Our Destinations

Letter Randocheval

Why travelling with Randocheval ?

IRELAND : HORSE RIDING TRAIL ON THE WESTERN ATLANTIC COAST...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

For young people 11-18 or 18-22 years old, we also suggest a special 15 days program to improve horse riding and english speaking. Available soon on our website. Contact us for more details.

ITINERARY

The Atlantic Coast Trail trail explores the unspoilt coastline, sandy beaches,deserted islands, mountains and forests of this most beautiful area of Western Ireland.

Day 1 - Sunday
Guests arrive in Sligo and are welcomed by our guide. After a short discussion reafirming the riding abilities and requirments of the riders,guests are shown to their guest house to meet their riding group for the week.Dinner is taken in the guest house as a group.
A pub is nearby if you feel the need to have a Guinness!

Day 2 - Monday
Riders are picked up by the trail organiser, and go to Sligo Riding Centre in Carrowmore. Here in a large indoor ring riders are introduced to their mount for the week. Declan and Michael, the trail guide, spend the next hour or so evaluating the horses and riders and their compatability. The group is then taken out to the nearby pastures to test the control of the riders outside. After a light lunch we go for a 2 hour ride outside. This ride takes us through Rathcarrick woods and onto Gibaralter strand for our first canters on the Atlantic shores. Horses overnight at the centre and riders return to their guesthouse for dinner.After dinner, guests are taken to a local Irish pub to hear some traditional Irish music and sample that famous Irish craic.

Day 3 - Tuesday
Riders are once again taken to Carrowmore. This morning we ride to Knocknarea mountain and we climb to the summit to the grave of one of Ireland’s greatest warriors, Queen Maeve (circa 3500 b.c.). From this vantage point one can really appreciate the beauty of this corner of the Emerald Isle.
We have lunch in Strandhill, a seaside surfing village and our afternoon’s ride is an exilarating beach ride to Coney Island, a small island in Sligo Bay (pop.7). The horses stay tonight in Carrowmore.

Day 4 - Wednesday
Have a large breakfast this morning because we don’t stop for lunch today. Before riding we take an escorted tour through the Carrowmore megalithic cemetary,circa 4000 b.c.
After the tour, there is an optional ride. For those who wish, and are capable, wa have an introduction to jumping, this is a short lesson in the ring followed by some outdoor cross country jumping over an elementary course.
Our ride from Carrowmore through Union forest (a large pine forest) and along old forest paths into Markree Castle estate. We ride through the castle grounds and to the stables where the horses will spend the night.

Day 5 - Thursday
Today is the chance to relax after 3 days riding and recharge the batteries for the next 2 days. Riders are tourists today and visit all the places of interest and historical significance of this ancient corner of Ireland, including a visit to Parkes castle ( a fourteenth century catle restoored by the Irish government) and Yeat's grave in Drumcliff. There is also time to shop and see the beautiful town of Sligo. In the afternoon, we go to the famous Celtic Seaweed Baths, this is an experience not to be missed ! After dinner, we visit a local Irish pub for some more of that Guinness...

Day 6 - Friday
Our ride takes us up Ballygawley mountain traversing old bog roads once used to bring turf down from the mountain. We pass Lough Lumman, a bottomless lake where one can often see deer grazing. A picnic lunch is taken here where one feels totally isolated from the real world with all it’s stresses and problems. After lunch our ride takes us through Ballygawley forest and to Carrowmore where the horses spend the night.

Day 7 - Saturday
Our last day’s ride is spent all the beaches, we ride all around the Knocknarea peninsula from Kelly'stown to Culleenamore beach along the strand at Strandhill where we stop for lunch.the afternoon,s ride takes us to Cumeen Strand and across to Carty’s strand. This is a truly fantistic day’s Ride, very exilarating and physically challanging.
Dinner tonight is taken as a group in a Sligo restaurant. For those with the energy left, after dinner there is an option to go to a Sligo nightclub for music or dancing (dress is smart casual).

Day 8 - Sunday
Departure after breakfast.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Dublin 3 days / 2 nights

Price : 220 € / person in july-august and 190 € / person the rest of the year.

Included : 2 nights in double/twin room basis in a 3* hotel in Dublin city center + 3 days rental car base 2.

To add : Personal expenses (meals, visit fees, fuel).


Ireland Tour in B&B accomodation 5 days / 4 nights

Price : 370 € / person in july-august and 350 € / person the rest of the year.

Included : 4 nights in double/twin room basis in B&B in the cities of Ireland you want + 5 days rental car base 2.

To add : Personal expenses (meals, visit fees, fuel).

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
Altogether at the centre there are in excess of 50 horses.The majority are either Irish Hunters or Connemara ponies, all housed and cared for at our stables.

Tack
You'll ride on comfortable english trail saddles.

Required riding level
To join that ride, you must be confortable at all gaits, and have a short experience in trail riding.
Accompagnied children are welcome if 8 years old and required riding level.

YOUR GUIDES

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

ACCOMMODATION

Accomodation
On the normal program, you'll be accomodate in guesthouse during the full ride.
However, you have the possibility to be accommodated in a 4* hotel accomodation during 7 nights(look at the rate part).

For those who want to have a luxuous accomodation, we suggest you a special "luxe" program including 4 nights accomodation to the Markree Castle, and 3 nights hotel accomodation.

Food
Irish breakfast in the morning, light picnic lunch around 13.00 and wonderful and delicious dinner on the evening.

DATES AND RATES

OPTIONS

For this trail You will be accommodated in confortable Bed & Breackfast. If you want a higher stadard accommodation we also offer two other options :

Accommodation in 4* hotel : +250 € per personne in double room (single room supplement : + 125 €)

Luxe Package : 4 nights at Markree castle and 3 in a 4* hotel : + 755 € per personne in double room (Single supplement : + 210 €)

RATE INCLUDING

RATE NOT INCLUDING

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact us !

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

LENGTH

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

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
The meeting place is arranged directly to Sligo, where you have to get to by your own means : public transport, flights, rental car, if you arrive near Dublin.

We can arrange private transfers for you if necessary from Dublin airport (100 euros per person to pay directly).

Formalities
Check with your local embassy according to your nationality.

Vaccines-Health
No specific vaccination, we recommend you to be up to date concerning your usual vaccinations, in particular for the tetanus vaccine.
Remember that a repatriation travel insurrance is compulsory.

REFERENCE :CH171-ireland-sligo-en