DAY 1
Arrive to Westport and your hotel accommodation. Meet your guide at 6.30 in the Hotel bar for a briefing of the coming weeks activities with dinner served immediately afterwards. For anyone who wants some musical entertainment, Westport is a veritable Mecca for traditional music.

DAY 2
(Walk Details: 6 miles, good track, no ascent with no moor or bog).                                  Transferring south to Connemara where you will visit Kylemore Abbey (please note a small fee of about Euro 10.00 applies to enter the Abbey and Cathedral.) with its completely restored Victorian Gardens, The Abbey, now a girls boarding school, is run by the Benedictine nuns. The Abbey itself was built by a business man called Mitchell Henry who, while honeymooning in the area, fell in love with the unspoiled natural charm of the valley and decided to build a home there. The chapel in the grounds is a miniaturized replica of Norwich Cathedral. The tour, which is self guided, should take no longer than two hours.  A 15 minutes drive takes you to the head of Ireland’s only fiord – Killary Harbour. You will walk on an old famine road that was built by the starving Irish peasants during the great famine 1845 – 1849. On the route you will clearly see the ruins of famine villages and lazy beds, the name given to the potato ridges where the starving peasant Irish tried to provide food for his family.

DAY 3
(Walk Details: 8 miles, 1750 feet, uphill climb on a loose stoned, pilgrim track, small section of bog and country lanes).                                                                                                                              The wonderful quartzite coned mountain of Croagh Patrick has been a sacred place for almost 5000 years. Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holy mountain where Patrick, the patron saint, spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting in 441AD. There is an annual pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick on the last Sunday in July. The climb is more difficult at the top, but once you get there, the views overlooking Clew Bay to the north, and the 12 Bens of Connemara to the south is spectacular. .

DAY 4
(Trip by ferry to Clare Island)                                                                                                                            Today we take a short sailing to Clare Island this morning.   Clare Island is synonymous with Grace O’ Malley, the formidable ruler of the Clew Bay district during the second half of the 16th century. One of the most interesting places on the island is the remains of the late 12th century Cistercian Friary, founded by the Monks of Abbeyknockmoy in Co Galway. According to local folklore, following the death of Grace O’ Malley in 1603, her remains were interred in the decorated O’Malley wall tomb in the Friary. The Chancel Vault was once covered in wall paintings, patches of which remain. The walk will take you to northernmost end of the island before returning to the quayside for the return ferry. (Please note that the crossing to the island is subject to wind and weather conditions and may, in some cases be taken earlier in the week at the discretion of the guide.)

DAY 5
(Free day: Golf* / Angle** / Shop (Optional Extras))                                                                            Today is your Free Day.  Some of the many things you can do are golfing, fishing and horse riding but they need to be booked in advance and transport organized to get there and back. It also gives you the opportunity to catch up on your emails and laundry. Another option could be taking the scenic coach tour that departs Westport at 10.30 am (July and August). Dinner tonight is left to your own choice and in Westport there is a wide range of ethnic restaurants to choose from.

DAY 6
(Walk Details: 9 miles, 300 feet on a good quality bog road)                                                               We Journey south once more to Connemara. Our hike today is through a pine forest with excellent views of the quarzite 12 bens mountain range.The final 3 miles are on an elevated section with great views down Killary Fjord. The walk ends in the village of Leenane, famous as the location for the film “The Field” which starred the late Richard Harris and Tom Beranger. Leenane has a very small population but don't worry it also has 2 pubs for you to slake your thirst in.

DAY 7
(Walk Details : 7 miles, Ascent 300 feet on a good quality bog road.                                                     For our last walk of the week we head to the north side of Clew Bay and walk the foothillsof the Nephin mountain range which is a huge wilderness area. You will see peat or turf cutting as we go along. By mid-afternoon, you will be dropped back in Westport for some last minute shopping etc. 

DAY 8
Departure after breakfast. If you are planning to return to the USA on Saturday please be advised to schedule your flight for after 1:00 PM.

Please be aware that the programme given for this tour is strictly intended as a guide only and may not be fully adhered to. Climatic conditions, safety regulations and travel options may subject the programme to changes and/or modifications without due notice, at any time. In such case, Killary Tours reserves the right to make any necessary decisions.