7 Day Itinerary
 Day
1
You will be met at Dublin, Cork or Shannon airport or Dublin, Dunlaoghaire
or Rosslare Ferryport. A representative of Celtic Cycling will be waiting
for you in the arrivals concourse. Alternatively Celtic Cycling will pick
you up from your accommodation in Dublin. You will be transferred to Celtic
Cycling's base near Bagenalstown, Co, Carlow. On arrival you will have
a briefing session; explanation of your route maps and Celtic Cycling's
"Information Booklets"; fitting out with your bicycle and equipment.
Depending on your arrival time you may then like to take a cycle ride
in the vicinity to familiarise yourself with your bike. It will be daylight
till about 10.00 p.m. in midsummer. Overnight at your base.
Day 2
Cycle from Bagenalstown to the medieval city of Kilkenny (18 miles/29
kms) passing through Bennetsbridge where there are several craft industries
to visit (pottery, knitwear leather etc.) In Kilkenny you can take a guided
walking tour of the City - a good way to find the places of interest and
learn about their history - and a guided tour of Kilkenny Castle which
dates back to 1170. The Castle has recently been completely restored and
many of the original items of furniture have been recovered and reinstated
in the Castle. If you want to spend more time in the City you will have
time the following morning as well. In the evening you may like to go
to an Irish music "session" - your hosts at your accommodation
will advise you where to go. Overnight in Kilkenny.
Day 3
Cycle from Kilkenny to Thomastown or Inistioge (16 miles/26 kms to Thomastown
- Inistioge is about 5 miles/8kms further on). You can visit the ruins
of the Augustinian Priory at Kells - one of the largest monastic sites
in Europe - and Jerpoint Abbey. Both of these date back to the 12th. century.
If you are interested in golf you can visit the Jack Nicklaus course at
Mount Juliet. The Irish Open championship was played here in 1993, 1994
and 1995. Mount Juliet also hosted the American Express World Championship
in September 2002 (won by Tiger Woods). Even if you are not interested
in golf Mount Juliet is a beautiful place to visit. If you are interested
in horseriding you can take a guided "trek" through the estate
(it is as well to book from Kilkenny the previous day). Mount Juliet also
has a long established stud farm where several well known horses have
been bred. Overnight in Thomastown or Inistioge.
Day 4
Cycle from Thomastown (or Inistioge) to Arthurstown (38 miles/61 kms from
Thomastown). This is the longest and hilliest ride of your tour and there
are many places to visit so try and get moving early! You will pass through
the picturesque village of Inistioge - Mia Farrow, who starred in "Widow's
Peak" filmed mainly in Inistioge, says that it is her favourite place
in Ireland. The movie "Circle of Friends" was also shot in Inistioge.
Woodstock Demesne located just outside the village is well worth a visit.
The extensive gardens at Woodstock have recently been restored and there
are many beautiful trees including an "avenue" of monkey puzzles.
You can take a short cut to the New Ross road through Woodstock. Then
on to New Ross where you can have lunch or afternoon tea on "The
Galley" floating restaurant which takes you up or down the rivers
Barrow or Nore. In New Ross you can also take a guided tour of a "famine
ship" the "Dunbrody" which was built largely by local craftsmen
in the New Ross shipyard. It was launched in 2001 and is now moored beside
the Tourist Information Office on the Quay. On the guided tour actors
and actresses play the parts of crew members and passengers so a visitor
gets a real "feel" for what a voyage across the Atlantic in
a crowded sailing ship in the 1840's was like. These ships transported
people fleeing the potato famine from Ireland to the U.S.A. and Canada.
The J.F.Kennedy Arboretum is on your way to Arthurstown. It was established
by the U.S. and Irish governments in memory of the late President and
has over 4500 species of trees from all over the world. The Kennedy "Homestead"
is also on the route. J.F.K's Great Grandfather was born at the "Homestead"
and emigrated to Boston from here. You will also pass the historic Dunbrody
Abbey on your way to Arthurstown. Overnight in Arthurstown.
