Best of the Saint Patrick's Way
5 Days & 4 Nights 5 Read 2 reviews- Walk the best of the Saint Patrick’s Way in Northern Ireland, a pilgrimage trail
- The Mourne Mountains, a filming location for Game of Thrones
- Tollymore Forest, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Landscapes that influenced C.S. Lewis when he invented fictional Narnia
- Slieve Donard Mountain and its hermit cave associated with Saint Patrick
Tour Style:
Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent tour.
Activity:
Pilgrim Trail | You will follow a historic pilgrimage trail, in the footsteps of generations of travelers
This trip is suitable for:
Multi-Generational, Groups > 10
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Spiritual Journeys
- Personal Growth
- Historical Journeys
- Coastal & Island
- National Parks & Trails
Activity Level & Terrain
As this itinerary has you walking in the Mourne Mountains and can be undulating and with elevation gains and losses, this tour is rated moderate overall. This itinerary is suitable for regular walkers but you will need to be physically fit. The terrain consists of mainly quiet tarmac country roads (on Day 2) , woodland paths and trails through open moorland and through mountains (on Days 3 and 4), which, although not very high, can be exposed to the elements. During rainy weather some of the trails can be very muddy, boggy and waterlogged, so be prepared to get your boots wet and wear very good quality walking and waterproof boots. Wearing gaiters is also a good option.
Navigation
This route is way-marked but at times you will also need to use your detailed route notes and the GPS tracks that will be provided for you via the Macs Adventure smartphone App. As some of these areas are quite remote it is advisable that you are a regular walker in this kind of environment.
Accommodations
The accommodation on this tour is comfortable B&B’s and a hotel. All offer a warm welcome to walkers and traditional Irish hospitality with delicious full Irish breakfasts. It must be noted that as there is no appropriate accommodation in the Mourne Mountains, we will provide transfers to and from the walks on Day 3 and 4 and you will stay a second night in Rostrevor. We regularly use the properties below but may accommodate you elsewhere if these are not available.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
We will be happy to accommodate your party with single rooms if requested, and a single supplement applies. This trip is also available to solo walkers, and a supplement is again payable (as some costs are not shared). Please note that singles may not be of the same standard as twins/doubles.
Meals
A hearty breakfast is included each morning, which usually includes choices of cereals, toast and yoghurts. A full cooked Irish breakfast is also provided. Lunch and dinner are not included, so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively you can buy lunch at local shops or stop in a café. Your route notes will have more specific information on whether you will need to take a packed lunch on a walk or whether there is a café, shop, etc en route.
You can buy dinner in all the towns you stay in as there are plenty of choices of local restaurants and pubs.
- 4 Nights in B&B's & guest houses
- 4 Breakfasts
- Luggage Transfers
- Day 3 Transfer from the end of the walk
- Day 4 Transfer to beginning of walk
- A detailed information pack, route notes and maps
- Access to the GPX tracks via the Macs Smartphone App
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office
- Travel to Newry
- Travel from Newcastle
- Lunches & dinners
- Snacks & drinks
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Equipment
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Extra nights before, after or during your walk
When To Go
This walking tour is available to book between April and October. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans and you will find availability on our website.
Getting to the Start
The closest airport is Belfast City Airport. From here you can take a bus or a train to Belfast City Centre and then a bus or a train to Newry. The total journey takes just over 2H. You can also fly into Belfast International Airport. However, this airport is further away and it will take you 3H by bus to Newry with 2 changes, or you can take a train via Belfast City Centre which takes almost 4 hours.
It is also possible to fly into Dublin Airport as the journey by bus is only 1H15 and there is a regular service.
To find out more information about buses and trains please visit Bus Eireann, or Translink.
Getting from the End
Just as when you arrived, the best airports to fly into are Belfast City, Belfast International or Dublin. From Newcastle you can take buses to Belfast City Centre and onto either airport from there. The journey in total to the airport takes about 1H30, depending on the transfer times in Belfast.
You can also take a bus to Dublin Airport and fly out of the there. The journey takes 2H45.
Please refer to the travel links above for more information on timetables and routes.
Luggage Transfer
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
General Information
The distances and descents / ascents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necesssary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/ cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
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