Plan Your Trip
We know everyone has their own idea of what makes a memorable trip great, but to help you along, we have identified a few key things to do and see in the region – You can follow this as we have outlined, or you can do your own pick’n’mix. As long as you see the sights and have a great time – our work here is done!
Planned Itineraries are graded as:
Relaxing: Use your car to get from place to place with occasional short walks in between.
Moderately Active: Walk / Cycle or Use your car – walks included in plan
Very Active: Cycle or Drive to location then cycle / walk- challenging
Please check linked sites prior to visit to ensure full disability access.
Relaxing
Gort & Surrounding Area
IN THE MORNING
Start your day with a visit to the nearby Kiltartan Gregory Museum before driving to nearby Thoor Ballylee, to explore the home of WB Yeats.
Visit Rathbaun Farm Ardrahan and have lunch at Emma Jane’s or Bradleys in nearby Labane.
Photo Credit: Kiltartan Cross, Kiltartan Gregory Museum , Rena McAllen.
IN THE AFTERNOON
After lunch head for Kilmacduagh & explore this ancient monastic site. Visit Coole Park on the outskirts of Gort for a stroll around the Walled Garden & to see the famous Autograph Tree.
Stop at Coole Tea Rooms for a short break before heading back into Gort and following the Gort Town Trail and finish your days exploring with a gentle stroll along Gort River walk.
Photo Credit: Walled Garden Coole, Bernice Forde Carolan
Kinvara Area
IN THE MORNING
A scenic drive from Kinvara to New Quay before a stroll along the Flaggy Shore; Pop into the lovely Russell Art Gallery before you drive up to Carran. Here you can visit the Burren Perfumery and tea rooms.
Photo Credit: Burren Perfumery, Facebook
IN THE AFTERNOON
After a light lunch in Kinvara why not visit Dunguaire Castle before heading to nearby Traught Beach, for a gentle swim while enjoying watching the sun go down on Galway Bay.
Photo Credit: Dunguaire Castle, Cllr Joe Byrne
North Clare
FOR THE DAY
Drive to Carran – visit the Michael Cusack Museum & nearby Caherconnell Fort.
OR spend the entire day at the wonderful Burren Farm Experience in nearby Boston.
Drive to Lough Bunny and enjoy a picnic lunch by the lake & Boston Castle.
OR spend the entire day at the wonderful Burren Farm Experience in nearby Boston.
Photo Credit: Burren Farm Experience, Facebook
Moderately Active
Gort and Surrounding Area
IN THE MORNING
Cycle from Gort to Shanaglish; Visit the Forge, Church & nearby Ardamullivan Castle & come back via the edge of Lough Cutra to Kilbeacanty where you can visit the lovely Chevy Chase woods and maybe have lunch at McCarthy’s or come back to Gort.
Photo Credit: Chevy Chase Woods, Kilbeacanty Old & New, Facebook
IN THE AFTERNOON
Drive/ Cycle from Gort to Kilchreest – and walk one of the various Slieve Aughty looped trails.
OR
Why not book some horse-riding at the Slieve Aughty or Dartfield Centres nearby?
Photo Credit: Slieve Aughy Centre, Facebook Red Route
Kinvara Area
IN THE MORNING
While in Kinvara visit the nearby Burren Nature Sanctuary where you can enjoy a very informative and interesting walk and, on your way back to Kinvara, drive or cycle to Traught for a quick swim before lunch?
Photo Credit: Traught Beach, Kinvara, Margaret Slattery
IN THE AFTERNOON
Drive to New Quay and enjoy lunch at Linnane’s. Afterwards, take a bracing walk or cycle along the Flaggy Shore and see the Martello Tower, before heading back to Kinvara where later that night you might feel like dine like a King at the banquet in Dunguaire castle.
Photo Credit: Martello Tower, Finavarra, Bernice Forde Carolan
North Clare
IN THE MORNING
Drive to Carron and visit Burren Perfumery before heading off on a 5Km Carron Turlough Looped Walk. Have some lunch at Cassidy’s before enjoying the view as you descend via the coastal route to continue your journey.
Photo Credit: View across Galway Bay from the Burren, Bernice Forde Carolan
IN THE AFTERNOON
Drive to Ballinruan and enjoy the 10.5km Ballinruan Loop walk.
OR
if you’d prefer an alternative, why not try some water-based yoga at Lough Bunny with surfSUPyoga.ie.
Photo Credit: Water Based Yoga, Nichola Cummiskey
Active
Gort And Surrounding Areas
IN THE MORNING
Cycle the 25km Lough Cutra Loop.
OR
Book 18 holes of golf at Gort Golf Club.
Photo Credit: Lough Cutra aerial, David Murray
IN THE AFTERNOON
Cycle from Gort to Derrybrien Windfarms.
OR
Book 18 holes of golf at Gort Golf Club.
Photo Credit: Derrybrien Windfarm, Margaret Slattery
Kinvara
IN THE MORNING
Cycle through the rural areas through Ballinderreen to Kilcolgan and stop at the imposing ruins of Tyrone House before returning via Drumacoo where you can visit the Mausoleum and head back to Kinvara.
Photo Credit: Tyrone House, Bernice Forde Carolan.
IN THE AFTERNOON
Enjoy a countryside and coastal cycle from Kinvara – Doorus – Aughinish and back to Kinvara for some Paddle Boarding with Wet Mongrel in the quay.
Photo Credit: Aughinish, Bernice Forde Carolan.
North Clare
FOR THE DAY
Enjoy a cycle through the Burren from Kilnaboy to the magnificent ruins of Leamaneh Castle up the mountains to the Caherconnell Fort and back via the Burren Perfumery and back to Kilnaboy.
Start at either Kinvara or New Quay and Cycle along the Flaggy Shore & around Finnavarra Loop trail stopping at the Russell Art Gallery or Café Linnalla for a snack along the way.
Photo Credit: Leamaneh Castle, Bernice Forde Carolan
