Hiking & Island Hopping – Ireland’s West Coast

Your guided island-hopping hiking tour begins in Galway, known as the City of the Tribes. But you’ll soon leave the city far behind as you head south on the Wild Atlantic Way to enter a strange and alien landscape. The Burren National park is a bizarre place with rugged, stark beauty. It was said to have inspired Tolkien as he wrote about his iconic Middle Earth. Make sure to watch for nature-made bouquets of wildflowers growing in unexpected places as you walk the stony ground.

Let the island-hopping begin! Board a boat and sail to the secluded island of Inish Meain, one of the Aran Islands, where you’ll have a chance to explore a locale with over 7,000 years of history! This is one of the few remaining spots on earth where you can still hear the Irish language spoken. You’ll hike along quiet roads and footpaths and finish your day with an evening walk to the Cliffs of Moher. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Atlantic amid the quiet of twilight.

You’ll resume your island-hopping tour deep in the midst of the Connemara Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region) on a small peninsula. You’ll be hiking to a seldom-visited place known as Garumna Island. You’ll wend your way through small roads and footpaths as you seek out the Trawbaun graveyard. There you’ll find a beautifully maintained church dating from medieval times. Stroll along the shores of Greatman’s Bay as you pass rocky coast and coral beaches, and set as the backdrop to it all: dazzling views of Connemara’s Mamturk and Twelve Bens mountain ranges.

Just the name of this Island sounds like a hiking trek through a fantasy adventure, but lucky you! You’re really there. As you continue on your guided hiking tour, you’ll be treated to some of the most iconic Atlantic Coast scenery. From the awesome sights of the blowholes exploding with sea spray, to the sea arch, to the sea stacks where the native colony of seals resides, you won’t be disappointed. And if that still isn’t enough, you’ll follow the meandering track over grassy paths and banks of turf and find the Dún More Cliffs and gorgeous Trá Gheal beach along the way.

Today’s guided hike is known as one of Ireland’s most amazing coastal hikes. You’ll begin with an easy walk along Killary Fjord through rock-strewn, low-cut grass. In the distance, you’ll be treated to views of sandy white beaches with the sea beyond. Keep a lookout for dolphins and seabirds on the surface of the sea as you walk. You’ll also learn about the rich history of the area as your guide takes you through a village abandoned during the famine-era.

This will be the last of the islands on your guided Island-hopping adventure, but what a way to finish! Long ago, in the 1500s, Ireland’s North Atlantic coastline was dominated by a pirate queen known as Grace O’Malley. She ruled the sea from her base at Clew Bay, the entrance to which is guarded by Clare Island. You’ll explore the ancient queen’s castle and wander the rugged cliffs, secluded beaches, and crumbling ruins of this island hideaway. Your hike will track along the cliffs from the lighthouse to the highest point of the island and then return to the beach for well-earned relaxation.

For the final destination of your guided hiking tour, you’ll be visiting the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick. The monumental sight of the pilgrimage mountain overshadows the entire surrounding landscape. As you hike through, you’ll pause for a short walk in the very shadow of the holy peak, and then continue along the sheep track, through the heather and the bogs, and onward on the last few miles of the old pilgrimage route. Your last stop will be a picturesque old Augustinian friary en route to the final destination in the town of Westport.