Ireland - Youth & Adventure Buyers Guide 2018/2019

DAY 6 IRELAND’SWILD ATLANTICWAY Start your day and drive on to a morning of Watersports at Star Outdoors Adventure Centre in Kenmare, Co. Kerry one of the best fun experiences on offer in the SouthWest.Why not try some of these activities: kayaking, canoeing, water trampoline and slide, pedal boats, sailing, banana boat rides, water-skiing and wakeboarding. For those that don’t wish to get wet there is also a cruise vessel offering a tour of Kenmare Bay or visit The Star Seafood’s Smokehouse Experience from filleting and salting, to smoking, cutting and preservation. See the Seabirds, Herons, and the flora and fauna of Kenmare Bay. Lunch in Kenmare today at one of its fine restaurants. Eight miles off Kerry’s magnificent Iveragh Peninsula – where Ireland’s highest mountain range sweeps down to the wild Atlantic coast – is one of the wonders of the world: Skellig Michael. 1300 years ago, early Christian monks built a remarkable hermitage at the top of this jagged ocean crag – then at the furthest limits of the known world. Steep steps are carved into the rock. Near the 700 ft summit is a collection of ‘beehive’ monastic cells: solitary places for contemplation and prayer, as far from the distractions of civilisation as it was possible to be. Continue to Waterville , and take a guided walk along theWild AtlanticWay with Sea Synergy, where a local marine biologist walks you through the rich heritage and wildlife of Ireland’s western coast. Varying routes from flat sandy coastline to winding small roads to headlands and walkways hugging theWild AtlanticWay to see shipwrecks and lookout towers and admire the local marine biodiversity of the area. (Optional seafood taster meal at family restaurant overlooking the bay at end of seashore walk). Overnight on Skellig Coast in Valentia or Waterville DAY 7 IRELAND’SWILD ATLANTICWAY Continue your journey stopping in Tralee en route, before continuing on to take the Tarbert Ferry to Co. Clare. Start your afternoon in Lahinch and Doolin, both excellent surf spots; particularly Lahinch is known worldwide as a premier venue for professional surfers. Doolin is a well-known location also for its nightly traditional Irish music sessions. Doolin Cliff Walk provides a guided walk from Fisher street in the Doolin Village of County Clare, along the sea cliffs leading to the Cliffs of Moher. Guided by local farmer, walking enthusiast and historian, Pat Sweeney, you will follow a trail route along the coast and above the Doolin cliffs.With the green fields of cows and sheep of the local farms on one side and the pounding waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the other, this is a unique way to experience the stunning views and breathtaking rural beauty of this part of Clare. Or Enjoy a visit to Doolin Cave, with a local guide. The Great Stalactite is a world-class natural wonder at Doolin Cave, and is an important eco-tourist attraction. Measuring 7.3 metres (23 feet) in length, it is recognised as being the longest stalactite in the Northern hemisphere. Or Visit the Cliffs of Moher Interpretative Centre. Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point they stretch for 8 kilometres (5 miles) along theWild AtlanticWay. From the Cliffs of Moher on a clear day one can see the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, as well as the Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk mountains in Connemara, Loop Head to the south and the Dingle Pensinula and Blasket Islands in Kerry. O’Brien’s Tower stands near the highest point and has served as a viewing point for visitors for hundreds of years. Continue your journey and overnight in Galway city 96 Skellig islands Doolin Cliff Walk Inis Mór, Aran Islands Seal-watching off Kenmare Bay Kenmare Bay