Connemara´s scenery is known worldwide, incredibly varied and full of contrasts: high mountains, lonely lakes, green meadows, bare rocks, small forests and moorland. There is hardly any other region in Ireland where the green island with its scenic beauty and uniqueness shows itself as open as in Connemara on the Atlantic coast. The countless colours of the varied landscape on this trail will inspire you! The trail ride takes you through the wildest and most beautiful landscape that Ireland has to offer. You will spend between 4 and 6 hours a day in the saddle. The starting point of your tour is near Galway. Galway is the most populous city in the whole West of Ireland and offers a lot of sights and activities. Kylemore Abbey (Benedictine Abbey), Killary Harbour and Connemara National Park are not far from Galway. The fjord Killary Harbour on the border to County Mayo invites you to go for hours on foot in breathtaking nature. It is worthwhile to arrive a few days before the tour and visit some of the places worth seeing. During the tour you will be enchanted by the beauty of Connemara´s landscape and enjoy magnificent gallops on the Atlantic Ocean beach!

Itinerary

Day 1: Today you will meet at 10.00 am at the Meyrick Hotel (formerly the Great Southern Hotel). You will get to know the other riders of the group. It is best to arrive one day earlier to be at the hotel at 10.00 am on the first day. From Galway you will travel with the group to Oughterard, the starting point of the trail ride (travel time approx. 30 minutes). Here you will first get your horse for the next week. The ride takes you through rocky terrain with formations similar to the Burren in County Clare. Your ride ends in Maam Cross, where a horse fair is held every October. The trail passes ruined houses - houses abandoned during the great famine of 1840. The trail winds through the beautiful countryside and offers views of Connemara´s largest lake, Lough Corrib.
After a leisurely lunch you continue your ride through the mountains. You cross swamps and rocks and wade through streams. The way downhill is called Quiet Man Bridge, known from a movie with John Wayne. Finally, gallop over a disused railway line to your night´s lodging at Maam Cross. The horses will spend the night in the open country near a lake. Dinner and overnight at Maam Cross.

Day 2: After a good Irish breakfast, your today´s approx. 7 hour ride through the unique landscape of Connemara from Maam Cross to Ballynafad begins. From Maam Cross you ride further along Lough Sindle. You will pass the ruins of a forgotten limekiln, which lies in a grove of hazelnut trees.
Although some trees are very old, the wind from the Atlantic keeps them small. On an old village square you have your lunch while the horses graze. After an outdoor picnic, you ride on through the mountains - through a quiet forest area and through the beautiful Inagh Valley. In good weather you can see the coast of Rosmuc from the mountain. Your riding day today ends with a gallop on the disused railway line at Ballynafad, where you will take the horses to pasture and then be taken to your accommodation.

Day 3: This morning you will wade with the horses through a wide river and ride a short distance across the old cemetery of Ballynafad. The ride continues over the grounds of Ballinahinch Castle, once home to an Indian prince and then Richard Martin, the founder of the Animal Welfare Society. You can enjoy a long gallop through the forest. On another section of the disused railway line (Galway - Clifden) there are more opportunities for galloping. Close to Clifden you let the horses graze and have lunch. Back in the saddle, the trail takes you along a grassy path over the Roundstone Bog in the afternoon. This is the historic site where the first Irish transatlantic biplane landed. You ride on to the coast to the sea and take the horses to pasture. You will be taken to your accommodation in Clifden.

Day 4: Today begins a special day at the beach - enjoy the beach rides to the full! You will spend the whole day on sandy Mannin Beach and you will have the opportunity to gallop again and again! Small stone walls and sandbanks invite you to jump (if you like), horse and rider relax in the water and on the beach. When the weather is fine you can swim with your horses in the sea. It is a special experience to see the horse swimming with you on its back. The horses dry while you eat in peace and enjoy the view of the sea. In the afternoon you continue to explore the Atlantic coast, riding over beaches and narrow paths. After a relaxing and beautiful day you return to your accommodation in Clifden.

Day 5: Your ride today starts at the sea and takes you to Toombeola over the mountains inland. You ride along the coast, past small farms where small farmers have lived and worked for generations. The trail continues along an old grassy path into the Errisbeg Mountains. After a break for horse and rider and time for a picnic, the trail continues even higher into the mountains - from high up you can now see the village of Roundstone by the sea. Up here, according to Irish legends, Leprechauns (goblins) live. From the mountains you can enjoy the breathtaking landscape of Dogs Bay, which stretches all the way to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The horses will stay overnight on the pasture in Toombeola, you will be taken to the accommodation in Loughrea. Dinner together in Loughrea and overnight stay.

Day 6: After breakfast you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to the riding centre belonging to the farm. The museum with the park and the exemplary equestrian centre was built as a cultural centre around the horse. It is the only museum in the world dedicated to Irish horses, the Connemara Pony, and Irish dog breeds. After a welcome drink the horses are saddled and you ride through the park. The ride takes you through a wooded area cross-country to the Cross Country Course, where you have the opportunity to jump if you wish. On Wednesday you will be served a light lunch at the farm. Afterwards you can visit the Horse Museum or go to the Souvenir Shop and take one or two souvenirs home with you. In the afternoon you can ride out again in Dartfield or jump over obstacles before it is time to say goodbye to your four-legged partner. In the evening you will be taken to your accommodation in Loughrea.

Day 7: Individual departure after breakfast.

The route is subject to changes.Non-riders are also welcome. There are many activities you can do in this area: fishing, deep-sea fishing, golf, cycling, mountain climbing, hiking and swimming. Non-riders meet their riding partners in the evening in the accommodation and can later share their experiences in the pub.

Accomodation
You can choose to stay in hotels or B&Bs in double or single rooms with bathroom.

Saddle & Tack: English saddles and bridles.

Experience: You should be comfortable in all gaits and have experience in varied terrain. Riding time on average approx. 4-7 hours.

Horses: Sure-footed and balanced Irish Hunter and Connemara ponies.