Ireland Family Biking - Backroads Printable Page

Ireland Family Biking

Finding bliss on a family vacation is easy. All it takes is getting rid of the non-essentials. No e-mail. No video games. No gadgets that begin with the letter "i." Then hightail it to a beautiful place. Like Ireland. Out here, on two wheels, it’s easy to feel connected to your surroundings - and to each other. Gaze at the clouds. Listen to birdsong. Feel the wind on your face. Visit quaint villages like Ballylickey and Gougane Barra. And share a giggle as you pronounce their names. There's an ancient fortress for all to explore, whiskey tasting for adults and sheep shearing for kids. Ease, simplicity and a family vacation that suits you to a T.

Day 1 Spin through the classic Irish landscape: green hills, small farms, quaint cottages and woolly sheep Arriving in Gougane Barra, a town surrounded by lush forest and mountains, spot the 300-year-old church set on a tiny island Villages painted in cheery colors line country roads to Ballylickey Retreat to a nearby pub for some local flavor.

Day 2 The hospitality of the acclaimed Park Hotel Kenmare Bike past streams and waterfalls in scenic Glengarriff State Forest Reserve en route to a unique sculpture garden A gradual five-mile climb leads to magnificent Caha Pass, complete with tunnels and sweeping views of Kenmare Bay Get a feel for traditional Irish life at Molly Gallivan's historic cottage and farm.

Day 3 A private whiskey tasting with expert John Moriarty for adults, while youngsters indulge in fish n' chips Pedal by pristine lakes, stately cliffs and glacier-carved mountains on the sparsely populated Beara Peninsula A lively sheep-shearing demonstration inspires kids to give it a whirl The younger set learns about "soloing" during a game of Gaelic football, giving grown-ups the chance to browse Kenmare's boutiques, discover an impressive prehistoric stone circle or simply relax at the hotel - spa time, anyone?

Day 4 Soak up fascinating history and lively village culture Gorgeous cycling routes wind through Moll's Gap and the Gap of Dunloe, a narrow pass cutting between the Purple Mountains and MacGillycuddy's Reeks.

Days 5-6 An evening with a well-known Irish storyteller Wind past ancient churches, cemeteries and working farms to beautiful Caragh Lake The incredible scenery just does not quit! Feast your eyes on spectacular ice-scraped Glencar Valley Relish the joyous energy of Killarney, full of pubs and shops Make your way to 15th-century Ross Castle by bike or horse-drawn cart for a fun and interesting tour.

Trip Highlights

Spin through the classic Irish landscape: green hills, small farms, quaint cottages and woolly sheep
A private whiskey tasting for adults
Soak up fascinating history and lively village culture
The hospitality of the acclaimed Park Hotel Kenmare
An evening of storytelling with a well-known Irish seanachie

Premiere Inns

Seaview House Hotel (1 night): Owner Kathleen O'Sullivan pampers us at her country house on the shore of Bantry Bay.

Park Hotel Kenmare (2 nights): It's just a short walk to pubs and shops from this regal Victorian estate, nestled amid magnificent parkland on Kenmare Bay. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa, tennis, golf)

Killarney Park Hotel (2 nights): A handsome family-owned hotel, promising and delivering "warmth beyond the smile," in the heart of Killarney. (pool, spa)

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1

Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
11, 25 miles
800 - 1000 feet elevation gain

Day 2

Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
16, 31, 45 miles
1100 - 2300 feet elevation gain

Day 3

Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
9, 35, 43 miles
300 - 2200 feet elevation gain
Optional Kayaking 1 hour

Day 4

Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
20, 35 miles
1400 - 2300 feet elevation gain

Day 5

Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
20, 35, 48 miles
400 - 1700 feet elevation gain

Day 6

Level 1 1 Route Option Available
10 miles
150 feet elevation gain

Please note: Due to the constantly rolling hills, the regular route options are considered moderate to challenging. Other conditions, including rain, headwinds and narrow bumpy roads, can make the riding feel tougher than the mileage might suggest. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Routes For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level	Average Time	Biking Average	Walking Average
Level 1	2-3 hours	10-20 mile	2-5 miles
Level 2	2-4 hours	21-30 miles	5-7 miles
Level 3	3-5 hours	31-40 miles	7-9 miles
Level 4	4-6 hours	41-55 miles	9-11 miles
Level 5	5-7+ hours	56-75+ miles	11-13+ miles

2012 Dates & Pricing*

FAMILY TRIPS

7/1-6 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1100 for sgl. occ.)
7/22-27 Price: $4398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1100 for sgl. occ.)
8/12-17 Price: $4398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1100 for sgl. occ.)

*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.

Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

Recommended minimum age for the trip: 9 years
Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
No Burleys or Piccolos available on this trip

General Info on Minimum Ages:

We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:

12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
6+ several longer dinners; routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children; difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions

Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.

Guest Trip Reviews

This was my best vacation ever! I can't say enough about the trip leaders who made this trip so much fun for my family.

Margaret Dlugos - Manitou Springs, CO

I know it can sound insincere to rate a trip so highly, but I simply cannot find anything to complain about on this trip. It absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way. I think Backroads is such an awesome company. This is our second Backroads trip, and I would gladly go on many more. The combination of keeping to a schedule and being flexible is perfect, and the balance of physical and cultural activity just right.

Vicki W. - Seattle, WA

I was really impressed with the planned kid activities, which exceeded our expectations. Our leaders were extremely patient with the children and created fun for them. They clearly love their jobs, people and families, and it shows.

Pam Fleischer - Sun Valley, ID