Horse Riding Holidays - Trail Riding Holidays

THE CONNEMARA COAST TRAIL

Horse Riding Holidays - Trail Riding Holidays -
Ireland on Horseback - Riding on the beach -
The Coast Trail (Connemara) - Itenary by Day

The Connemara Coast Trail began almost 30 years ago to compliment the Connemara Trail
The trail rides through the most wild and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer.
Riding is available from May to October.
Riders are in the saddle for four to six hours per day. Lunch is eaten on the trail.

Coast Trail - Itenary by Day

Monday

The riders meet at the Meyrick Hotel (formerly the Great Southern Hotel), Eyre Square, in the heart of Galway at 10am. Here you are introduced to your guide and the back up team who are on hand to move luggage, bring the picnic and help with the horses.

The ride begins with a drive to Willie's Mountain, Shanndonnell, in Connemara. Your first sight of the horse or pony that will be your companion for the week is grazing in the spectacular scenery of Connemara, above a beautiful lake, close to the ruins of an old farmstead. The horses and ponies are assigned to the riders, according to the rider's ability, weight, height etc. After tacking up the ride departs and heads straight into the mountains for a long ride that will finish at Carna. On the trail you will see an old poteen still where illegal whiskey was once brewed high in the mountains. The trail goes high into the mountains and bogs over rocky outcrops while in the distance the riders are treated to fantastic views of the spectacular Connemara coastline. The first mountain trail ends on a small track which leads out onto a small tarmac road. The trail then heads off onto more mountain land, wading through a vast, silent lake until emerging close to the village of Carna and then onto Willie's Beach House where the ride ends for the day.

Tuesday

This is an unforgettable day, Riding on the beaches around the peaceful island of Mweenish. Riders can gallop their horses along fantastic stretches of coastline and through the sparkling seawater. Lunch is eaten in the grounds of an old cottage, situated on rocks high above the sea, while the horses graze. After lunch we visit more beaches on the island, galloping along the sand. Later we return to the beach house where there is an opportunity to swim with your horse. This is an unforgettable experience as your horse begins to swim beneath you.

Wednesday

Today, tide permitting the trail goes through the wide strip of sea that separates Finish island from the mainland. Finish island can only be reached if the tide is low enough and at some times this may not be possible. Riding on the island is a magical experience. The island was once inhabited and the ruins of the houses still remain, along with stone walls that the riders can jump. We return to the mainland for lunch before heading up into the mountains for a relaxing afternoons ride in the rocky hills above Kikerrin where the views have to be seen to be believed. The horses spend the night in a pasture close to Kilkerrin.

Thursday

The trail leaves the pasture and heads over mountain and bogland above the coastline. Riders can see small herds of Connemara ponies that graze on the mountain sides, past piles of turf stored for the winter. Lunch is eaten beside an old mill where corn was once milled for the village. After lunch the ride heads along the coastline past the awesome Gowla mountain range, which has spectacularly steep slopes. The ride ends at Derryrush where the horses are turned loose into a pasture before the riders return to their accommodation.

Friday

The horses are saddled in the morning and the trail follows the coastline for the first half of the day. Once past Screebe Lodge, a traditional hunting lodge now a luxurious hotel, the trail turns off into the mountains where lunch is eaten while the horses graze. After lunch the ride heads up into the mountains stopping for a look at a traditional farm cottage. The ride continues over the mountains, through bogs and past abandoned cottages, amidst spectacular scenery, before emerging into a forest at Shanafestin. There is then a short ride to the pasture where the horses spend the night, first fording the deep stream that borders the pasture. The riders then travel to Oughterard and to their accommodation.

Saturday

The final day of the ride. After saddling the horses the riders head into the forest at Shanaphestin where they gallop along forest tracks. This is a completely different landscape from the rest of the week. Lunch is eaten in the forest before the horses are resaddled and then the ride continues along the forest tracks before emerging above Oughterard.

The ride ends by crossing a short stretch of mountain above Oughterard before reaching the pasture where the horses are unsaddled before the riders head off for a well earned drink.

Aille Cross Equestrian Centre Connemara Trails Loughrea, Co. Galway Ireland
Tel. No.	091 841216
Fax No.	091 842363

From Europe:
Tel. No.	00353 91 841216
Fax No.	00353 91 842363

From U.S. and Canada:
Tel. No.	011 353 91 841216
Fax No.	011 353 91 842363

Aille Cross is a member of the
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