Our Destinations

Why travelling with Randocheval ?

IRELAND : BURREN TRAIL RIDE...

Here in the rural Western Ireland, we are nestled in the rolling hills of the Slieve Aughty Mountains, gazing through the purple-blue haze down to the majestic River Shannon. The forest lanes and little roads are so quiet and peaceful, it is as if time is passing slower here. There is no noise here just the sounds of nature. With our horses and us, you'll discover the treasure of Ireland's history and beautiful nature on our Galway Clare Burren Trail ride.

ITINERARY

Day 2 - Sunday : Binor Ride
After breakfast, you'll brought to the start of the trail, where your guide will allocated the horses to you according to your experience. Every rider can then get used to his own horse for the week by brushing and tacking it itself - don't worry there are always lots of helping hands around you! We will then leave for an easy ride into the surrounding peaceful forests of the Slieve Aughty Mountains. For the lunch break, we will be back to the riding center and riders and horse take a rest. In the afternoon, the horses will bring us trough the rural farming land in County Galway and the huge area of heather and bog land using the old tracks of the historical Sarsfield Ride. We leave our horses on a field where they stay overnight and we drive back to the accomodation for a relaxing evening.

Day 3 - Monday : Inis Cealtra Ride
Today's ride brings us up over the hills of the Slieve Aughty Mountains with fascinating views over the majestic Lough Derg and River Shannon. Along the track, we will be passing old farm ruins and miles of stonewalls and your guide will tell you about Irelands most significant incident in history : about 150 years ago, many farms and villages where left because of the Famine. This was the time of the severe patato disease, which destroyed for a couple of years the sole source of food supply for the rural and poor irish peasant and his stock. In addition to that, a typhus and cholera epidemic enforced the disaster, leading to a flood of millions of people emigrating to other countries or starving with the hunger. Knowing about those times you'll be greating the tasty lunch waiting for us, before we head across the extensive areas of bog land in the afternoon. There, we will pass local farmers cutting and drying the turf in the traditional way. A neolithic dolmen, with the legendary name Oisin's and Grainne's Grave, beside the track proves that this area was already mystified about 5000 years ago. Much younger (about 9th cent.) are the ruins of a monastic settlement on Holy Island, whichwe can easily spot by the well kept typical round tower.

Day 4 - Tuesday : Lough Graney Ride
Leaving the sheltered pasture we are heading this morning for the top of the hills again overlooking endless woods and grazing land to the north, west and south. Long before, we get there we can spot way under us the sandy shores of Lough Graney where we are heading for. The beach invites us to a canter along the water and on the trails goes right across the refreshing lake! The ride in the later afternoon takes us through the typpical farmland of rural Ireland with its juicy green fields and the endless old stonewalls surrounding the peacefully grazing sheep and cattle.

Day 5 - Wednesday : Glandaria Ride
Today's lovely wood tracks take us further westwards overlooking Glandaria (the valley of the Kings) the wide fertile valley of the River Shannon, where hundreds of years ago Irelands kings preferably used to settle. After the lunch break near a typical mountain river we will cross the boggy uplands. County Clare unfolds all around us up to the in the distance rising hills of the famous Burren National Park. On a clear day we will even get the first glimpse of Galway Bay. This afternoon our horses will be transferred by lorry across the busy valley to tomorrow's start at the Mullaghmore Mountain in the Burren. You will be staying tonight in the charming village of Corofin with its countless pubs.

Day 6 - Thursday : Mullaghmore Ride
The totally different and unique scenery of the world renowned Burren will accompany us for the next two days. The moon like landscape of this limestone area bears not only an immensely colourful flora and fauna with a large number of very rare species, but also reveals a stunning variety of prehistoric settlements. Dolmens and Wedge Tombs line up next to Norman stone fort ruins and Celtic ring forts. Close to a fulacht fiadh an ancient cooking site, we will enjoy our lunch. It is amazing how many eye-catching sites this at first sight so vast looking landscape can offer us. The next two nights you will be staying in the Lisdoonvarna area, which is famous for the traditional music in the pubs.

Day 7 - Friday : Atlantic Coast Ride
Today we head westwards through the Burren, learning about the impressive Poulnabrone Dolmen, and the huge and dangerous cave systems in this special area. We rest for lunch overlooking the story telling rocky landscape. After the break we lead our horses up the last hill for the breathtaking view over the Atlantic Sea, the famous Aran Islands and the rugged Connemara Mountains. The extremely rough shore of County Clare stretches out under us for the last gallop. In the glittering afternoon sunlight the impressive silhouette of the Cliffs of Moher rise in front of us. Near the ruins of the spooky looking Ballinalaken Castle our ride ends.

Day 8 - Saturday : Slan Abhaile
After breakfast you will be transferred back to the airport for your onwards journey.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
The Irish horse is renowned for its stamina, versatality and gentleness and will provide an ideal companion for an unforgettable holiday. You will make friends here with proud examples of several typical Irish breeds such as the tall but gentle Irish Draught, the lively and clever Connemara, the fine and energetic Irish Hunter, the beautifully coloured Piebald and the intelligent and comfortable Irish Cob.

Tack
You'll ride on comfortable english trail saddles.

Required riding level
This ride covers about 140 miles, which represent about 20-25 miles a day.
To join that ride, you should be comfortable at all gaits, and have at least a short experience in trail riding.
Accompagnied children are welcome over 8 years old with suitable riding abilities.

YOUR GUIDES

During that ride you will be guide by very experienced local guide, who perfectly knows his environnement and horses.

ACCOMMODATION

The tastefully restored 300 year-old farmhouse is the heart of the riding centre. The ambiance of old times gone by is carefully maintained and yet all modern facilities for the riding guests are provided.

Guests can relax in individually decorated ensuite rooms.
In our comfortable dining room our guests enjoy the hearty Irish Breakfast and traditional farmhouse cooking, sitting by the open turf fire.
It was always said, that this place called "The Mountain" is like an inspiration to all who stand on its threshold and recapture the simplicity and peace of this idyllic setting.

Hotel accomodation could be available too, please contact us.

All other accomodations along your ride are comfortable guesthouse.

DATES AND RATES

Single supplement : 120 €
The single supplement will be add to the rate if you're travelling alone even if you agree to share. We'll reimburse you if we find another rider agree to share accomodation with you.

Reduction for non riders : -480 €


Flights to Shannon
Please contact us to check the best available rate from your country.

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact Chloé for any enquiry !

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

Shannon airport. You may also arrive in Galway, Cork or Dublin, and reach our meeting point by car or bus.

Weather is unforeseeable in Ireland, we even say that it is sunny several times a day!
So allow something to face all the kinds of weather.

TRANSFERS
Meeting place directly to the riding center.
Transfers from and to Shannon airport can be arranged, please contact us.

We can arrange private transfers for you if necessary from Shannon airport (35 euros per way per person to pay directly).

Formalities
Contact your ambassy. For European people, the Identity card is enought.

Vaccination - health
No specific vaccinations. Don't forget your repatriation insurance.

We recommand to be update of usual vaccination, and especially tetanus..