One of the best ways to explore Ireland is by bike. In this article, I suggest a beautiful circular route in Connemara (County Galway) from Clifden to Roundstone and back.

 

Clifden to Roundstone Loop Bike Ride (Connemara, Galway, Ireland)

 

The slow pace of cycling is perfectly suited to the Green Island. It allows you to be more receptive to the sensory stimuli this land has to offer. If you see a beautiful cottage on the moors, or a scenic stretch of coastline (and there are some spectacular ones around here), simply park your bike at the side of the road to contemplate the view or take a photo. And so on, minute by minute; you're in direct contact with the surrounding nature, not in a car...

From Clifden, an hour's drive from Galway, in Connemara, you can enjoy several bike rides. In addition to riding the famous Sky Road, or taking a loop to Claggan, you can pedal to Roundstone, a charming village southeast of Clifden. That's what we did.

 

 

 

 

We rented bikes from Clifden Bike Hire (which we highly recommend) in the town center and began the circular tour clockwise, heading towards Roundstone (see our route above).

We recommend following this direction, as it quickly reaches Bog Road (Bog means marsh), which is much less busy with cars than the R341 road that connects Roundstone to Clifden, passing through Ballyconneelly (though it should be noted that drivers generally respect cyclists, here).

But Bog Road is also a road that lets you immerse in a picturesque landscape, made up of modest hills and dotted with lakes and ponds, with the Twelve Bens marking the horizon to the northeast.

As a young man, I dreamed and planned to cycle all around Ireland. I never realized that dream, but on this occasion, I got a taste of the experience I could have.

 

 

 

Technically, the tour does not present any particular difficulties. Modest climbs and descents follow one another, always keeping you at an altitude of a few dozen meters above sea level. After about two hours and about twenty kilometers, you reach the charming village of Roundstone, with its beautiful row of colorful houses overlooking the sea, some interesting refreshment points, and a small marina. We sat on a bench on the main street overlooking the bay and enjoyed the amazing sandwiches and cakes we bought that morning from Sullivan's Grocer in Oughterard, which we highly recommend.

After Roundstone, the coast is truly pleasant (we were even lucky, as we had beautiful, sunny weather, and even warm temperatures: 24-26 degrees Celsius). There are several beaches that are ideal for a lovely day at the beach. Dog's Bay and Gurteens Bay are the largest and most famous. But we were also impressed by Coral Bay, further along the R341.

With another 20 km and just over two hours to go, from Roundstone you'll return to Clifden, which you reach with one final uphill ride.

You've earned a nice refreshing drink. And around here, that means only one thing: a pint of Guinness!

Happy riding. Fabio

Below, a short slide gallery of the tour