Women Only - Ireland Cultural Tour

After breakfast, join Jack on our daily rider fitness class before our ride.

Today our ride takes us on a quiet country road from the farmhouse at Curra, to a local forest that can only be described as a scene from a Harry Potter movie. As we weave our way through the narrow passages through the trees, we pass through the remains of a famine village deserted in the late 1800s. Continuing to a sand track, we have an opportunity to up the pace for a while to feel the fresh Connemara breeze blowing in your hair. We will pass the remains of Moycullen Castle and learn a little bit about the local history and culture, before returning to the enchanting woods where we’ll stop for a picnic. After returning to the farm and grooming the ponies down after the long ride, you will have a chance to relax, unwind, shower and change, before we visit the home of Connemara Marble and onwards for a Tour of Aughnanure Castle. Finally, we dine out in one of our local award-winning restaurants, to enjoy gourmet dining at its very best, using the finest local ingredients and produce.

Now that your pony/rider relationship has developed, today you’ll have a chance to improve your English riding skills in the arena, under the guidance of one of our expert instructors. We’ll get to practice our dressage skills and the grand finale will be our musical group ride. You’ll get to choose the music and you’ll be amazed at how synchronized the ride will look when we play it back later on the TV! Alternatively, we truck the horses to another local forest for another forest trail with lots of winding and hilly paths; the perfect place to test your balance and the trust you and your equine partner have in each other. After lunch at St. Brigit’s Garden, you’ll enjoy a tour and some time to relax in the cleverly landscaped representation of the ‘Four Celtic Seasons of the Year’.  We will have time to stretch the limbs with Jack’s daily rider fitness class in the surrounds of the spectacular Celtic gardens.

This evening, we’ll get the BBQ going and enjoy a relaxing evening on the boat-shaped deck in our garden area, surrounded by the wonderful views of Lough Corrib.

After being spoilt by choice with the extensive “cooked to order” breakfast menu, remember to leave a little room for a delightful lunch at Ballynahinch Castle after we trail on horseback though it’s wonderful forests and trails.

After lunch, take some time to explore the magnificent surrounds of the walled garden at Ballynahinch Castle.

We take the scenic ‘Bog Road’ route back to the hotel where you can take a dip in the indoor heated swimming pool and hot tub, spoil yourself with an (optional) spa treatment at the hotel spa or treat yourself(optional) to a heated seaweed bath in the town before visiting the stores of Clifden for a great selection of crafts, clothing, souvenirs or pay a visit to the Connemara Pony Museum and drop into some of the local art galleries.