Explore Mayo & the Wild Atlantic Way

Arrive in Westport

Afternoon

The town of Westport in Mayo will be your base for this 4-night guided adventure holiday on the Wild Atlantic Way. Bright and vibrant all year round, Westport is a charming town with tree-lined streets, riverside walkways, and a great vibe. You can make the journey to Westport independently by train, bus or by car. On arrival in Westport in the afternoon, check in to your hotel. We recommend arriving no later than 16:00 hrs so you have time to settle in before meeting our guide

Welcome meeting and evening meal

Evening

Lets’ get to know each other! At 17.00hrs, our guide will host a welcome meeting at our hotel so we can get prepared for the adventures to be had in the coming days of our active holiday. Afterwards join our guide and fellow group members for a welcome evening meal at our hotel. Following dinner, the remainder of the evening is free for you to spend as you wish in the beautiful town of Westport.  

Accommodation

Overnight

3 star hotel in Westport (4 nights)

Cycle the Great Western Greenway

Morning

Join us for a day of adventure on two wheels. There truly is no better way to explore Mayo’s stunning scenery than from the saddle. After breakfast we will depart our hotel by foot for a short walk (approximately 10 minutes) to pick up our bicycles for our cycle along the magnificent Great Western Greenway.

We will have a choice of two different cycling distances on the Great Western Greenway - Westport to Mulranny (Difficulty: Moderate / Distance: 30kms / Duration: 4 hours approximately / Height Gain: 355m / Height Loss: 350m / Max Height: 100m) or Westport to Achill Sound (Difficulty: Challenging / Distance: 42km / Duration: 5 hours approximately / Height Gain: 355m / Height Loss: 350m / Max Height: 100m)

Once we are fitted out on our bicycles, we will begin cycling out of Westport heading north towards Newport, with views across Clew Bay and Clare Island en route. After a brief rest stop in Newport we will continue our journey on our bicycles. Beyond Newport as we peddle towards Mulranny the views open even more, with glorious panoramas north to the Nephin mountains and south to Connemara.

Cycle the Great Western Greenway

Afternoon

Upon reaching Mulranny we will have a break to revive and reenergize. For those who have chosen the 30km cycle, we will stay in Mulranny and will have leisure time to relax and soak in the atmosphere of this seaside village. For those who are hungry for more adventure we will continue by bicycle from Mulranny to Achill Sound, gateway to Achill Island. On arrival at Achill Sound, we will leave our bicycles there and transfer by minibus back to Westport, stopping at Mulranny en route to pick up those who chose the moderate cycling route.

During our guided cycling excursion, we can expect to encounter some road cycling, most of it on prepared paths and some on unsurfaced tracks. We will need to cross some main roads as well as cycling along smoothly rising and falling landscapes. We recommend you use a pair of old runners for today’s cycling adventure.

Westport at leisure

Evening

You will have this evening free to spend as you wish. You may like to relax and unwind at your hotel following today’s adventure or perhaps you would like to explore Westport further independently. Wander along Bridge Street and the little laneways off it to make some tasty discoveries in a local eatery. Westport is Mayo's nightlife hub and comes alive at night with its buzzing pubs, cafés and restaurants and live music. Your guide will be happy to make suggestions for local dinner and entertainment options.

Hike Croagh Patrick

Full day

Lets’ climb a mountain! Croagh Patrick is probably Ireland’s most famous pilgrim mountain and it dominates the skyline from Westport. Today is our opportunity to enjoy a super hike around this legendary peak that will show us a different side to the mountain that most hikers never see. After breakfast we will transfer from our hotel to the start of the Croagh Patrick hike (transfer time: 15 minutes approximately). We will start walking along the main Pilgrim Path at Murrisk with our guide. We will see Murrisk Abbey and the Famine Memorial before starting our climb. We will follow the main track up as far as the “shoulder” of Croagh Patrick with glorious views north across Clew Bay. With time to enjoy the view and regain our energy, our hike continues along the Pilgrim Path beside the old wall of the Murrisk estate.  This offers lovely views south across open bogland towards the Sheffrey Mountains.  Continuing our hike, we will round the back of the eastern foothills of Croagh Patrick and descend back to Murrisk. We can expect to experience some road walking as well as some hiking over loose rocks, which is slow and tough underfoot. Most of the route is on unsurfaced tracks and across bogland with high heather so hiking boots with good ankle support are essential. We also strongly recommend hiking poles. After some time for refreshments at Murrisk we will make the return transfer to Westport. A packed lunch is included for our hike.

Difficulty: Moderate / Duration: 4 – 5 hours hiking / Distance: 8.5kms / Height Gain: 490m / Height Loss: 485m / Max Height: 450m)

Westport at leisure

Evening

You will have this evening free to spend as you wish. You may like to relax and unwind at your hotel following today’s adventure or perhaps you would like to explore Westport further independently. Wander along Bridge Street and the little laneways off it to make some tasty discoveries in a local eatery. Westport is Mayo's nightlife hub and comes alive at night with its buzzing pubs, cafés and restaurants and live music. Your guide will be happy to make suggestions for local dinner and entertainment options.

Kayak in the Wild Atlantic Way’s Clew Bay

Morning

Join us to discover Mayo from a unique perspective as we take to the sea by kayak! After breakfast we will transfer to Clew Bay (transfer time: 15 minutes approximately) for a terrific sea kayaking trip. After getting fitted for our equipment and going through the basics of kayaking with our guide, we will explore the coast of the Wild Atlantic Way and learn about the marine life. We will paddle amongst some of the many drumlin islands dotted in the bay and have the chance to see seals, a vast variety of sea birds, and maybe even a dolphin! We are sure to have a really rewarding day exploring Clew Bay. No previous kayaking experience is necessary for this excursion. All you need to bring with you is a sense of adventure, a swimsuit, and an old pair of runners that you do not mind getting wet! (Duration spent kayaking: 2 hours approximately). After kayaking we will transfer to Westport town where you will have some time at your leisure to independently purchase lunch and recuperate before continuing our adventure.

Craft Beer Tasting at Mescan Brewery

Afternoon

Lets’ discover some local craft beer. This afternoon we will visit the fascinating Mescan Brewery & learn all about how an Irishman and a Finnish man both quit their careers as vets to set up a microbrewery brewing Belgian style beers near Westport! We will lead you through Mescan Brewery’s range of 7 beers describing the flavour profile and some of the history of each style. This brewery tour is informal and fun, lasting around 1.5 hours. After some time to ask questions and sample some of the craft beers we will return to our hotel. Please note that this guided excursion is subject to change due to evolving coronavirus guidelines.

Farewell evening meal

Evening

Join us for a farewell evening meal at our hotel. Reminisce on the adventures we embarked on and revel in the memories we made with our guide and fellow group members as we share a meal together. Following our farewell meal you will have the remainder of the evening free to spend how you like in the charming town of Westport.  

Depart Mayo

Morning

Lets’ gather for one final breakfast together at our hotel. After breakfast you are free to depart Westport at your own leisure, by train, bus, or private arrangements. We hope you depart with many wonderful memories of our Wild Atlantic Way group adventure holiday together in Mayo.