Tour Overview

‘Excellent’

Start your knitting tour of Ireland in the historic city of Dublin where you will have the opportunity to see Trinity College Library and the famous Book of Kells before visiting the Constant Knitter, a local yarn store to meet a craftsperson for a short demonstration on their craft topic and informal chat.  On your second day in Dublin you will meet Lisa from ‘This is Knit’ for a knitting class on the Moebius Knitting method.  A highlight of your tour may well be the trip to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands where we will experience traditional knitting and crafts with Una McDonagh. Continue to County Mayo where you we will visit the Museum of Country Life, an informative museum which displays the way of life of rural Irish people from 1850 with a strong focus on traditional crafts and trade. In Donegal, we visit Donegal Yarns and Studio Donegal, a hand-weaving and clothing manufacturing business, the stunning Slieve League Cliffs, Glencolmcille Folk Village along with enjoying a workshop with Irish designer Edel MacBride. The following day discover Ireland’s famous Causeway Coast, visiting the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle. See Belfast City and explore the famous Titanic Belfast museum and Mourne Alpacas. Before you return to Dublin for your final overnight, enjoy a spinning and tapestry workshop with Aine Dunne and pay a visit to the Irish Linen Museum for a guided tour.

What's included

  • Transfers on arrival and departure by private coach (for arrivals prior to 10.30am on tour start date and departures on tour end date)
  • Sightseeing as per itinerary in a luxury coach with an experienced driver and accredited guide
  • Accommodation in rooms with private facilities for 10 nights
  • Irish breakfast daily
  • 5 hotel table d’hote dinners
  • 5 lunches
  • 1 farewell meal in Dublin
  • Entrance to the following attractions: Titanic Belfast, Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Slieve League Cliffs, Dún Aonghasa, Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery, Guinness Storehouse, Trinity Library and the Book of Kells
  • Return ferry to Inis Mór, Aran Islands
  • Inis Mór Guided Tour
  • Museum of Country Life

Workshops/Knitting Activities Included in This Tour

  • Spinning & tapestry workshop with Aine Dunne
  • Knitting workshop with Edel MacBride from Knitfield
  • Aran Island workshop with Una McDonogh
  • Knitting workshop with Ciara Ní Reachtnín
  • Knitting workshop with Lisa Sisk from This is Knit
  • Mourne Alpaca farm visit
  • Studio Donegal weaving demonstration
  • Meeting with local designer at the Constant Knitter
  • Important Note: Attractions, Workshops and Demonstrations May Change According to Availability and Scheduling 

Tour highlights

  • Aran Islands
  • Belfast
  • Dublin
  • Giants Causeway
  • Guinness Storehouse
  • Trinity College & Book of Kells
  • Museum of Country Life
  • The Titanic Museum
  • Glencolumbcille Folk Village
  • Slieve League

Overnights for this tour

  • Camden Court Hotel or similar, Dublin, 2 Nights
  • Aran Islands Hotel, Inis Mor, 2 Nights 
  • Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo, 1 Night
  • Mill Park, Donegal, 2 Nights  
  • Grand Central Hotel (or similar), Belfast, 2 Nights
  • Camden Court Hotel (or similar), Dublin, 1 Night

Accommodation options

  • Optional pre-night packages available should you wish to spend a night or two extra in Dublin before the tour starts. Please see pricing section for details.

Day 1 - Saturday: Arrival in Donegal

The group meets up with the guide at 6.30pm in the bar of The Abbey Hotel in the centre of Donegal Town (ph 074-9721014). This is our meeting point only and not where we will be staying. If you are unexpectedly delayed please call the hotel and leave a message for the guide as to when you expect to arrive. After an introductory talk, an evening meal is organised in the hotel bar while your luggage is being transferred to our central guesthouse accommodation in Donegal that night. There is a chance later on this evening to meet again in a local pub to hear some music.

Day 2 - Sunday: Donegal to Glencolumbcille 38 ml/61.5 km

After being fitted out with your bike you then begin the tour with a cycle out of Donegal town towards the wonderful coastline where we continue to our lunch stop in village of Carrick. After lunch we cycle up to a viewing point of the spectacular Slieve League Cliffs one of the highest marine based cliffs in Europe. In the afternoon we head to our night stop in the village of Glencolumcille passing freshly cut peat drying in the surrounding bogs.

