Connemara Guided Walks is all about sharing my passion for exploring Connemara’s unique landscape with visitors.
Explore Cleggan Headland
Duration: 4,5 hours total
Level: Moderate
Transport: Pick-up in Clifden town square at 9.30am
Fee: 50€ per person, minimum 2 people
We will explore Cleggan headland. A coastal walk of 6km distance and a beautiful part of Connemara that is mostly overlooked by tourists mainly because of limited access. You will have the feel of being on a wild uninhabited offshore island but without the complications in getting there.
The meeting point for the walk is at Clifden town centre, where I will pick you up by car. The drive is about 15 minutes.
From our starting point, we will have a climb to Cleggan hill (146meters). There is the ruins of a Napoleonic watch tower on the summit and a great place to take in the dramatic views of the surrounding area. We will then proceed towards the coastline to look at the varied birdlife along the cliffs. Fulmairs, kittywakes, guillimots and razerbills are some of the birds we can see.
Continueing on, we come to a cove with a single beach, this is a favorite area for grey seals. Here I will talk about the various edible seaweeds. We follow the coastline, until we arrive at Cleggan head. Here we will find an arch, a sea stack and the largest sea cave in Connemara.
On our way back to our finishing point, we will see a well preserved 5,000 year old court tomb.
This is an off-trail walk over uneven terrain which is a mix between firm and soft under foot and also some steep ground.
The level of difficulty is moderate, so a reasonable fitness level is required.
I’ll provide tea or coffee and homemade biscuits.
Please bring waterproof footwear and -clothing and sunscreen.
The Best of Killary Harbour
Duration: 6 hours total
Level: Moderate
Transport: Pick-up in Clifden town square at 9.30am
Fee: 60€ per person, minimum 2 people
We will do a loop walk at the mouth of Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only Fjord. This is one of the most dramatic places to visit in Ireland and not to be missed if you are in Connemara. It is surrounded by 4 mountain ranges including Mweelrea (830 meters), the highest mountain in Connacht. Because this area is well off the beaten track, it is still largely undiscovered by tourists.
On this tour, I will talk to you about the local history and point out Connemara’s unique flora as we go along. If tides are favorable, we will do some sea shore foraging for edible sea weed and shellfish. It is not unusual to spot grey seals and bottlenose dolphins in the harbour.
The meeting point for the walk is at Clifden town centre. I will pick you up by car. The drive is about 50 minutes, which includes a stop at Kylemore Abbey en route.
The starting point for the walk is at Rosroe pier. We follow the south shore East along the old famine trail. After 3km we branch off to the right crossing over devil’s pass and descend to Little Killary bay. At this point we are on a small road which takes us back to our starting point at the pier.
The total distance is 5 Kilometers and the duration of the walk is about 2.5 hours.
This is an off-trail walk over uneven terrain which is a mix between firm and soft under foot and also some steep ground.
The level of difficulty is moderate, so a reasonable fitness level is required.
I’ll provide tea or coffee and homemade biscuits.
Please bring waterproof footwear and -clothing and sunscreen.
BOOK YOUR TOUR
The Explore Cleggan Headland hike with Sean will truly remain with me forever. The beauty of the landscape combined with Sean’s love for this incredible place where he lives made the experience magical. There are dramatic views which were breathtaking but is was also Sean’s knowledge of the plant life, the sea and bird life that added to making it so special for me. If you are a person who wishes to connect with the natural world of Connemara don’t miss it!
– Denise, Kingston, NY, USAI had the best hike with Sean. He went out of his way to do a guided hike on a day that suited my schedule. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about the environment and local history. The trail is so breathtaking and he has the best stories which enhances the over all experience. I love talking with him he answered ALL of my questions (and believe me, there were a lot) patiently and genuinely. He’s so easy to talk to and he made me feel very comfortable. If you’re in the area it would be a shame not to experience this opportunity. Can’t recommend Sean more!
– Daniella, Burlington, VT, USAWe had been to Ireland before. We thought we knew what to expect. But then Sean took us on a coastal walk, and he really wowed us with spectacular vistas and surprised us with sudden coves and abysses. Along the way he gave us Ireland in a nutshell. Which herbs were and are used for medicine? Which plants will eat animals (not the other way around)? Which blossoms will make tasty spirits? And why do the tastebuds of sheep react most favorably to the grass near the coastline? While we were learning all that Sean would include one or two funny and weird old legends. Yes, that was a lot more than we expected in those few hours. Sean loves his country, and he loves to share it with us. And we loved to walk with him. Thank you!
– Heike and Andy, Hamburg, GermanyThe Explore Cleggan Headland experience was stellar. The terrain within the area covered was much varied and tremendously beautiful. Sean was a font of knowledge covering history and lore of the area as well as the names and uses of most of the plants, pointing many I would have overlooked.
– Kristi, Billings, MT, USA
