7 Night Clew Bay Cycling Tour
7 Night Clew Bay Cycling Tour
Highlights
Views of Clew Bay
The Great Western Greenway
Burrishoole Abbey
Lough Furnace
Mulranny Causeway
Achill Island
White Cliffs of Ashleam
Megalithic monuments
Clare Island
Granuaile’s Castle
The welcoming pubs and traditional music
…and much more
This 7 day cycling tour starts and finishes in the vibrant town of Westport. We will meet you in Westport to brief you on the tour and get you fitted with bikes.
You will spend the first night in Westport, the second night in Newport, the next 3 nights on Achill Island, and 1 night in Louisburgh before returning to Westport for your final night. On departure, you will leave your bikes in the B&B/guesthouse and catch a train/bus/taxi to your next location.
Gradient:
The gradient is easy to moderate
Departure dates:
You can start this tour with the first night in Westport being a Thursday, Friday, Sunday or Tuesday any date between April & October.
| Day 1. Westport – Meet & Greet
Accommodation: Westport B&B
Today you will arrive in the vibrant town of Westport, the first day of your cycling tour. The easiest way to get here is to fly into Dublin Airport, get the Dublin Express bus to Heuston train station, and travel by train to Westport. The train will take you between 3 and 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can fly to Ireland West Airport and catch a 45min bus to Westport or fly to Shannon airport and catch a bus to Galway city and onwards to Westport by bus.
Westport is one of the most popular tourist towns in Ireland, is a frequent winner of Ireland’s tidy towns competitions and has been voted the best place to live in Ireland. It is known for its friendly people, great food, pubs filled with lively traditional Irish music, and its scenic location on the banks of Clew Bay. To the south it is is overlooked by the picturesque Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holy mountain. The town is also home to the iconic Westport House which can trace its roots to the legendary Pirate Queen, Granuaile.
Depending on your arrival time in Westport we will meet you in the afternoon or the next morning for a personal introduction to your bicycles and the week ahead.
| Day 2. Cycle the Great Western Greenway to Newport
Accommodation: B&B Newport
The Great Western Greenway is a traffic free cycling and walking trail which follows the route of the old Westport to Achill railway which closed in 1937. The cycling greenway opened in 2011 and quickly became a very popular destination for cycling enthusiasts. The 42km greenway showcases some of the most idyllic scenery in the west of Ireland but offers gentle gradients owed to its origin as a railway.
The route takes you through bogs, woodlands and active farmland, to the quaint seaside town of Newport. After lunch you will visit the 15th Century Burrishoole Abbey and loop around the picturesque Furnace Lough before returning to Newport for the night. For additional cycling you can also do the Rockfleet Castle loop which passes the former home of Granuaile.
| Day 3 – Newport to Achill Sound
Optional cycling distances: 32km to 42km
Accommodation: B&B Achill Sound
For the first leg of today’s cycle you will continue along the Greenway to Mulranny, a second seaside village nestled at the foot of the Nephin Mountain Range.
After lunch visit the beach and walk the Mulranny Causeway through the beautiful saltmarshes for unforgettable views.
On the second leg of your cycle you will be treated to spectacular vistas of rugged coast of the Curraun Peninsula, and dramatic rough seas of Black Sod Bay until you cross the bridge to Achill Island. You will spend the night in the village of Achill Sound, named after the nearby waterway, and explore the island over the next 2 days.
| Day 4 – First day exploring Achill Island
Cycling distance options: 30km / 50km / 58km
Accommodation: B&B Achill Sound
Over the next two days you will explore all that Achill has to offer from its five blue flag beaches to breathtaking sea cliffs in Ireland.
To start your first day you will cycle south along the coast past Grace O’Malley’s Towerhouse and then north along the stunning and unforgettable White Cliffs of Ashleam. You can cycle further north around the Doogort East Bog and then visit the Slievemore Deserted Village on your way to Keel for lunch before continuing back to Achill Sound for the night.
| Day 5 – Second day exploring Achill Island
Distance: 45km
Accommodation: B&B Achill Sound
Today you will cycle the full length of the island to the white sands of Keem Bay. This serene beach was featured in the Oscar nominated film, Banshees of Inisherin, and has been voted best place to swim in Ireland. This area also has an excellent short hike to the nearby Moytoge Head for panoramic views of the bay and coastline.
| Day 6 – Visit Clare Island
Distance: 42km
Accommodation: B&B Louisburgh
Today you will catch the ferry to Clare island, which you will explore for the day before returning to the mainland later in the afternoon. After breakfast you will cycle 8km to Kildavnet pier, next to the Grace O’Malley Towerhouse, to catch the 30 minute ferry with your bikes to Clare Island. A driver will bring your luggage to the pier and you will bring them onboard along with your bikes. The ferry company will store your luggage while you explore the island until it’s time to catch the evening ferry to Roonagh pier on the mainland. The ferry tickets are included in the tour price.
Clare Island is home to many historic landmarks such as the 12th century medieval church known simply as the Abbey, its iconic lighthouse, Napoleonic tower, and most famously, Grace O’Malley’s 16th century castle. The island is also rich with archeological sites, including tombs that may be as old as 6,000 years.
