7 Day Self-Guided Irish Peninsula Motorcycle Tour in Ireland

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival

• Complimentary pick-up from Dublin Airport (DUB)
• Check in at Trim Castle Hotel (4-star)
• Early check in when available for international arrivals
• Check out your bike and riding gear
• Kick back and enjoy the facilities of the hotel or explore Trim Castle – the largest *Norman castle in Ireland, located opposite the hotel!

Day 2 - Hidden Heartlands

Today’s ride takes you through the Hidden Heartlands of Ireland as you ride southwest to Killarney. Take on a less traveled route west of Lough Derg in East County Clare, before a lunch stop in the quaint town of Killaloe, situated on the River Shannon. Next, you follow the Shannon Estuary westwards to Foynes which is a fabulous biking road. Then, enjoy a final leg south to the beautiful scenic view of Killarney Town.

Day 3 - Dingle Peninsula

The Dingle Peninsula offers a great way to start exploring the 3 peninsulas. The riding is not technical and gives you a nice way to get accustomed to your bike and surroundings. This tour takes you west along the Dingle Peninsula, heading towards the Atlantic Ocean. First, you skirt the lakes of Killarney to the north, before heading out into open countryside. Your day can look like this:

• Inch Beach - stop here to fill your lungs with the fresh air blowing in off the Atlantic
• Pass through Dingle town where you can stop here now, or later in the afternoon you will be coming back this way
• From there, you take the Slea Head Drive
• If you are looking for somewhere unusual for lunch, you are recommended The Stonehouse Restaurant
• Keep an eye out for Clochans, or Bee Hive Huts
• Slea Head - drink in one of the wildest, most spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean
• After Ballyferriter village, if you are interested in unusual architecture or ancient Irish history, stop off at Gallarus Oratory
• Take the Conor Pass
• Caherconree Pass - this is your first taste of Ireland’s back roads
• Back to Killarney

Day 4 - Ring of Kerry

Your route starts out on the famous Ring of Kerry, which is a “must do” on every visitors' list while in the South West of Ireland. You ride the ring in a clockwise direction so that you ride with the sea on your left and in the opposite direction of the coaches – it’s the perfect way to see the Ring of Kerry! Within minutes of leaving LemonRock, you will be riding in spectacular scenery, and Ladies View will be a must stop.

Next, you will ride along the famous Molls Gap – also renowned by car rally drivers as a spectacular section and equally exciting on a motorcycle! Riding with Kenmare Bay on your left, you’ll pass through Parknasilla and then you divert up to see Staigue Fort. Get back onto the ring for, Coomakista Pass which offers fantastic views over Kenmare Bay. The Skellig Ring scenic drive starts in Waterville and takes in the wonderful Valentia Island accessed by bridge from the picturesque Portmagee and Ballinskelligs.

For the rest of your day, you can discover:

• Valentia Island
• Cahirsiveen
• Mountain Stage
• Kells Bay
• Glenbeigh
• Killorglin

Then, from Killorglin, you have a nice run back into Killarney and overnight in The Brehon.

Day 5 - Beara Peninsula

Often regarded as the jewel in the crown of the 3 Peninsulas, it really is a magical ride! Taking the route to Kenmare, via Molls Gap and heading for Lauragh, you can stop off for a break at Teddie O’Sullivan’s or early lunch, where the local mussels are unquestionably unrivaled!

You then can choose to ride over the Healy Pass, which is a great option, especially if the weather is fine. It’s quite technical with small roads and numerous switch backs. If time is with you, it’s worth riding it in both directions as the views are stunning and different from each direction.

Ride out as far as Lamb’s Head and then back along the southern part of the Peninsula, when you are now in County Cork. Stop off in the fishing town of Castletown Bearhaven and ride towards Glengarriff. From here, you can take scenic boat rides out to Garnish Island, which is well worth a visit.

Head back to Killarney via the Caha Pass – also a wonderful riding route and time dependent via Black Valley or try the Kilgarvin route, which is a really nice riding road. You will overnight in Killarney at The Brehon.

