Arrival

• Welcome to Ireland for your Southern Ireland motorcycle tour!
• Complimentary pick-up from Dublin Airport
• Check in at Trim Castle Hotel (4 star)
• Early check in when available for international arrivals
• Check out your bike and riding gear
• Kick back and enjoy the facilities of the hotel or explore Trim Castle – the largest Norman castle in Ireland, located opposite the hotel!

Day 2 – Trim to Wexford (247km)

Let’s go! Your first day’s ride takes in some of the favoured riding routes from Dublin motorcycling enthusiasts. We ride south east into Co. Wicklow, which is known as The Garden of Ireland, due to its wonderful scenery.  It equally excels as a riding destination which these passes and destinations to enjoy:-

• Sally Gap
• Wicklow Gap
• Glenmalure

We’ll then continue riding south to finish up for the evening in the sunny south east of Ireland, Wexford. 

Day 3 – Wexford to Kinsale (260km)

On today’s ride, we’ll leave Wexford and take a scenic coastal route into Co. Waterford and onto Kinsale in Co. Cork.

You will ride first to the short ferry at Passage East before a short detour down to Dunmore East, a sleepy seaside town, noted for its sea fishing fleet and also as a sailing destination. Passing Tramore, which is a large beach favored by holiday makers, before arriving in Dungarvan. Historians may enjoy a tour of Dungarvan Castle. Next on the route is a seaside town of Ardmore, which could make an ideal coffee or lunch stop, depending on your timing. Ballycotton is the next seaside village on our route.

The last leg of your tour will take you on the outskirts of Cork City down to the Gourmet Capital of Ireland, Kinsale.  

Day 4 – Kinsale to Kenmare (275km)

Today’s ride is enchanting and spectacular which we hope will leave you with indelible memories of your trip to Ireland.

Leaving Kinsale, we’ll skirt some beautiful coastal towns and villages, join the Wild Atlantic Way. You will pass through beautiful villages such as Glandore, Baltimore, Skibbereen, Crookhaven before riding the Healey Pass on Beara Peninsula – the first of the 3 Peninsulas.

Tonight you’ll stay in the pretty town of Kenmare. 

Day 5 – Kenmare to Killarney (214km)

The Ring of Kerry

Today you’ll discover your second of three peninsulas, the Ring of Kerry!

The Ring of Kerry is a “must do” on every visitors list while in the South West of Ireland. We ride the Ring in a clockwise direction so that you ride with the sea on your left and in the opposite direction of the coaches – it’s the perfect way to see the Ring of Kerry! 

Riding with Kenmare Bay on your left, you’ll pass through Parknasilla and then we divert up to see Staigue Fort. Back onto the ring for Coomakista Pass which offers fantastic views over Kenmare Bay

The Skellig Ring scenic drive starts in Waterville  and takes in the wonderful Valentia Island accessed by bridge from the picturesque Portmagee and Ballinskelligs.

Highlights

• Valentia Island – The Valentia Island Tetrapod Footprints are the most extensive of the four Devonian trackways in the world. Riding down the island you’ll reach Knightstown where you can take a short ferry ride to Reenard Point back onto the mainland – with options for excellent lunch breaks in either town.
• Cahirsiveen, Mountain Stage, Kells Bay, Glenbeigh – these are famous parts of The Ring of Kerry. You can switch off your intercoms and enjoy the spectacular views in silence!
• You will ride through Beallach Beema Pass before heading onto the famous Molls Gap – also renowned by car rally drivers as a spectacular section and equally exciting on a motorcycle!

It’s a quick ride to the 4 star hotel & spa, The Brehon. Enjoy their spa or try the Lemonrock cocktail at the bar!

Day 6 – Ride out from Killarney (200km)

Your final peninsula in the south west is The Dingle Peninsula.

This tour takes you west along the Dingle peninsula, heading towards the Atlantic Ocean. First, you skirt the lakes of Killarney to the north, before heading out into open countryside.

Inch Beach – stop here to fill your lungs with the fresh air blowing in off the Atlantic. This beach is almost always windy, and is subject to Atlantic swell, which makes for great surf, so maybe you’ll be able to watch some surfers or kitesurfers pit themselves against the elements. There is a bar/café on the beach, if you want to stay a while. The Dingle peninsula has dozens of beaches, but this is arguably the biggest and most dramatic.

Pass through Dingle town. You might like to stop here now, or later in the afternoon you will be coming back this way. It’s a pretty, colourful town with a range of souvenir and craft shops. If you want to experience local wildlife, there are regular boat trips (duration one hour) out into the harbour where you are guaranteed to meet Fungi, a tame dolphin who enjoys putting on aerobatic displays for the boats and has been on show for over 25 years.

From here we take the Slea Head Drive, which brings you out in a loop around the tip of the Dingle Peninsula to look west out over the Atlantic and to visit some of Ireland’s most famous ancient monuments. Remember this view is what inspired St. Brendan the Navigator to set sail in the 5^th century, when he went all the way to the New World. This is a world class driving route, as you hug the cliffs all the way around, with dramatic Atlantic views to your left and Kerry’s beautiful glaciated mountains to your right.

Keep an eye out for Clochans, or Bee Hive Huts: These are a very unusual dwelling, made entirely of dry stone with no mortar of any kind. This building technique was used here for milennia, with the oldest examples dating back to 3000BC. These huts can be seen from the road in Fahan, on the Slea Head Drive. They were part of a collection of about 400 that once covered the hillside. It is thought that they date from the 12^th Century and were private dwellings, linked together with passageways. They are very similar to the Beehive Huts on the Skellig Islands, off the Ring of Kerry, which were part of an ancient monastic settlement.

After Ballyferriter village, if you are interested in unusual architecture or ancient Irish history, stop off at Gallarus Oratory, an ancient chapel built using dry stone walling (no mortar of any kind). It looks like an upturned boat, and nobody knows exactly how old it is. A unique spot.

Dingle Town – maybe a good time for a coffee before you climb the Conor Pass, or a taste of Murphy’s Ice Cream, an artisan ice cream maker located near the sea front who pride themselves on local, seasonal and unusual flavours. Dingle is also home to the Crean’s Brewery Visitor Centre, and the Dingle Distillery where whiskey and gin are made. Both offer tours, and a taster to take away with you for the end of the day.

The Conor Pass – it’s time to climb Ireland’s highest mountain pass. This narrow, twisty road links Dingle town to the sandy shores of the north side of the peninsula, and it will take your breath away.

Caherconree Pass – this is your first taste of Ireland’s back roads, where you leave the traffic behind and return through the mountains heading south towardst the green vale of  You climb very close to the Caherconree Fort, an ancient stone fort, well worth a look if you are interested in ancient monuments. It is mentioned in some of Ireland’s oldest literature, as the site of a great battle, said to have been fought here in the 7^th century. 

Back to Killarney!

Day 7 – Killarney to Trim (290km)

Transported back to your Dublin airport for flight home.