Touring Ireland: Coastal Explorer Cork to Connemara from £895pp for 10nts

Imagine the West of Ireland, and you think of pretty coastal villages, dramatic seas, brightly-painted shops and bars and a warm welcome. That’s just what you’ll find on this leisurely self-drive tour, featuring hand-picked accommodation in delightful guest houses and a superb coastal hotel in County Clare.

"Thank you for planning & arranging a memorable holiday. We had a great time!" Arista, South Africa

Day One - Kinsale

Your first destination in this tailor made Irish touring holiday is the colourful village of Kinsale, less than an hour from Cork. Now firmly established as one of Ireland's premier destinations for foodies, you’ll find a host of restaurants covering all styles and preferences, but with local seafood particularly worth sampling.

Your hotel in Kinsale

This unique, personally run, bed and breakfast is in the heart of Kinsale, yet with its peaceful garden and gated entrance, it offers a true haven away from the bustle of the village. All rooms are very tastefully decorated, with a focus on natural textures and colours, with dark wood floors, white walls and beautiful art-work giving an immediate sense of sophistication. However, this is perfectly balanced with the warm reception that you will receive from your hosts, who will willingly offer the most-up-to-date advice to help you book the best of the local eateries.

Day Two - Things to see & do in Kinsale

Time to explore the cobbled streets and quirky shops of this historic, and very colourful village, or take a trip along the coast, where you will find plenty of beaches and welcoming villages. Perhaps head into the nearby city of Cork and visit the world-famous English Market.

Day Three - to Baltimore

Your second base, less than two hours further south, is the seaside village of Baltimore, with its bustling natural harbour a haven for yachts and ferries to local islands. This is where the Irish themselves like to holiday, but they don’t mind sharing the secret! Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild is still one of the greatest thrills in nature, and it is perfectly possible on a boat trip in the company of an expert marine biologist from here – add an extra night and we will pre-book the whale & dolphin watching trip for you (see pricing details below).

Your hotel in Baltimore

Just on the outskirts of the village, this traditional inn features a bar area crammed with memorabilia of years gone by, leading into a bright and airy restaurant. Sup on sumptuously-fresh seafood as you gaze out to the boats bobbing on the water, or chat over a Murphy’s with the locals. Rooms are extremely spacious, and neatly decorated with splashes of cheery colours. A feeling of being beside the seaside pervades the place, and the welcome is every bit as friendly as you’d expect.

Day Four - things to see & do in West Cork

Time to explore on your own, perhaps heading further west to the village of Schull, with its colourful craft shops, drive to Mizen Head, visit the imposing Bantry House and estate, or enjoy one the numerous coastal walks in the Baltimore area.

Day Five - to Kerry

Your journey now takes you northwest, with options to explore one or more of the fingers of land at the south of Ireland, including the Bere peninsula, before reaching the famous Ring of Kerry, and your next base.

Your hotel in Kerry

This family run small guesthouse has an enviable waterside location, just off the Ring of Kerry near the village of Sneem. You will enjoy a hearty Irish breakfast with plenty of home-made breads and jams, and there is even a small bar, which serves light meals, but you are not far from several good restaurants for the evenings.

Day Six - things to see and do in Kerry

Many will take this chance to drive the famous Ring of Kerry, the 120 mile circular drive and one of the country's most popular tourist trails. Although busy, there are plenty of options to avoid most of the crowds and still enjoy the open views of the mountains, coast and islands of the area. Weather-permitting, the boat trip to view the dramatic island monastery at Skellig Michael is highly recommended and there are also plenty of walking trails around.

Day Seven - to Clare

Turning north you cross the Shannon by ferry and reach County Clare, where the true influence of the Atlantic Ocean begins to be felt.  Your next rather special hotel is right on the coast.

Your Hotel in Clare

Just a stone’s throw from the shingle beach and the Atlantic Ocean, this majestic tower house effortlessly combines contemporary with classic. Where else can you stay in such splendour, yet be encouraged to help yourself to a beer from the fridge in the country-style kitchen? Time it right and you’ll glimpse chef and his team in full flow preparing superb dishes for dinner. Relax and enjoy these later in the elegant restaurant, with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting over the sea. The staff will share the history of the house with you – how it was saved from rack and ruin by a local man, who used to play in the grounds as a child. The upkeep of this architecturally-intriguing building presents constant challenges - by staying here, you will play your part in contributing to its long-term preservation.

Day Eight - Exploring Clare

You are within a short drive of the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, stretching  5 miles along the coast, at a height of over 200 meters above sea level, with often breathtaking views, or head inland to explore the mystical landscape of The Burren, almost 100 square miles of limestone pavement, rich with ancient history, cave systems and unique flora. You could also take a boat trip to visit the famous Aran Islands.

Day Nine- to County Galway

For the final leg of your tour, pass Galway City and head to the west and the mountains, loughs and coastline of Connemara, where you will once again stay right by the sea, just beyond the traditional village of Clifden.

Connemara - one of the last true wild areas of Ireland - is a broad peninsula to the west of Galway city and is bounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean. Its name derives from "Conmhaicne Mara" (meaning: descendants of Con Mhac, of the sea). With dramatic coastlines, high mountains, sandy beaches, great walking and cycling, not to mention colourful villages such as Clifden and Roundstone, with lively bars, lots of live music and great food, you will not be short of diversions.

Your Hotel in County Galway

Gems don’t come much more hidden than this one. As you head through Clifden and out onto a single track road, the wild countryside and panoramic sea views open up in front of you. Arriving at your destination, the building looks quite simple, but on entering you will feel the cares of the world slip away. Wooden floors, natural fabrics, hand-made furniture and many sea-side trinkets give this guest house an exceptional atmosphere. Best of all are the breathtaking views out to the sea, islands and peninsulas from the many picture windows. Clodagh is an infectiously enthusiastic hostess, and will point you in the right direction for walks to empty, secret coves, as well as preparing excellent breakfasts and dinners from fresh, local produce. Whether it is sunny or stormy during your visit, you might find it hard to leave this little haven

Day Ten- things to see and do in Connemara

A full day to relax and take in the scenery of this, one of our favourite parts of Ireland. As your tailor made Irish holiday nears its end, it might also be a good time to treat yourself to a lasting memory: you’ll find tweed jackets and traditional knits, hand-crafted jewellery and special works by local artists in the shops and galleries in and around Clifden.

Day Eleven - Return Home

Subject to availability this route could work equally well in reverse.

Prices & Dates for this tailor made Irish holiday

This self-drive holiday is available from April to end October 2012.

The price is £895 per person for  April & October, £965 per person for May to September, for 10 nights on a bed & breakfast basis.

Why not add a half day whale-watching boat trip and extra night in Baltimore for £95 per person.

Travel to Ireland

We would be delighted to book your travel to Ireland for this holiday.

The most convenient ferry routes are the overnight Swansea to Cork service or the Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare day time services.

There are direct flight connections to Cork from many UK airports including London airports, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Luton, Southampton and Edinburgh. You could also easily base this holiday on return flights to Dublin.

All our self-drive holidays include a map of Ireland with recommended routes from your specified starting point, suggestions on places to see and visit depending on your personal interests and our expertise to help you get the most from your holiday.

All Ireland itineraries and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.

The McKinlay Kidd Guarantee

All our holiday prices include a service charge of £8 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday.

We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.

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