Ireland's Wild West: the Burren and Connemara

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW   The West of Ireland is a cycling paradise with its quiet country lanes, wonderful scenery, lively colorful towns, and remarkable sites of interest.  The terrain, although not flat, is forgiving enough to accommodate cyclists of all levels.
     This tour is centered on Galway, Ireland’s most alluring small city.  To the south the entire County Clare coastline offers stupendous scenery, all the way from the Shannon Estuary to Galway Bay, through the remarkable lunar-like Burren region. The Burren is a biodiversity wonderland, the only place in the world where Mediterranean and alpine-arctic flowers thrive side by side.  To the north and west is Connemara, a region known for natural beauty.  Further to the north, between Killary Harbour and Clew Bay are the valleys, lakes, and sheep-studded uplands of Joyce’s Country.  The Aran Islands, world-famous for Aran sweaters, straddle the entrance of Galway Bay where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. 
     The tour begins in Ennis, close to the Shannon airport.  From here we ride west to visit the Cliffs of Moher (the tallest cliffs in Europe), the coastal village of Doolin with its musical pubs, and the matchmaking town of Lisdoonvarna (2 nights).  We then ride along the stunning Burren coastline to Ballyvaughan and on to Kinvarra where we can see the famous Galway hookers (traditional sailing fishing boats).  Following the southern shore of Galway Bay we arrive in Galway City where we stay beside the Spanish Arch in historic Claddagh. 
     The next stage of the adventure takes us along the north shores of Galway Bay to the port of Rossaveel where we board a fast ferry for the 45-minute trip to Inishmore, largest of the three Aran Islands, for a two-night stop.  A visit to the clifftop fort of Dun Aengeus is an unforgettable experience.  Returning to the mainland we strike out into the lake-dotted landscape of Connemara, stopping off at Carna en route to Clifden (2 nights)  where we have the opportunity to enjoy some great traditional music.  Our next destination is Leenane at the head of Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only deep-water fjord.  From here we ride north via Doolough to Clew Bay and on to our final destination of Westport (2 nights).

RIDE RATING   This 1A tour should appeal to anyone of any age or experience level who prefers a gentle tour.  Those who have moved onto e-bikes, may still have an old travel bike hanging around and might enjoy bringing it. On the eight required riding days, the average distance is 29.5 miles and the average elevation gain is 1,193 feet; there are some very short 7% climbs.  Optional loop rides are available on the other days­—or these days can be used for hiking or sightseeing. 
     Highlighted maps, route notes, and RWGPS files will be provided for all daily routes.  Garmins with the routes pre-loaded will be available from Iron Donkey upon request.

WEATHER   Riders should plan on cool night temperatures becoming warm mid-day.  Average high temperature for June is 63°, with average low 51°.   We can expect to see some rain, so be prepared to love the precipitation that makes Ireland so spectacularly green.

LODGING & MEALS   The tour includes 13 nights accommodations in a mix of 3-star and 4-star hotels:  Ennis (1), Lisdoonvarna (2), Kinvarra (1), Galway City (1), Inishmore (2), Carna (1), Clifden (2) Leenane (1), and Westport (2).  All breakfasts and eight group dinners are included in the cost of the tour.  The daily Happy Hour map meetings will be cash bar because of hotel restrictions on bringing in wine or beer.

LOGISTICS   Dublin is the arrival airport of choice for those wanting to combine a Dublin visit with their bike tour.  There are frequent buses from the airport to Ennis; the trip takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes.  Another option is Shannon airport, which is conveniently near the start town, but has fewer international flights.  The tour starts with our first Happy Hour at 5:00pm on Sunday June 6 in Ennis.  The tour ends after breakfast in Westport on Friday, June 19.  If there is enough demand, a chartered bus will be arranged to take us from our hotel to the Dublin airport; people using the bus will pay for it. 
     If you want to rent a bike, do so directly from Iron Donkey: https://irondonkey.com.   Road bikes, hybrid bikes, touring bikes, and e-bikes are available to rent.

Health and Safety   Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to
ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed
in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals.
The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as
a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

COST & ADMINISTRATION   The tour cost is $4,300.  Included in this price are 13 nights lodging, all breakfasts, 8 group dinners, 13 happy hours, the ferry to and from Inishmore (Aran Islands), Ride with GPS routes, highlighted maps, luggage and bike box transport, and emergency support.  The cost is based on an exchange rate of 1 Euro = $1.10.  The initial deposit of $1,300 does not include the BAC registration fee of $100 and both will be due upon acceptance to the ride.  The second payment of $1,500 is due on January 31, 2026.  The third payment of $1,500 is due March 31, 2026.  Note that a significant change in the USdollar/Euro exchange rate may result in a change in the tour cost.

INSURANCE   Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover your door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. (e.g., annual influenza, tetanus, etc.). Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. If traveling outside your home country you may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that the appropriate vaccinations are up to date. 

SIGN-UP   To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description.  After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go to the BAC site to digitally accept the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the non-refundable BAC fee ($150) and tour deposit ($1,300) by credit card.  As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List.  

SINGLES & SOLOS   Single and solo riders will be accepted.  The solo supplement is $1,155.  While we encourage singles to try to find their own roommate, we will assist singles who are looking for a roommate.  If a roommate cannot be found by February 15, 2026, the stranded single can cancel without penalty (except the BAC registration fee and credit card fees) or pay the solo supplement directly to BAC.  Solo supplement checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.  Note that only four solos are allowed on this tour.

ETIAS   By the time of this proposed ride, travelers to Europe will probably be required to have ETIAS approval.  Approvals are valid for 3 years.  ETIAS applications can be completed online here:  https://etias.com/etias-application

CANCELLATION POLICY   The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled due to participation below stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can’t be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.  BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.
     In addition to the BAC cancellation policy, those who cancel may be subject to Iron Donkey’s cancellation policy: unless a replacement ride is found, the following penalties will apply.

             •  Between tour confirmation and 90 days before departure, 10% of full payment
             •  Between 90 days and 30 days before departure, 25% of full payment
             •  Between 30 days before departure and departure, 100% of full payment

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY   Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support.  Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles.  Should someone’s health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader and communicated to all participants. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.  All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour.