6-Day Itinerary

Meet your Backroads Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 10 a.m. at Hayfield Manor in Cork City. Please arrive dressed in your biking clothes and bring a daypack containing your rain gear and anything else you might want for today’s ride.
Shuttle to Inchigeelagh 1 Hour
Biking Options: Gougane Barra Route: 11 Miles* (800’ elevation gain) *with shuttle
Ballylickey Route: 25 Miles (1,000’)

Welcome to Ireland, where spectacular natural settings, fascinating history and lively village culture combine for a terrific week of biking. We shuttle from Cork City to the village of Inchigeelagh, on the banks of the River Lee. Here your Backroads leaders fit your bike and give a brief talk on biking techniques and safety before you head off to Gougane Barra, a small Irish settlement surrounded by forest and mountains. When you arrive, look across the lake to tiny Holy Island, where you’ll see the remains of a 17th- century monastery that was an important pilgrimage site for centuries.

After lunch in Gougane Barra, set your sights on Ballylickey, following a network of country roads, some quiet and some more heavily trafficked—a trade-off we accept in this area off the “Tourist Trail,” which has no highways to speak of. Charming towns present themselves along the way.

Tonight’s inn, the Victorian-style Seaview House Hotel, sits on the edge of Bantry Bay in Ballylickey and offers up plenty of charm and old-world comfort. Though the rooms may be small, the largesse of Irish warmth and hospitality is what makes Seaview House feel like home. After enjoying a delicious meal in the dining room, join us at a nearby pub— the heartbeat of most Irish communities—where locals gather to exchange news and gossip, discuss politics and catch up with friends and neighbors. Lodging: Seaview House Hotel

Biking Options: Glengarriff Route: 16 Miles* (1,100’ elevation gain) *with shuttle
Kenmare Route: 31 Miles (1,700’)
Kilgarvan Loop: 45 Miles (2,300’)

Today’s route begins with a rolling spin along rural back roads. After a short, fairly steep hill, drop into a deep valley and the little town of Glengarriff. The warm Gulf Stream currents of the southwest coast help maintain the area’s almost subtropical climate and unusual beauty. Ride through the scenic Glengarriff State Forest Reserve, past woodland, streams and waterfalls as you head toward Kenmare. Along the way, we stop at Ewe Sculpture Garden for a picnic. Writer Kurt Lyndorff and his wife, Sheena Wood, a prolific artist, opened the garden in 2006. Kurt greets us and leads us on a short tour of the garden. Follow the trails to discover whimsical sculptures set alongside the river and in other surprising places. Each footpath tells a story, inspiring the imagination and inviting interaction. It’s truly a delightful place for both the young and young at heart to wander, and a fun excuse to take a break from our bikes.

From the garden you can shuttle or pedal up the gradual five-mile climb leading to the summit of Caha Pass. If you need a little energy boost after conquering the hill, you’re in luck: a fine chocolatier in Bonane is ready to reward your efforts with something sweet. Your sugar high, as well as sweeping views of Bonane Valley, are sure to sustain you on the exhilarating downhill ride into County Kerry. We make a quick stop at Molly Gallivan’s, an old working farmstead. Adults looking for some extra miles can take on the longer option to Kilgarvan, spinning through rolling farmland of the Roughty Valley.

A long undulating stretch through the countryside brings you to Kenmare and the renowned Park Hotel Kenmare. This prestigious hotel is widely regarded as the finest in southwest Ireland. After settling in, grown-ups may want to reward themselves with a spa treatment at Sámas, the Gaelic word for “indulgence of the senses.” (Spa treatments are not included in the trip price.) Tonight we dine at the hotel. Lodging: Park Hotel Kenmare

Optional Kayaking 1 Hour
Biking Options: Glen Inchiquin Route: 9 Miles* (300’ elevation gain) *with shuttle
Beara Peninsula Route: 35 Miles (1,200’)
Healy Pass Out-&-Back: 43 Miles (2,200’)
Kids: Sheep-Shearing Demonstration 1 Hour

If you’re interested in kayaking this morning, hop in the shuttle for the quick drive to Star Outdoors for a paddle on Kenmare Bay. Then climb in the saddle and set out on today’s ride, which explores the sparsely populated Beara Peninsula, named for a Spanish princess who fell in love with an Irish warrior. It’s the land of fertility, according to legend, and probably looks today much like it did to the ancient Celts.

Our first stop is at a Glen Inchiquin Valley farm, where kids get the chance to feed lambs and try their hand at sheep shearing. We have a picnic lunch before hitting the road again, and riding past quiet bays, stately cliffs and remnants of ancient oak forests to the subtropical gardens of Derreen House. Set beside Kilmakillogue Harbor and below 1,000- foot Mount Knockatee, the gardens are a great place to stroll, abounding with exotic plants, such as bamboo, rubber trees and giant New Zealand tree ferns.

Then continue on your bike, looping back to Kenmare over rolling country roads. But if you’re itching for additional miles, head for Healy Pass at 1,084 feet, and soak up views of the peninsula stretching out to the sea. When you arrive in Kenmare, you’ll have time to check out the many craft shops and coffeehouses, take a relaxing walk along the River Finnihy or visit the nearby prehistoric stone circle. Ancient people left these monuments to mark the sites of burials, battles or mythological events—the one at Kenmare is among the largest.

