Atlantic Trail Week Riding Holiday

TO BOOK

• Call 071 916 6156
• islandviewridingstables@gmail.com
• Complete our online Holiday Booking Form
• Or you can also use our PDF Holiday Booking Form
• View Equestrian Holiday Price List
• We will confirm availability by email.
• In order to secure your booking we require a 100 Euro deposit payment , payable by bank transfer to

  Account name: Island View Riding Stables
  Iban: IE63 AIBK 93725837180090
  Bic/Swift code: AIBKIE2D

Day 3 to 6: Long rides

You will get one of the following long rides every day. The following four rides will fall on the day that will be arranged a bit closer to the time as weather and tidal conditions will dictate the departure time. There will be either packed lunches and pub tea room lunches over the next four days.

O’Connor’s Island ride (four hours)

You will trek across the lagoon to Streedagh Beach where a fresh gallop will await the experienced riders. Three Spanish Armada ships were wrecked here at the Black Rock in 1588. You will explore the sand dunes on O’Connor’s Island, combining some brisk riding on the strand and a scenic stroll over the island with a stop-off in the pub for a pint as well as some hearty food. Seals and migratory birds can often be spotted in the estuary. Depending on tidal conditions, you will enjoy either a picnic or cafe lunch.

Dernish Island trek ride (four or five hours)

This trek is any rider’s dream, where you can discover the pristine and expansive beaches on horseback. You will feel the thrill of crossing the Atlantic channel to Dernish Island. Your horse can enjoy the salty island grass while you relax, have a snack, and explore the sites of ancient farm life on the island. Your picnic site will be at the ruined homestead of the O’Connor family on O’Connor’s Island where a group of young horses and the dry stock cattle herd roams the islands.

Mullaghmore Coastal ride (four hours)

After an exhilarating ride on Trawalua Beach, you will follow the boundary of Classiebawn Estate to Mullaghmore. This little fishing village boasts a picturesque 19th-century stone-built harbor. The ride will take you along the headland with some breathtaking views of majestic sea cliffs and the castle – a signature viewpoint of the Wild Atlantic Way. It was here that Lord Mountbatten, the great-grandson of Queen Victoria, was killed by a bomb planted on his boat by the IRA in 1979. On days with a serious swell, top surfers from all over the world come here to take on a wave of up to 50 feet. On this trail, you will take a lunch break in the pub overlooking the harbor.

Gleniff Horseshoe ride (five to six hours)

Only a few miles inland from the coast, you will ride in the barren Gleniff Horseshoe valley which is nestled beneath Benwiskin Mountain. The valley is steeped in history and legend. Set in a spectacular cliff face is Diarmuid and Grainne’s Cave, legend has it that this was the lovers’ hiding place on their flight from Fionn Mac Cumhaill. Barium Meal had been mined in the Dartry Mountains until the middle of the 20th-century. You will have your break and picnic snack at the old barites mill site before you return home along quiet country laneways. The ride will offer you breathtaking views of the 10 townlands and the Atlantic Ocean.

Day 7: Departure

You will depart from the accommodation after breakfast.