Walking off Christmas in Killarney

Walking In Ireland with Explore Ireland Tours

Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park

Christmas in Ireland, like in many countries, is a time to enjoy cozy nights by blazing fires, dining on traditional Christmas foods such as turkey & ham, Christmas pudding, cake and mince pies. However, there are some who enjoy more active pursuits over the Christmas holidays. The Killarney Walking Festival is just one of the activities that take place around this time of the year and is renowned for having ‘the craic’ whilst getting rid of the Christmas bulge.

The Killarney post-Christmas walk on 27th December is the perfect antidote to Christmas excess and a great way to experience Kerry’s rugged landscape. This fully guided walk takes in some of Ireland’s oldest oak woods, overlooking beautiful Lough Leane, Inisfallen Island, Ross Castle and Killarney town, from the slopes of the Tomies Mountain in Co Kerry.

This relatively easy hill walk takes about three hours and covers approximately 11kilometres through one of the few remaining native oak woods in Ireland. A visit to O’Sullivan’s Cascade and a chance to see the White Tail Sea Eagle makes this an ideal walk for the Christmas holidays.

Why not explore Killarney for yourself and join us on our Biking & Hiking Ireland, Tour. A 5-day activity holiday that will take you from Killarney to Dublin via the Scenic South Ireland Coast.

You will meet friendly locals and see the ‘Real Ireland’ as you discover captivating landscapes of this ancient land by foot and bike.  An action packed experience awaits you. See www.exploreirelandtours.com for more details.

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Walking In The Path Of Our Ancestors

Explore Ireland Tours

Winter Solstice at Newgrange, Ireland

For those of us who hate the long dark nights of winter, you might be curious to know that in Ireland we celebrate the longest of them all – the Winter Solstice!

In Ireland, there’s no better place to celebrate this ancient festival than at the 5,000 year old Newgrange Passage Tomb at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brú Na Boinne (Palace of the Boyne).  At dawn, on the shortest day of the year, people will gather in celebration of the solar New Year at this most mysterious, majestic and awe-inspiring monument.

Civilisations have come and gone leaving iconic landmarks from the Mayan and Aztec Temples of South America to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, but all of these were built long after the ancient necropolis of passage tombs in Ireland’s Boyne Valley.

On winter’s shortest day, the sun will rise over the nearby hills and beam its golden light in perfect alignment along the 5,000 year old ancient passage way to the ceremonial chamber deep within the tomb. This occurrence lasts only 17-minutes before the light retracts, plunging the tomb back into darkness until the dawning of the next winter solstice.

This festival marks the turning point of the astronomical year where in modern times, as it was in Irelands ancient past; it’s a time to celebrate the end of shortening days of winter and the beginning of the long summer nights to come!

But Brú Na Boinne is an extraordinary place to visit at any time of the year.  More than a thousand years older than Stonehenge, the vast necropolis boasts the three principle monuments of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth amongst a collection of some 40 smaller tombs. One of the most extraordinary sites in Ireland with arguably the finest collection of stone-age art in Western Europe, it’s not to be missed on any holiday to Ireland.

If you would like to experience Brú na Boinne on one of our cultural adventure tours from Dublin then visit our Explore Ireland Tours website www.exploreirelandtours.com or call us on + 353 (0)91 553388

 

 

 

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Discover Ireland in 2011 – There’s No Better Time!

Take a look at what all the ‘big boys’ are saying about Ireland…

  • National Geographic voted Irelands walks as ‘best in the world’.
  • Frommers Guide 2011 votes Ireland their ‘favourite holiday destination in the world’
  • Dublin awarded title of ‘UNESCO City of Literature’ – fourth ever in the world!
  • Ireland Tops the Lonely Planet’s list of the ‘world’s friendliest countries’.
  • Guide de Routard said ‘Irish dining experiences is as good if not better than anywhere in the world’.
  • With an unrivalled pub culture and traditional music like no other, our bars have been voted best in the world by Lonely Planet.

Check it out for yourself…

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Ireland’s ‘Top 10′ Walking and Biking Trails

 

National Geographic voted Irelands walks as ‘best in the world’ in 2011. With ancient sites older than the pyramids, the highest sea cliffs in Europe and some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world – it’s easy to see why.

Walking and cycling through stunning Irish landscapes is an option every day on an Explore Ireland Tour where we offer a choice of easy to moderate tracks and trails to accommodate all levels. With gentle rambles along golden beaches and through native woodlands to the more exhilarating hikes or bike rides through desolate valleys and out along rugged Atlantic Peninsula’s – there’s no pressure to participate, just gentle encouragement to enjoy

We bring our own bikes with us, so all walking and cycling costs are included in your tour price, and you can decide for yourself each day whether you’d like to stroll, peddle, or maybe even take a well-earned rest to enjoy the scenery from the back of the bus. See our main webiste www.exploreirelandtours.com for our full range of tours for 2012.

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Rock Your Senses on an Explore Ireland Tour

 

Rock Your Senses on an Explore Ireland Tour

We’ll get you out into the stunning landscapes to experience Ireland the active way, where you’ll discover it’s amazing history and culture, whilst engaging with it’s friendly local people.

At Explore, we’re not just about sightseeing in Ireland, but experiencing the beauty of Ireland with all the senses! We will “Rock Your Senses” on our tours as we take you off the beaten tourism track to discover and experience more!

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Top 10 Reasons To Visit Ireland In 2011

Ireland holds many a wonder in its small land. To those who visit for the first time, it is awash with new experiences and surprises. To those who are returning, it is both welcoming and memorable.

Here are some of the best reasons to visit Ireland:

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Bailey’s Irish Cheesecake Recipe

I have some very fond memories of Sunday Treats as a child (it was the only day of the week we were allowed a bit of sugar!) After our big Sunday lunch we’d always get dessert – my favorite was Mammy’s homemade Cheesecake.

Today I’ve adapted Mammy’s recipe to add my very own little bit of Irish magic for that wow factor – a generous splash of creamy Irish Baileys.

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