HOLIDAY DETAILS
The Country: Ireland is a predominantly rural country with a varied landscape of mountains and moorland, dotted with quiet peaceful villages and isolated farmhouses. It has a long and ragged coastline and much of this is spectacular, with long sandy beaches, some of the highest cliffs in Europe, and small rocky bays. The country has long been a popular cycling destination. An excellent network of minor roads link the many small towns and villages, and these offer some lovely cycling. Most villages still have at least one pub, and in many areas you can still find traditional evening music sessions taking place. The people are friendly and hospitable and Irish charm is well known around the world. Gaelic is still the first language in some parts of the country.
The Tour: This is a fully supported holiday with a tour leader and a vehicle to carry all the luggage and provide additional assistance if necessary. The
trip is designed to enable you to complete the Irish ‘End to End’, while following a route that allows you to see many of the delights of Ireland while
keeping to minor roads as much as possible. The total distance is just over 440 miles, and the daily mileage is 50 – 65 miles. There are no rest days.
You do need to ensure that you are prepared for the trip. While there are no mountainous areas there are some hilly sections, with a reasonable
amount of up and down, and some of these are along the coast which you will encounter during the first couple of days.
Accommodation & Food: This is a small hotel/B&B based holiday. Generally this is of our higher standard than on our other holidays (mostly 4* B&Bs), and all accommodation has en-suite facilities.
Single people travelling alone will be booked into a twin bedded room with another single person of the same sex – unless the additional single supplement has been paid. Full Irish breakfast will be provided at the
accommodation each morning. Evening meals are available at nearby pubs or restaurants.
Start: The holiday starts at Cork on Saturday. There is a choice of flights available from several airports in the UK and we will meet you at the
the airport. There is also an overnight ferry from Swansea to Cork which arrives in Cork at 0700, and we will also meet this if necessary. Transport will be provided from Cork to the first nights accommodation or you may ride if you prefer (note that the distance is about 75 miles). The transport will
leave Cork at approximately 14.15. On Sunday morning there is a short
ride from the accommodation to Mizen Head, where you bigin the ride to Malin Head.
Finish: The holiday ends at Malin Head. The following day we will transport you to either Londonderry Airport
(from where flights are available to Birmingham or Liverpool) or Belfast International Airport (from where there
are flights to most UK regional airports). The coach will drop you at Londonderry at approximately 10.00 and arrive at Belfast International at about 11.00. Note: The cost of the flight to Cork and the return flight from Londonderry/Belfast are not included in the cost of the holiday. You may book any flights or ferry crossing you require yourself or we will do so for you. A separate form will be sent to you if required (an additional fee is payable).
Cycle Transport: If required we offer a cycle transport service to take your bicycle from the UK to the start of the holiday
at Mizen Head, and return your bike from Malin Head to anywhere in the UK (additional fee payable).
Documents: Although British Nationals do not require a passport to visit either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, you do need to ensure that you carry official photo ID, and for most people a passport is the easiest form of ID. Nationals of most other countries only need a passport. You are also required to have travel insurance for the duration of the holiday, although British passport holders do not require insurance to visit the North. If you do not purchase insurance from us you will be required to provide evidence of a suitable alternative policy.
Bikes: All types of cycle are suitable for the trip. The most important thing is that the bike functions properly and that you are comfortable riding it. However you should make sure that your bike has suitable gears as there are some steep hills on parts of the route. Most people will require a cycle with a triple chainset. If you are riding a mountain bike then you should fit it with narrow 'slick' tyres. You should also make sure that you are able to carry some spare food and clothing with you on the bike. The route does cross some wild exposed areas with little in the way of shelter and no services, and you can get very cold and wet if the weather is bad.
Weather: The weather in Ireland is notoriously varied. August is usually dry and sunny, but in Ireland you should always be prepared for the odd shower. However it is often the case that a wet morning has cleared up by lunchtime, and the afternoon is delightfully warm. Temperatures are usually in the low 20’s at this time of year. |