If you prefer not to bike this afternoon, enjoy time at the spa or on the golf course. The 18-hole course at the Kenmare Golf Club, next to the hotel, is a great introduction to golfing in Ireland. You can also play at the renowned Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club, just five miles away. (Spa treatments and greens fees are not included in the trip price.) Meanwhile, kids make a go of Gaelic football, a mixture of rugby, soccer and basketball. Your leaders will verse you on the rules, but in the end, it’s all about just having fun.

This evening adults meet up with our resident whiskey aficionado, John Moriarty, for a private tasting of Ireland’s finest spirit. We’ve been drinking whiskey with John for well over a decade—you’re in for a real treat! Afterward, while grown-ups enjoy dinner in town, kids join the Kid Coordinator at a casual restaurant for some tasty fish n’ chips (or another healthy option!). Lodging: Park Hotel Kenmare

Biking Options: Moll’s Gap Route: 20 Miles* (1,400’ elevation gain) *with shuttle
Gap of Dunloe Route: 35 Miles (2,300’)

Today’s route follows quiet farm roads lined with old-growth trees through the Blackwater Valley. Shift down for a climb on a moderate grade up to Moll’s Gap. At the top, take a moment to behold the views of Killarney National Park and the Gap of Dunloe, a beautiful glacier-carved pass between Purple Mountain and MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, the highest mountains in Ireland.

After stopping for lunch and fantastic vistas at the award- winning Avoca restaurant, it’s time to make a choice: You can shuttle from here to Killarney or continue pedaling, taking on the demanding section through the Gap of Dunloe, or “gap of the common-land,” also known as Bearna an Choimín. Though narrow and challenging for vehicles, it’s great for cyclists ... and horse-drawn carts, or traps, which are a popular mode of transportation here. The Gap is not wide enough to accommodate the Backroads van easily, so local taxis and your bike-riding leaders provide support along the way.

The Gap of Dunloe is just one example of the smaller roads we find in the more remote areas of Ireland. It makes van support a challenge, but then again, if there’s enough room for a bike, what more could we ask for? These lanes expose us to stunning scenery that could be experienced no other way, and the ones through the Gap are no exception! Beautiful lakes, red sandstone cliffs and breathtaking mountain scenery—it just doesn’t get any better than this.

After arriving in Beaufort we shuttle to the luxurious Killarney Park Hotel. (If you’re not put off by having to share the road with more traffic than we’ve seen thus far, ask your leaders for directions into town and make your way there on two wheels.) Your bike retired for the day, relax by the hotel’s indoor pool and hot tub, or indulge in a massage, facial or body treatment. (Please note that spa treatments are not included in the trip price.)

Tonight you and your family head into Killarney for dinner on your own. Your leaders are happy to point out the way to a great meal, a pint of Guinness and perhaps some live music. Lodging: Killarney Park Hotel

Biking Options: Beaufort Start Route: 20 Miles* (400’ elevation gain) *with shuttle
Blackstones Route: 35 Miles (1,000’)
Killarney Loop: 48 Miles (1,700’)

As you make your way from the hotel to Beaufort this morning, you can be glad you’re getting the most trafficked section of today’s route out of the way right off the bat. (Feel free to hop in the Backroads van to avoid this busy stretch.) Then follow peaceful country roads to salmon-rich Caragh Lake, weaving through a classic Irish landscape of ancient churches, cemeteries and working farms. Enjoy the scenery on the lakeside spin—a highlight of the trip!—that eventually takes you into the remote Glencar Valley. We stop en route for a picnic at Blackstones House, set on a picturesque spot on the shore of the Upper Caragh River beside Blackstones Bridge.

Back on your bike after lunch, head up to Lake Acoose, scenically situated at the base of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. The route traces the foothills of these mountains before turning back to Beaufort, where the shuttle awaits to give you a lift to Killarney. If you’re up for a longer ride, spin north of town on backcountry roads that bring you back into Killarney.

Before our final dinner together we hear stories from a well-known Irish seanachie (SHAWN-a-key). A seanachie is a dying breed of storyteller, a spinner of tales who was once responsible for passing Irish history and legend from generation to generation. Our time with this distinctive Irish narrator is sure to be a trip highlight. Then we sit down in the hotel’s lovely dining room and raise a glass to toast a wonderful week in Ireland. Slàinte! (To your health!) Lodging: Killarney Park Hotel

Optional Ross Castle Loop 10 Miles (150’ elevation gain)
Shuttle to Cork 2 Hours

After breakfast hop on your bike for a short spin to Ross Castle. If you prefer a more traditional mode of travel, you can get a lift there in a horse-drawn jaunting cart. Located on Lough Leane, the 15th-century Ross Castle is composed of a tower surrounded by a bawn (fortified enclosure). It’s one of the most interesting and fun castles we’ve visited, so in lieu of a longer bike ride, we wanted to give you the chance to see it for yourself on a guided walking tour. You’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into Camelot, prepared for King Arthur to emerge at any moment from the great hall. Whispers of political intrigue and romance, and images of lost treasure and knights in chain mail can’t help but come to mind. Of course, if a more leisurely morning at the hotel sounds more appealing, feel free to hang back at the Killarney Park and relax.

We lunch at the hotel before you board a private coach bound for Cork.