Day 6 - Killarney to Trim

Today’s ride brings you through some of the less touristy parts of Ireland, along the western shore of the River Shannon and its lower lake, Lough Derg. First, you will ride north to Tarbert and instead of taking the ferry, head east towards Foynes – this is a lovely motorcycling road, with lovely views of the Shannon estuary.

Next, you head across the River Shannon, following a short run on the main motorway, over Killaloe Bridge. The route takes you along the western side of Lough Derg until you come to Portumna, and from there into the historical town of Birr.

The N52 road is well known among bikers and offers nice sweeping bends and views of the Irish countryside. It brings you to Kilbeggan, where you have the option of riding eastwards on the main motorway or taking the more scenic and rider friendly route from Kilbeggan to Kinnegad. From here, it’s a short 20-minute run to Trim.

Day 7 - Depart

You will be transported back to Dublin Airport (DUB) for the flight home.

Bikes available for this tour

• Suzuki DL650XT
• BMW R1250GS
• BMW R1200GS (standard height) - inquire for bike upgrade
• BMW R1200GS (factory lowered) - inquire for bike upgrade
• BMW R1200R - inquire for bike upgrade
• BMW R1200RT - inquire for bike upgrade
• BMW F750GS - inquire for bike upgrade
• BMW F700GS - inquire for bike upgrade
• Harley Davidson Street Glide - inquire for bike upgrade

Skill levels required for this tour

Intermediate:

• can ride for 3-4 hours
• average riding experience
• little assistance required
• comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• average experience with unsurfaced roads
• steep ascents and descents

Advanced:

• can ride for 5-6 hours
• extensive riding experience
• assistance on demand (if required)
• experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
• comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

Requirements

• Anyone between the ages of 25 and 72 with a full and valid motorcycle license held for a minimum of 2 years (having ridden at least 5,000 kilometers in the past 24 months.), which has been issued in any of the countries listed above. If your country is not listed, you may complete the above form to do so.
• Riders over 72 may be eligible, however, they require pre-clearance from LemonRock Bike Tours' insurers.
• Other license holders may be eligible, so please contact LemonRock Bike Tours before booking.
• If you wish to carry a pillion / passenger, you must be between 30 and 72 years of age.

This tour will take you to the Irish Peninsula. Here are some of the places you may visit:

Inch Beach

This beach is almost always windy, and is subject to Atlantic swell, which makes for great surf, so maybe you’ll be able to watch some surfers or kitesurfers pit themselves against the elements. There is a bar / café on the beach, if you want to stay a while. The Dingle Peninsula has dozens of beaches, but this is arguably the biggest and most dramatic.

Dingle

This is a pretty, colourful town with a range of souvenir and craft shops. If you want to experience local wildlife, there are regular boat trips (duration one hour) out into the harbour where you are guaranteed to meet Fungi, a tame dolphin who enjoys putting on aerobatic displays for the boats and has been on show for over 25 years.

Here, you can also get a taste of Murphy’s Ice Cream, an artisan ice cream maker located near the sea front who pride themselves on local, seasonal, and unusual flavours. Dingle is also home to the Crean’s Brewery Visitor Centre, and the Dingle Distillery where whiskey and gin are made. Both offer tours, and a taster to take away with you for the end of the day.

Slea Head Drive

This ride brings you out in a loop around the tip of the Dingle Peninsula to look west out over the Atlantic and to visit some of Ireland’s most famous ancient monuments. This view is what inspired St. Brendan the Navigator to set sail in the 5th century, when he went all the way to the New World. This is a world class driving route, as you hug the cliffs all the way around, with dramatic Atlantic views to your left and Kerry’s beautiful glaciated mountains to your right.

Depending on the weather, you might be tempted to stop and soak up the rays on one of the local beaches, or on a wilder day you might be splashed with sea spray as you enjoy the twists and turns around the clifftop headland. These views featured in a famous movie from the 1970s, Ryan’s Daughter, and more recently Far and Away with Tom Cruise. You will be overlooking the Blasket Islands, home to some of Ireland’s most famous writers, and can visit a nearby visitor centre to find out more about their famous memoirs that documented the unique way of life on these isolated islands on the fringes of Europe in the 18th and 19th Century.