Day 5
Today you can take the car ferry from nearby Ballyhack to Passage East
and cycle to Dunmore East a pretty fishing village on the County Waterford
coast. On the return trip you can go to Waterford City and visit the Waterford
Crystal factory. Alternatively you can cycle to Hook Head the site of
one of the oldest lighthouses in Europe. There is a visitor centre at
Hook Head and you can take a guided tour of the lighthouse. It is said
that when Strongbow was planning his invasion of Ireland he said that
he would land "by hook or by crook" - there is a place called
Crooke on the other side of the estuary! You can also visit Baginbun where
the Normans first landed in 1169. There is a Martello Tower there. Martello
Towers, which were always built in sight of one another, were used as
an early warning system in the Napoleonic wars by lighting fires on their
roofs. Tintern Abbey near Baginbun has recently been restored by the Irish
Government. This Cistercian Abbey was built in 1200 by William Earl Marshall
of Pembroke. He was caught in a raging storm in nearby Bannow Bay and
made a vow that, if he was saved, he would build an Abbey. This he did
and the Abbey is known as "Tintern de Vota" or "Tintern
of the Vow". On each of these tours it is possible to make the return
journey using different roads. The distance you cycle today is up to you:
the routes today can vary between 25 miles/40 kms and 30 miles/48 kms.
Overnight in Arthurstown.
Day 6
Cycle from Arthurstown to St. Mullins (24 miles/38 kms). If you take the
road to the East of the river Barrow, you will cycle directly to the village
of St. Mullins. If you take the road to the west of the river Barrow you
will pass through Graiguenamanagh (it adds about 8 miles/13 kms to the
distance). Between Graiguenamanagh and St. Mullins you will have the opportunity
of taking a delightful ride along the "Barrow Navigation" towpath.
It was used in the past by horses towing barges laden with barley destined
for the breweries and distilleries in Dublin. While it may be a little
"bumpy" it has the advantage of being flat! If you go directly
to St. Mullins you can cycle along the towpath on day seven. St. Mullins
was a place of great ecclesiastical importance in the 5th and 6th centuries.
The ruins of small churches and oratories from that time can still be
seen here. St. Mullins was the burial place of Art MacMurrough Kavanagh,
one time King of Leinster. Overnight in St. Mullens.
Day 7
Cycle from St. Mullins through Graiguenamanagh ("Grange of the Monks")
back to your base (15 miles/24 kms). In Graiguenamanagh you can visit
the beautifully restored Abbey of Duiske. After passing through Graiguenamanagh
you have the option of cycling to the east or west of the river Barrow
on your way to your base where you will overnight again. You will pass
through the pretty village of Borris, home of the Mac Murrough Kavanaghs
who were Kings of Leinster back in the 5th and 6th centuries. One of their
direct descendants still occupies Borris as the family's private residence.
Another of the MacMurrough Kavanaghs, Arthur, born without arms or legs
in 1831, travelled the World, became a member of parliament at Westminster
and hunted and fished (on horseback) and had a family! As today's distance
is relatively short, you can, if you wish, extend the distance you cycle
by continuing on from Borris to Scullogue Gap (about 10 miles/ 16 kms)
to the east. At Rathgeeran there is a pre-Christian burial ground c.3000
B.C. where you will find a stone with carved concentric motifs typical
of these burial grounds. On your way to Scullogue Gap there are fine views
across the surrounding countryside and there is a monument there to rebels
who fell in a battle here with the British forces during the 1798 rebellion.
You will then partly retrace your steps on the way to your base for your
last night.
Day 8
Depart. Transfer to your flight, ferry or accommodation in Dublin.
Notes:
- The distances shown are by the most direct route but can be increased
to suit the visitor's requirements and cycling ability.
- Celtic Cycling reserves the right to vary this itinerary. This may
be necessary due to accommodation availability or to meet visitors'
wishes.
- If you need to have an Email contact address or fax number while
in Ireland you are welcome to use Celtic Cycling's: Email info@celticcycling.com;
fax +353-59-9775455
- Celtic Cycling will, on request, provide you with "Discovery"
(Ordinance Survey) maps. The "Discovery" maps are very detailed
and show all the roads, small towns and villages, elevations etc, that
cannot for practical reasons be accommodated on Celtic Cycling's daily
route maps. It will be appreciated if you would return the "Discovery"
maps at the end of your tour.
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