Sligo/Donegal Irish Castle Tour:

Sligo/Donegal – Discover the rugged landscape of Donegal and the romantic countryside of Yeats Sligo, while staying in an Irish castle!

This tour begins and ends in Dublin. This is an 8 day tour with 4 nights in Donegal and 3 nights in Sligo. You will be staying in the famous Markree Castle in Sligo.

In Donegal we will be staying in two different locations to give us the best variety of what it has to offer. This tour is not to be missed.

It is a special feeling to stay in an Irish Castle and on this tour you will stay in one of the most historical and amazing castles in the country. For more details on Markree Castle see its website .

Leaving this aside the walks that you will be brought on will leave you in awe in Donegal and what we can Yeats country. Donegal is the most remote county in Ireland and the most rugged. Its beauty and unspoilt scenery will not disappoint you. As we travel a little more south we come across the counties of Sligo and Leitrim where we will be walking for 3 days on beaches and fantastic hills.

Price: €895

Day 1:

Pick up Dublin City Centre at 8:00 a.m.

We will make our way up north towards Donegal town where we will be staying for 2 nights. This historical town is the capital of Donegal county and a perfect location for our walks over the next few days. When we arrive we will be doing a walking tour of the town and its castle.

That evening we will go out for dinner in the town. There is a great choice of restaurants to choose from and there is bound to be music in some of the pubs where we can go.

Day 2:

Today we go straight into the heart of Donegal and visit Glenveagh Castle and walk down a valley where we can view wild deer and boar that ramble around this National Park. You will be left breathless with this choice of walk and you are guaranteed not to be disturbed as the route we take is one of the least used in the country! The walk should take around 4 hours and is downhill for the majority so nice easy start to your holiday.

Day 3:

Today we will be visiting the world famous Slieve League cliffs and scaling the mountain that gives the cliffs their name. After yesterday's easy day, delight in a spectacular walk over some of Ireland's finest sea-cliffs. The Atlantic Ocean has carved a variety of shapes and the rocks and vegetation produce a kaleidoscope of colour. The faces are nesting-places for choughs, guillemots, puffins, etc. Distance: 10.5km/6.5miles. Ascent: 535m/1,750ft (The climb to the summits is undertaken only in favourable weather conditions).

Day 4:

Today you will be visiting the magnificent Mount Errigal, or the Mother of Donegal as they call it. The hike is only about 3 hours long and you will get views over some beautiful parts of Donegal. You will be looking down onto Lough Altan, over towards the Poisoned Glen and all the way to Dunlewy bay. After lunch you will be brought to a secret beach only Extreme Ireland uses for our guests! You will get to have a relaxing afternoon strolling around the beach in this Gaeltacht region. This is where the locals all speak Gaelic as their first language. You will by now have a few words of Gaelic so you dont need to be shy!

Day 5:

We will be saying farewill to Donegal and making our way towards Sligo. We will take a morning stroll along Rosnowlagh beach where you can wonder over the vast Donegal Bay. You will have Ben Bulben in your background and Slieve League cliffs in the distance. We use this morning to reflect over the last few days and just to take time out individually. It is a wonderful way to spend the morning and will have your hunger up for lunch! In the afternoon you will get to spend some time in Sligo town to wander around. If you would like a Seaweed bath this is the place where we will arrange it for you! We will be booking into Markree Castle tonight so get ready for a wonderful evening with amazing food and ghost stories! This castle has all the facilities needed for a top class hotel. They have stables if you wish to go horse riding and large grounds where you can stroll in the evening time.

Day 6:

Today we will make our way deep into Yeats country. William Butler Yeats was born just up the road from here and we will be visiting his grave later this afternoon. He is world famous and has a mastery of words and imagery that your guided will tell you all about. If you are truly interested in the mystical side of Ireland it is worthwhile studying some of his poetry. My famous is "The Stolen Child". The Waterboys have made a song from this poem which is fantastic. Check it out on Youtube maybe? He wrote many poems that incorporate this area; The lakes of Inisfree. He is known as the last romantic poet in Ireland and believed in the mystic or magical side of our land. Many of his poems are about unrequited love and the land. Your guide will recite some of his poetry today for you to ponder over. We will be having a nice relaxed day today around the Drumcliff region and will walk on small, quiet roads and visit Glencar Waterfall later in the day.

Day 7:

On this day we will be giving you a choice of walks. You can either walk up the famous Ben Bulben or make our way to a group of hills on the Sligo/Fermanagh border that are visited less regurlarly that the others. Both walks offer great views of the area nd will both be circular walks. Tonight we will be having music in the castle for our last night on tour so get your dancing shoes on!

Day 8:

Today unfortunately we have to make our way back to Dublin but before we go back we will be visiting a park on the way back to go for a short stroll beside a lake. Lough Key Forest Park. Lough Key has for many centuries drawn people to its spectacular views, abundant wildlife, historic buildings and evocative islands.

This beautiful landscape is steeped in a rich history, beginning with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements, continuing through the 12th Century rule of the MacDermot Clan and up to the 1600's when the Lough Key lands were granted to an English family under the Cromwellian settlement. The Kings resided at Rockingham, as their estate was known, until 1957 when a huge fire destroyed their mansion, although it was the early 1970s before the ruins were finally razed to the ground.

Now after major development the historic backdrop encompasses a landmark cluster of unique attractions serving the needs of a 21st century visitor with a new lakeside centre providing an ideal gateway for gentle leisurely activities or more energetic pursuits in the Park.

We meander our way back to Dublin where we have our hugs, tears and farewell!

Book this amazing Castle tour today!