Irelands Northern Wild Atlantic Way Family Adventure
Regions
West, Northwest
Starting Point
Dublin, Knock
Best time to travel
all year
Recommended Length
8 - 10 days
Best for
from 4 years
Activity Level **
3/5
Travel to the West and North of Ireland and enjoy a week full of fun outdoor activities and discovering some of Ireland's rich cultural and traditional heritage. Learn about nature in the Connemara and Burren National Parks, discover the rich traditional heritage while cycling along the islands off Ireland's west coast and take in the fantastic views over the dramatic coastline from some of Europe's highest sea cliffs. All while enjoying some great time with the whole family out walking, cycling, kayaking or surfing along the beautiful Northern Wild Atlantic Way. This tour is perfect if you are looking for an authentic family experience off the beaten track, but don't want to miss out on Ireland's cultural and scenic highlights.
Family Adventure Holidays
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
✓ authentic scenery and rich traditional heritage along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way
✓ visit a real Irish sheep farm and test your sheep herding skills
✓ test your surfing skills at one of Ireland's best surfing spots
✓ unspoiled nature, heritage and tradition along the coast of Connemara
✓ coasteering and kayaking adventures along Donegal's dramatic coastline
Family Adventure Holidays
TOUR OVERVIEW
Day 1 - arrival to Ireland - overnight in Galway city
Day 2 - sheep herding experience - hiking in the Connemara National Park - overnight in Connemara (100km)
Day 3 - boat trip and cycling on Inisbofin Island - overnight in Connemara (50km)
Day 4 - Westport House and Adventure Park - overnight in Westport (80km)
Day 5 - cycling the Western Greenway - overnight in Westport (25km)
Day 6 - surfing - overnight in Donegal (180km)
Day 7 - Inishowen peninsula - coasteering - overnight in Donegal (200km)
Day 8 - sea kayaking - Slieve League Cliffs - overnight in Donegal (100km)
Day 9 - departure
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL TO IRELAND
Welcome to Ireland. Transfer to Galway city on Ireland's west coast, were you will have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the lively Latin quarter of the buzzing young city or take a relaxing stroll on the Salthill promenade.
Overnight in Galway city.
DAY 2 - SHEEP HERDING - CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK
You will drive into the Connemara region today, a beautiful authentic and unspoiled area, where you will find endless golden bogs, deep loughs, dramatic mountains and a fantastic rugged coastline. Connemara is one of the Gaeltacht areas in Ireland and the small towns and villages are bursting with traditional pubs, music and culture. A unique fun family experience is waiting for you today as you will visit a traditional sheep farm and get introduced to the skills of sheep herding! Observe how the shepherd and his skilled dog herd the sheep across the field and assist in bringing the sheep home.
Visit the Connemara National Park in the afternoon to learn more about the wildlife, flora and conversation of the bogs in the area before climbing up to Diamond Hill, the highest peak in the national park and the Twelve Bens mountain range. You will enjoy fantastic views over the beautiful vast region, the stunning coastline and the Atlantic ocean from the 442m high summit.
Overnight in Connemara.
DAY 3 - CYCLING ON INISBOFIN ISLAND
The unique island of Inisbofin is located only 10km off the north Connemara coast, but is the perfect place to get away from it all. The island was inhabited as far back as 8,000 - 4,000 BC and you will come across relics from early Irish Christian and medieval times. A family cycling tour will take you across the island to discover the rich heritage, history and unique wildlife while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Overnight in Connemara.
DAY 4 - WESTPORT HOUSE AND ADVENTURE PARK
Continue to the charming town of Westport today, where you will visit the historic Westport House, known as Ireland’s most beautiful historic home. The history of the house is closely connected to the history of Westport and there even is a connection to Ireland's famous pirate queen Grace O’Malley. Listen to the tales of pirates and slave emancipators and see the stories come to life while exploring the 30 beautiful rooms of the house.
Between June and August, we will include a visit to the Pirate Adventure Park which is located on the grounds of Westport House. Enjoy the pirate themed park on rides, slides, boats and trains in this treasure trove of family fun.
Overnight in Westport.
DAY 5 - CYCLING THE GREAT WESTERN GREENWAY
The Great Western greenway was the first of its kind in Ireland and will take you along the historic railway line running from Westport to Achill Island. You will pass through the small towns of Newport and Mulranny before reaching the beautiful Achill Sound. Enjoy the magnificent coastal scenery along Clew Bay with gorgeous views on Clare Island and Ireland's holy mountain Croagh Patrick in the distance while you travel through bogs, woods and farmlands.
Overnight in Westport.
DAY 6 - SURFING
The west coast of Ireland offers some of the best surfs in Europe and you will get to test your surfing skills on a surfing introduction for the whole family. Learn the basic skills before taking your board into the wild and fresh waters of the Atlantic ocean on the beautiful wide beaches of Co. Sligo.
Enjoy the rest of the day to the explore the coast along the Wild Atlantic Way or relax at one of the wide sandy beaches of Sligo and Donegal.
Overnight in Co. Donegal.
DAY 7 - INISOWEN PENINSULA - COASTEERING
Explore the beautiful Inisowen peninsula today, starting point of the Wild Atlantic Way at its most northern point Malin Head and one of the most untouched and authentic areas of northwestern Ireland. Travel along the beautiful coastline and discover beautiful hillsides, dramatic deep valleys and fantastic views across the Atlantic ocean.
