We have taken more than 15 bike tours over the years all over Europe with a number of different active travel companies, and all of them have been wonderful experiences, but this Connemara trip was exceptional.
We found Fresh Eire Adventures when the Connemara tour with another company was fully booked, and we were a bit leery about signing up with a small, Irish company we had never heard of. But after talking about the trip with Padraic by phone, we felt more confident and we are so glad we took that small leap of faith.
Here's a few of the things that made the tour with Fresh Eire Adventures a cut above the rest...
First of all, the beauty of the Connemara is indescribable and the routes chosen by Fresh Eire Adventures were just breathtaking. We biked along a small coastal roads, sharing the roads mainly with sheep.
Secondly, the level of support and guiding provided by Padraic during the tour was awesome. The support van was always available. Padraic was a wealth of historic and cultural information, delivered at the appropriate times throughout each day. And I think Padraic knows half the people in Ireland personally, and so when he found out we were interested in dogs, he arranged for us to visit a master sheepdog trainer; when he heard my knee was acting up, he arranged for a physical therapist to come to our hotel that evening.
Finally the accommodations were first class, chosen for their beauty and charm; and likewise the food and wine were exceptional. And a bonus -- the wines (and I'm talking good wines) are included in the price of the Fresh Eire Adventures' tour unlike any of the other tour companies we've experienced.