Killarney, Cork and Wicklow Guided Motorcycle Tour in Ireland
7 Days (6 nights) : Choice of 3 dates
1st-7th May | 24th-30th July | 4th-10 September
This tour takes you to the stunning ‘Kingdom of Kerry’, in the south-west, where you will see some of the most dramatic landscapes Ireland has to offer. The main features are its three peninsulas, Dingle, Iveargh and Beara, which all have distinct characteristics. After Kerry, the tour heads to the south coast and Ireland’s second city, Cork, where you can explore the vibrant traditional music scene. Finally, you will cross to the east coast and the ‘Garden of Ireland’, County Wicklow, with its mountains, lakes and stately homes. A great tour with diverse scenery and great biking roads.
Day 1: The first day is an easy one, in the morning after a briefing you will pick up your rental motorbike. We will then go on an orientation ride along the shores of Strangford lough and on into the Mourne Mountains to allow you to get a feel for the bike. In the afternoon we will then travel back to Belfast and your hotel for the night where you can pack all your luggage onto the motorbike ready for the start of the tour proper the next morning.
Day 2: Leaving Belfast early we will ride to Dublin to meet bikers coming off the ferry who are joining us for the tour. As it will be late morning before we get to leave the Dublin area we will take the most direct route to Killarney, our base for the next three nights, hoping to arrive at our accommodation around 6pm. Hopefully we are not too tired and can enjoy a meal together and get to know you time over a few drinks in pleasant surroundings.
Day 3: The mileage today should be well under the 150 mark as we tour the Dingle Peninsula. Described in the National Geographic Traveller as,” The most beautiful place on earth” there's not a lot more I can add to that. Made famous in the David Lean film “Ryans Daughter” the area has become a huge magnet for tourists. Fortunately for us, the roads with the best scenery are not accessible to large tour buses but no problem on two wheels. The mileage today will be high, on the cameras that is! We hope to return to base around 5pm but not before we ride out to and around Slea Head and cross the Conor Pass, the highest pass in Ireland, don’t worry no need for oxygen masks it’s not the Alps you’re in, it’s Ireland.
Day 4: About the same mileage as yesterday, we will ride the Ring of Kerry today. Tourists have been doing it from Victorian times when they did it in horse drawn carriages and some parts of the road are still only fit for horses! Make note to put extra padding on in bum area today. The scenery more than makes up for any discomfort and anyway we can stand tonight at the dinner table! Time permitting we will try to take in some of the lesser visited areas as we progress around the ring. As usual we aim to be back at base by 5pm but it’s up to the group how long we stay out.
Day 5: We leave our base in Killarney today and head for the City of Cork, the Republic of Irelands second City. On the way we will take in much of the Beara peninsula, crossing the Tim Healy pass on the way. We shall try to arrive in Cork at a reasonable time so we can explore some of the pub culture, all in the interest of research of course!!
Day 6: Our last day and we continue our ride making our way north to Wicklow or “The Garden of Ireland” as it’s known. Here we will stop at the town of Avoca better known the world over for Television viewers as “Ballykissangel”, time for a pint in Fitzpatrick’s. Our last evening together so we will do your best to find some local culture, or a “Hooley” as we call it.
Day 7: The final day is an easy one, riding north and back to our base, we should arrive in the early afternoon which gives you plenty of time to pack up and head for home.
Rental Motorcycle and Tour - Rider £1445
Rental Motorcycle and Tour - Rider and passenger (sharing) £1695
Lowered Bikes Available
(Prices shown include rental of motorcycle, experienced tour guide, B&B or 3 star hotel accommodation. Not included are fuel, food (except breakfast), drinks, ferries, parking, entrance to tourist sites, fines, tickets or any other personal costs you may incur during your trip).