In the afternoon, you will discover the land and water along the Wild Atlantic Way on an activity like no other. Explore caves, cliffs, rock formations and make the most of your playground by swimming, jumping, climbing and traversing along the coast line on this fun and challenging family adventure.
Overnight in Co. Donegal.
DAY 8 - KAYAKING TREASURE HUNT
A fun water-based family adventure is awaiting you in the morning as you will venture on a kayaking treasure hunt on one the dark mysterious loughs in northwest Ireland! Set in the backdrop of the beautiful Mount Errigal and the Glenveagh National park, you will head from location to location to sort clues and to be rewarded with a mighty treasure.
Enjoy the rest of the day to explore more of Donegal. Take a hiking or cycling trip in the beautiful Glenveagh National Park, venture along the mighty Slieve League Cliffs or enjoy a coastal drive along the truly Wild Atlantic Way.
Overnight in Co. Donegal.
DAY 9 - DEPARTURE
Transfer to the airport and departure.
Family Adventure Holidays
SERVICES INCLUDED
Family Adventure Holidays
- accommodation in family friendly hotels with leisure facilities
- private car hire for the entire trip
- activities, visits and tours as outlined with a certified, English speaking guide where desired/required
- all taxes and insurances for the activities
- expert travel planning, trip preparation and 24/7 on-tour support
Family Adventure Holidays
TIMES & RATES
Family Adventure Holidays
Description
Family Adventure Holidays
GALLERY
Family Adventure Holidays
Family Adventure Holidays
Contact us for a quote
Family Adventure Holidays
TRAVEL TIPS
When to travel
With its mild climate and its easy access, Ireland is a country that can be visited all year round. The most popular time to travel is between May and September with July and August being by far the busiest months.
Ireland's eastern coast tends to be drier and warmer than the western part, where, especially over the winter months, the conditions can be stormy, cold and wet. Temperatures all over Ireland hardly ever fall below 0 degrees though. From late October to mid March, the days tend to be quite short, so if you are looking at touring, the longer days of the year would be more suitable.
Ireland usually sees the driest and warmest season in May and June, making the time perfect for outdoor activities all across Ireland when the often boggy underground has dried up. While there is a chance of storms due to the hurricane season across the Atlantic, September can bring some lovely late summer weather with mild and sunny days, especially on the east coast.
How to travel
With an annual passenger volume of almost 33 mio in 2019, Dublin airport is by far the busiest airport in Ireland. To compare, Shannon Airport in the west saw around 1,7 mio passengers while Cork airport saw just under 300,000 passengers over the same period.
Dublin serves an extensive network of destinations and airlines, connecting Ireland to mainland Europe and North America. Direct routes are also operated to the UAE and Asia. The best European hubs to connect to Dublin are London Heathrow, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
In Ireland, the easiest way to get around is by rental car. The bus network is extensive and connections are frequent, but public transport mainly connects the main centers and it can be challenging to travel in rural areas or off the beaten track. The Irish train operates a centralized system through Dublin, so depending where you want to go, the journey might be intricating due to the detour to Dublin.
Travelling with children
The wealth of exciting ancient history, outdoor opportunities and fantastic scenery makes Ireland a great destination to visit with the whole family. The country is not large and a good road network makes it easy and reasonably fast to travel across the country.
Though Ireland would not be considered to be a beach destination by many, Ireland offers some extraordinary long sandy beaches with calm waters, which are perfect for swimming, surfing or watersports. Further, Ireland has some exciting marine wildlife and it is possible in many places to spot seals, dolphins and whales in their natural habitat.
Ireland’s rich cultural and historical heritage includes ancient castles, vibrant cities and fabled creatures. Many sights exploring the mythical world are laid out for kids and offer great entertainment for old and young.
Hotels and B&Bs offer family accommodation with family rooms or separate lodges to house larger family groups. Restaurants nearly always offer a kids menu or will prepare smaller portions. It is always possible to request a cot or high chair for small kids.
What to bring
It is not a myth that it rains a lot in Ireland, so whenever you travel, the most important thing to bring is a waterproof jacket. Umbrellas might be used in urban areas, though rain is often accompanied by strong winds, making the use of umbrellas often challenging.
Comfortable and decent shoes are essential as no matter where you go or what you plan to do, you should prepare to walk quite a bit, also in the cities. If you are planning on hiking, waterproof hiking shoes or boots are advisable as trails are not always well maintained and often lead through boggy and wet terrain.
Even though people tend to be obsessed with the weather, temperatures are moderate and never get extremely low or high. Warm evenings are rare, even at the height of summer, so always prepare for chilly evenings with a warmer jumper, cardigan and jacket.
The sun gets surprisingly strong over the summer months, so sun lotion, a sun hat and sunglasses are recommendable. A small backpack or handbag will be perfect to carry your belongings when out and about.
While people enjoy a casual style in their routine or when outdoors, especially the younger generations love to dress up in the evening, so you should also pack a nice outfit if you plan to hit the town in the evenings.
For more practical travel advise and general information on visiting Ireland, please follow the link below.
Family Adventure Holidays
* The minimum age is based on the overall tour, some activities can require a higher minimum age, this will be advised at proposal stage. While not all activities are suitable for very small children, we are happy to tailor the tour to meet your specific wishes and needs.
** The activity level is based on the amount of tours and activities included (1 - few tours and activities with a lot of free time, 5 - a lot of tours and activities with little free time). The activity level does not reflect the difficulty of the activities or tours included. Itineraries can be tailored to match the preferred level of activity.