Day 3 - Monday: Glencolumcille to Dungloe 37.5 ml /60 km

Today we head up into wild highland country along quiet back roads with a wonderful open landscape. There follows a wonderful descent down the dramatic Glengesh Valley to the beautiful Maghera beach. The beach is well worth stopping at for a walk across its wonderful white sands to explore the caves of Maghera. You can also go for a swim in the lagoon here and pretend you are in the Caribbean(!) before heading to the village of Ardara for a pub lunch. In the afternoon we continue along a quiet bog road before heading to the coastal town of Dungloe where again we stay in local guesthouses.

Day 4 - Tuesday: Dungloe to Dunfanaghy 39.5 ml/63 km

We continue through a rolling landscape through quiet sleepy villages and can visit Leo's pub where Enya and Clannad first sang. Later we cycle toward the spectacular Mount Errigal and stop for lunch at the base of this mountain. In the afternoon we cycle up to take in a view of the Poison Glen and then descend through an empty mountainscape towards Dunfanaghy. You also have the option of visiting Glenveagh National Park in the afternoon.

Day 5 - Wednesday: Rest Day in Dunfanaghy

The hotel overlooks Portnablagh Beach and dunes where you can swim, swing a golf club or saddle-up for a gallop down along the beach.

Day 6 - Dunfanaghy to Ramelton / Rathmullan

The morning’s cycle takes you through isolated highland country roads with a worthwhile detour to Doe Castle. We stop for lunch in Downings on the Rosguill Peninsula. A roller coaster ride around the coast affords spectacular views of white sandy beaches as we wend our way down to our evenings accommodation in the town of Ramelton.

Day 7 - Circular Tour of Area - Donegal

Today we cycle the beautiful and remote Fanad Pennisula stopping for lunch in Port Salon. We continue along the shores of Lough Swilly through Rathmullan from where the last Earls of Ireland fled to Europe in 1607, thus ending the old Irish Order. The final leg of the cycle brings us to Rathmelton where we will then transfer you back to Donegal town for a farewell night on the town together before heading home the following morning.

Route map

 

Tour attractions

Tour Prices

Non-Knitter Partners & Friend

Do you have a partner or friend that doesn't knit? They are welcome to come along, ask our sales representatives about our non-knitter discount!

10 NIGHT ARAN ISLANDS, DONEGAL & CAUSEWAY COAST KNITTING TOUR

Accommodation Type 4th May 2024 24th August 2024 - Sold Out 5th October 2024 - Sold Out 10th May 2025 4th October 2025
Per Person Sharing €4,390 €4,390      
Price per person sharing          

Notes

Pre Tour Arrangements (Optional/Additional): 

Package A

  • 2 x Pre-Nights at Camden Court (or similar)
  • Arrival Transfer
  • 2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Ticket
  • Per person sharing one room - €375
  • Supplement if single room is required - €125

Package B

  • 1 x Pre-Night at Camden Court (or similar)
  • Arrival Transfer
  • 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Ticket
  • Per person sharing one room - €233
  • Supplement if single room is required - €68

Prices in other currencies are indicative only. Please note that we charge in Euro.

Detailed Enquiry Form

Please enter your vacation requirements in the form below. If your enquiry requires a more immediate response, please use the Tollfree & International numbers as listed down the page.

For customers based in North America, please note that as we are based in Ireland, we are 5 hours ahead of EST.

Detailed enquiry form

Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address

Party details

Preferred Accommodation

Accommodation Types (you can select more than one option)


Leave this field empty

Let us show you the magic of Ireland

See what people say about the vacations we plan

Call us here in Ireland to discuss your plans

contact agent
contact agent
contact agent

Let us help you create that dream Irish vacation that you will remember forever.

uk
0800 041 8833

UK FreeFone

usa and canada
1877 298 7205

USA & Canada

Australia
1800 823 578

Australia

International
+353 69 77686

International

  • Member of