IRELAND’S CYCLING HIGHLIGHTS
There’s a real variety of landscapes leading up Ireland’s west coast, from the agricultural hillsides, woodlands and jagged coastal peninsulas of Cork, Kerry and Limerick in the south, to the rocky lunar-like landscapes and sacred stone sites of Burren National Park in County Clare, and the beautiful golden beaches of Galway. The further north you go, the quieter the well-surfaced rural roads become, with the cultural region of Connemara providing access to the Aran Isles from Doolin harbour as well as traditional Irish heritage in the Gaeltacht (primary Irish speaking areas).
Burren National Park
1. Burren National Park
Due to the inhospitable nature of the Burren’s rocky landscapes, numerous examples of early human inhabitation have remained throughout the area, untouched by foreign settlers. Our cycling tours lead you through the Burren over rural tarmac roads and paved paths. These are very narrow roads we’re talking about here, proper winding country lanes, only a car’s width. Not that you’ll see many cars.
Connemara region
2. Connemara region
The distances between the villages and towns of Connemara are perfect for pedalling, with 20-30km routes making for a very nice afternoon by bike. Several coastal stretches take you past beautiful golden beaches to tempt you into the ocean, if you’re brave enough. The local seafood is a must, with shellfish, salmon and sea trout fresh out the Atlantic and onto restaurant and kitchen tables.
Doolin
3. Doolin
This characterful coastal village is an ideal base for cyclists wishing to experience two of west Ireland's best loved landmarks, the Cliffs of Moher (18km cliff top walk) and the Isles of Aran (ferry from the harbour). Doolin is also the home of Irish music, with many a night well spent out of the saddle and down the local pub toe tapping to the beat of the tipper on the bodhran (frame drum).
Galway
4. Galway
This is where Irish is spoken in the streets and in the schools. Half of Ireland’s Gaeltacht population (where Irish is their primary language) is in Galway, and Galway City is the headquarters for many of Ireland’s cultural heritage and Irish language organisations. Cycle into the countryside and you’ll find similar scenery to Kerry and Cork, but much, much quieter and with a fraction of the tourists.
Clifden
5. Clifden
The lively coastal town of Clifden is the start and finish of the annual Tour de Conamara public bike race which takes place every May. Stop off for the night here and you’ll have the pick of the 140km routes around the area, including a lovely 16km loop, known as the Sky Road, which takes you out of Clifden and around Streamstown Bay for uninterrupted Atlantic views over Inishturk and Turbot.
The Wild Atlantic Way
6. The Wild Atlantic Way
The Wild Atlantic Way is a Fáilte Ireland (Welcome to Ireland) success story and provides sign-posted road routes from Cork and Kerry, in the south, to Donegal, in the northwest, via Galway. Quiet rural lanes, pre-existing, bike-friendly tracks and a network of resurfaced railways (the Greenways) run alongside the WAW to connect cyclists with isolated communities, including locally owned B&Bs.
Our Ireland cycling Vacations
Burren Way cycling tour in West Ireland
The Burren, Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands
From
€1250 to €1350
7 days
ex flights
Wild Atlantic Way biking vacation in Ireland
Westport Way Cycling tour
From
€1150 to €1250
6 days
ex flights
Road cycling tour in UK and Ireland
Cycle through the 5 countries of Great Britain and Ireland
From
£4495 to £4595
13 days
ex flights
Connemara Express cycling tour in Ireland
Spectacular cycling on the Wild Atlantic coast of Ireland
From
€1150 to €1250
7 days
ex flights
Ring of Kerry cycling vacation in Ireland
Pedal through lush countryside and friendly Irish towns
From
£1779 to £1919
8 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Ireland cycling or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
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More about Ireland cycling
Our cycling in Ireland travel guide gets you around the coast and countryside and into the locally-owned pubs and B&Bs via a series of winding rural roads and good quality, car-free tracks.
Cycling Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way gets you closer to the incredible landscapes on the west coast and the people living in the isolated communities of Connemara and Burren National Park.
Ireland’s local communities living in isolated areas along the west coast have received a real boost thanks to the government developing previously abandoned railway tracks (Greenways) and seanbhóthar (old road) networks.