After catching the late afternoon ferry, you will arrive at Roonagh pier on the mainland. Your bags will be transferred to the nearly town of Louisburgh, which is a pleasant 20 min cycle on quiet rural roads.
| Day 7 – Louisburgh to Westport
Distance: 43km
Accommodation: B&B Westport
On your final day of cycling you start by venturing further south to see Bunlahinch Clapper Footbridge. Clapper bridges are a prehistoric style of footbridge that normally date to the medieval era (approx 500AD to 1450 AD). After visiting the ancient bridge, you will cycle back to Westport along the southern banks of Clew Bay, visiting the picturesque beach called Old Head along the way. Further on, you can stop in Murrisk to visit the National Famine Memorial at the foot of Croagh Patrick. On your final night in Westport, soak up the vibrant atmosphere in one of the traditional Irish pubs with great music and fun to close off what was hopefully, a fantastic week exploring the west of Ireland by bike.
On the morning of the 8th day, you can leave the bikes in the B&B, where we will collect them later, and continue on your journey of Ireland or return to an airport by bus/train/taxi for your flight home.
Option 1:
Trek FX2 Hybrid Touring Bike – Included in tour price
The FX2 is strong, stable, fun and perfectly suited for Irish roads. Customised for West Ireland Cycling with puncture resistant tyres, mudguards and rear rack. Also available with ladies specific frame. Bike lock, rear panniers, helmet, repair kit, pump and spare tube is also included.
Upgrade Option 1:
Upgrade Option: Trek 520 Adventure Touring Bike + €150*
The 520 is the classic steel touring bike. One of the longest-running touring bikes in the world. If you are a committed touring cyclist looking for the best in comfort and durability, this is the bike for you.
* Upgrade fee is payable directly to our office on the day of collection
Upgrade Option 2:
Upgrade option: Trek Electric Bikes + €200*
We use the best quality E-bikes on the market. These bikes are pedal assist meaning they travel a lot further when you push the pedal compared to a regular bike. Comfortable, strong and stable bikes combined with a quiet, powerful Bosch motor and a fully integrated high-capacity battery ensure many miles of care-free cycling. On a full charge they are good for 60km+.
* Upgrade fee is payable directly to our office on the day of collection
Stay comfortably in our carefully hand-picked accommodations
The accommodation included on the tour are B&Bs or small guesthouses. They are clean, comfortable, family run businesses and come very highly rated on Trip Advisor and Booking.com and are well set-up to cater for cycling holiday guests.
The hosts are very knowledgeable about the local area and will be happy to assist you in any way needed.
We have been using the same venues for many years and our previous guests are very happy with them. Each room with have its own private bathroom and shower too. Breakfast is included in the package. All of the venues are located in the centre, or very close to the centre of a small village or town with local bars, cafes and restaurants all within easy walking distance.
Add extra days or shorten your cycling holiday in Ireland to suit your needs or schedule
We are lucky in the west of ireland to have thousands of km of unspoilt coastal and scenic cycling to enjoy.
We understand that 7 days may not be the ideal amount of time for everyone.
If you would like a longer or shorter version of the tour, please just email tours@westirelandcycling.com and we will design a custom tour to suit your schedule.
Fantastic Cycling Holiday
West Ireland Cycling provided the bikes (excellent), panniers, custom guidebook, transfers at the start and end of the trip, and comfortable accommodations each night. Our guide book included cycling routes and maps along with optional extensions, points of interest, and dining recommendations. We especially loved the alternative, car-free routes in and out of Cong, as well as the incredible bog road.
We highly recommend experiencing Ireland by bike and letting West Ireland Cycling plan your trip. Gorgeous country, excellent roads (many nearly car-free), patient drivers and lovely people made our trip better than we’d imagined. Thanks, John and everyone at West Ireland Cycling!
Anne, USA, July 2022.
Can’t wait to go back
We were looking for a self-guided trip in Ireland and came across West Ireland Cycling. From beginning to end, John did an amazing job at putting together a 6 night trip. I couldn’t decide between the Conamarra or Burren trip, so he put a trip together that included both! The Trek touring bikes were in great shape. The roads we cycled on were spectacular- along the water, bogs and mountains- full of green, sheep, cows and limestone. The seafood was superb- fresh as can be. I will dream of the oysters when I get home. It was great not to carry luggage and to stay in a warm B and B each night. I would highly recommend this company.
Steven, Switzerland, Sept 2022.
Experience of a life-time
My mom and I spent 7 days cycling with West Ireland Cycling in May. It was absolutely amazing. It was obvious that John and his team had put a ton of effort into the tour to make everything run extremely smoothly.
John provided us with high quality bicycles and maps with very detailed instructions. It’d be impossible to get lost or turned around. The instructions included great cafes, restaurants, lunch spots, and notable sites. There was flexibility within the routes and being able to go at our own pace was great. Every evening we’d arrive at another adorable, clean b&b with our luggage and a comfy bed waiting.
I can’t recommend this particular tour highly enough. John and team went above and beyond several times throughout the trip to make this one of our most memorable vacations. The price is well worth it considering the quality of care, bicycles, and accomodations you get in return. Do it!
Kathy, Canada, June 2020.
Prices
€1,350 per person based on 2 people sharing. April, May, June, September, October
€1,450 per person July and August
€370 single supplement. €700 solo supplement.
Included In Tour
Personal meet and greet with a local guide
7 Nights Accommodation
(Includes private en-suite & full Irish breakfast)- A guidebook explaining the history of the sights you will visit
Trek Touring Bicycle
(Including panniers, helmet, bottle holder, pump, lock, tubes and repair kit)Luggage Transfers
Easy-to-Read turn by turn directions + Road Maps
GPX files for navigation with smartphone
Local phone support if needed
Most Popular Tours
1. Group Cycling Tour
Our group tour combines the best of …
2. Westport Way Tours
The Westport Way tour starts in Galway …
3. Burren Way Cycling Tour
The rocky Burren is a national park …