The Stonehouse Restaurant

This is one of the most unique restaurants in the world, serving excellent bistro style food in a genuine Irish ‘Stone House’ constructed in stone, in the time honoured tradition of the area. The Stone House Restaurant is right beside one of Ireland’s most famous prehistoric sites, Dún Beag Fort, which dates from the late Bronze Age (about 800BC) – you could take a look before getting back on the road.

Clochans (or Bee Hive Huts)

These are a very unusual dwelling, made entirely of dry stone with no mortar of any kind. This building technique was used here for milennia, with the oldest examples dating back to 3,000 BC. These huts can be seen from the road in Fahan, on the Slea Head Drive. They were part of a collection of about 400 that once covered the hillside. It is thought that they date from the 12th Century and were private dwellings, linked together with passageways. They are very similar to the Beehive Huts on the Skellig Islands, off the Ring of Kerry, which were part of an ancient monastic settlement.

Gallarus Oratory

This is an ancient chapel built using dry stone walling (no mortar of any kind). It looks like an upturned boat, and nobody knows exactly how old it is. A unique spot.

Conor Pass

This is Ireland’s highest mountain pass. This narrow, twisty road links Dingle town to the sandy shores of the north side of the peninsula, and it will take your breath away.

Caherconree Pass

This is part of Ireland’s back roads, where you leave the traffic behind and return through the mountains heading south towardst the green vale. You climb very close to the Caherconree Fort, an ancient stone fort, well worth a look if you are interested in ancient monuments. It is mentioned in some of Ireland’s oldest literature, as the site of a great battle, said to have been fought here in the 7th century.

Valentia Island

The Valentia Island Tetrapod Footprints are the most extensive of the four Devonian trackways in the world. Riding down the island, you’ll reach Knightstown where you can take a short ferry ride to Reenard Point back onto the mainland – with options for excellent lunch breaks in either town.

Killorglin

Home to the famous annual Puck Fair. Puck Fair, (‘poc’ being the Irish for a male goat) is one of Ireland’s oldest fairs. The “Queen of Puck”, traditionally a young school girl from one of the local primary schools, crowns the goat “King Puck“. It takes place each August 10th. The goat is released unharmed!

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The tour includes daily Irish breakfast and 1 evening dinner at the Brehon restaurant, Danu. You will also enjoy a welcome drink on the evening of your arrival.

• GPS satellite navigation with pre-programmed routes carefully planned by LemonRock
• EU approved helmet (4 and 5-star Sharp ratings) for rider and pillion
• Bluetooth intercom
• Comprehensive motorcycle insurance once you meet the insurer’s requirements, subject to excess
• Full orientation to make sure you feel comfortable riding the bike prior to your tour
• Unlimited mileage
• Breakdown cover and puncture repair kit
• Begin your tour with the bike fully fueled, to be returned with a full tank
• 6 nights accommodation
• Airport transfers from Dublin Airport (DUB)
• Irish breakfast every morning
• 1 evening dinner at the Brehon restaurant, Danu
• Access to a personal app / virtual roadbook which you can download to your smartphone
• Souvenir printed roadbook
• Enjoy a welcome drink on the evening of your arrival
• LemonRock merchandise (buff and earplugs)
• Complimentary luggage storage at LemonRock premises

• Bike upgrade
• Riding gear
• Reduced collision damage waiver for 25 EUR per day
• Pre-authorised credit card 1000 EUR
• Damage maximum liability 1000 EUR
• Theft maximum liability 1500 EUR
• Stay and dine in an Irish Castle for 1 night (175 EUR per person)
• Add an extra night(s) to your tour (price depends on accommodation)
• Travel insurance (recommended)
• Fuel
• Ferries (other than stated)
• Tolls
• Parking
• Fines
• Admission fees
• Gratuities
• Anything else that is not mentioned in “what’s included”

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.