ” Book Now!” button, please proceed to the shop in the right-hand column of the website to checkout.

Event Details :

A short holiday for the single parent to come and enjoy with your children. Get to spend some time with other single parents, in a relaxed, rural environment. Our group will gather Saturday afternoon the 12th of April 2014 - the day after schools close for Easter holidays. On Sunday and Monday, we will walk off-road on easy, flat ground in lovely woodlands. We will visit a ruined castle, lakeshore, sink holes and more. Children will especially enjoy the treasure hunt on Sunday and the orienteering on Tuesday. They will climb a tower and learn about tree species we encounter as we go.

Cong is a beautiful place in County Mayo, traversed by numerous river channels, with islands and forest tracks that mean we can stay off the roads while walking.

At night, parents can discover the local pubs, relax and chat, while the children will enjoy movies, boardgames and popcorn, under supervision.

Choose between B&B or hostel private room accommodation. They are literally straight across the quiet cul-de-sac from eachother. All meals will be held together in the B&B, with packed lunches on each day we’re in the great outdoors.

We will endeavour to accommodate each family’s preferred sleeping arrangements. The B&B has rooms with one double plus one single bed, others with twin beds, etc. The hostel has en-suite rooms with four beds.

Saturday, April 12, 2014 :

Arrive at your leisure in Cong during the afternoon, for dinner together around 6 pm.

Sunday, April 13 :

We will walk in woodland and by Lough Corrib. After our picnic lunch, we will have a treasure hunt in the woods.

Monday, April 14 :

We will discover new woods and Lough Mask. After our picnic lunch, we will walk around Cong village and feed the ducks.

Tuesday, April 15 :

Having departed our accommodation, we will enjoy an orienteering event in a lakeside woodland located 30 minutes along the road.

Get in touch if you are interested in coming along with your children on this single parent outdoors break, in one of Ireland’s loveliest locations.

Included : Three nights in a B&B or hostel, 3 x dinners, 3 x packed lunches, 3 x breakfasts, treasure hunt, orienteering, full guiding throughout.

Not included : Travel to Mayo, miscellaneous purchases, drinks.

We suggest that this break is most suitable to children aged roughly 7 to 14 years.

Single Parent Families Outdoors at Easter Prices & Reservation :

Having hit the ” Book Now!” button, please proceed to the shop in the right-hand column of the website to checkout.

Please Note : Drinks are not included in the prices.

Walking in Cong Wood

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 of this walking weekend 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 or Cong An Óige Hostel (they’re literally straight across from each other), 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.

Cong Lakes Walking Weekend Prices & Reservation :

To book your place on this lovely walking weekend, choose from the options below.

Having hit the ” Book Now!” button, please proceed to the shop in the right-hand column of the website to checkout.