Ireland Rentabike Suggested Route

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Start your holiday in Ireland by spending a few days in Limerick Limerick was the first city in Ireland to receive a charter over 800 years ago, in fact Limerick got it before London.! Limerick is also the home of the Hunt Museum with over 2000 items from the stone age to the twentieth century, from ancient Ireland, Egypt, Greece and Rome. In the Hunt Museum you will find such artifacts as the personal seal of King Charles of England, Mary Queen of Scots Silver Cross, A bronze horse by Leonardo da Vinci. Paintngs by Renoir, Picasso and our own O'Connor and Yeats. All this is just 50 meters from Emerald

Day 1…. Collect your bike in Emerald Alpine and get your gear organised. It's worth spending a day or two in Limerick to see the sights and enjoy a few pints of Guinness. Visit the Hunt Museum across the road from Emerald and see the best private collection of Irish artifacts in the world. have a look at King Johns Castle was built in 1210. It is one of the finest Norman Castles in Limerick, its visitor centre has a great show to see with loads of stories and srtifacts to see..

Limerick itself has a great tradition of Pubs and Traditional Irish Music. Have a walk around the City pop into a Pub and have a pint of Guinness and listen to some traditional irish music, the sessions are great and the hangovers aren't that bad ! :-).you can get innfo on where and when from the tourist office an your arrival, but there is usually music on somewhere close every night. there are some great restaurants around serving everthing from pub grub to the Italian, French, Indian ..its up to you...

Day 2… Limerick to Bunratty. 12 km Visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The Park contains reconstruction's of a nineteenth century Irish village where you can spend an afternoon watching the locals or have a glass of Guinness in Mac's the local pub.

Durty Nellys Pub is also just outside the Park. You can enjoy some good food and listen to some traditional Irish music in the bar. Day 3… Leaving Bunratty, head along the N 18 just past Dromo land Castle. Turn right towards Quin (5 km). When you arrive in Quin turn right over the bridge, Quin Abbey is on your left hand side, continue on straight, 5 km to Knappagoue Castle. Leaving Knappagoue turn left towards Craigganowen Project (5 km). The p roject has reconstructed earlier forms of homes and farmsteads, a ringfort and a Crannog, it is also the home of The Brendan, a leather hulled boat which in 1976 sailed from Ireland to Newfoundland proving that Irish Monks may have traveled to America in the early 1500's. Leaving Craggaunowen turn left, through the cross roads and turn left at the T-Junction to Ennis (16 kms) Visit Cois na hAbhna (1 km out the Gort road) they have wonderful traditional Irish music most evenings.

Bunratty Castle where you can experience a Banquet or sample a Pint in Macs Pub

Day 4…Leaving Ennis behind head for Kimaley along the R 474 and through the Sleive Callan mountains (390m) after 7 kms you come to Knocknalassa Megalithic Tomb, known as Diarmuids and Grainnes bed. Continue to Spanish Point, so called because it was he re the survivors from the Wrecked Spanish Armada swam ashore only to be arrested and executed by the High Sheriff of Clare!!

Day 5… Leaving Milltown Malby, head north along the N 67 to Lahinch and Liscannor, John Holland the inventor of the submarine was born here. Continue your journey to the Cliffs of Moher. Have a look in the visitors center and walk along the cliffs to t he observation point and see some of the most beautiful, dramatic coastal scenery in the world.

Continue your journey to Doolin. At the pier in Doolin you can catch a ferry to the Aran Islands on the hour. The Islands are Irish speaking (Gaelic) the ferry ride is about 20 pounds for a return ticket and you can spend as long as you want on the isl and. If you want you can continue on to Lisdoonvarna the town is 29 kms from Doolin. If you are lucky you could see the Lisdoonvarna Bachelor Festival where many a match has been arranged for those looking for marriage.

Day 6… leaving Lisdoonvarna you head cross the dense forest going on a slight uphill all the way to Kilfenora (6.5 kms) Kilfenora is home to the Burren Display Center. Continue across the Burren, a botanist delight. The Burren has an astounding variety of fauna. Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow alongside each other on a landscape of limestone. The Burren is over 100 square miles of rocky terrain. Continue along the R 476 (downhill this time!) to Corofin, where the Clare Heritage Centre is located (12 kms)

Day 7… Leaving Corofin, head back in the direction of Kilfenora and at the church tun right to Ballyvaughan (20 kms)this is a uphill cycle but it isn't that bad and worth the effort because Ballyvaughan is a beautiful Irish fishing village with a few p ubs serving some of the best local seafood to be found in the country. Try some of the seafood chowder or mussels in Monks Pub and restaurant. Anyway fro Ballyvaughan head east to Kinvara ( 9 kms ) stop at the Aliwee caves for a look at some great undergr ound caves opened to the public. Kinvara is a small fishing village with a stone quayside, Kinvara is the home of Dunguaire Castle and holds banquets most evenings. Reservations must be made beforehand (tel 091 37108 tickets around €30 per person)

Day 8…we head to Galway. The capital of the west of Ireland ( 35 kms ) this is an easy cycle along typical Irish country roads and main roads. You can return the bikes to emeralds depot in Galway. Enjoy the shops and sights of Galway, enjoy one of the many festivals held there each year from the arts festival to the oyster festival…..