Ardmourne House Cycling and Walking Road On Top of the Mountains Donegal Castle - Garden St. Patrick´s Purgatory, Lough Derg Biking Donegal Cabin Cruiser at Lough Erne Lough Erne Strabane and the River Mourne Donegal Bay Newtownsteward Golf Club Donegal Murgave Golf Club Golf Course by the Sea	Day 1: On arrival in Ireland guests are met by a Five Counties Holidays representative and driven to Ardmourne House where they are welcomed by their hosts, Helena and Joe McElhill. This quiet family residente is located 6m (10km) west of Castlederg in Co. 'Iyrone and is surrounded by green rolling countryside, close to some of the largest forests in Ireland. Day 2: After a leisurely, substantial Irish breakfast guests are provided with their 15 Speed bicycles with saddle bags and packed lunches which include Sandwiches, fruit and soft drink. "The Smugglers Trail" cycling route follows an old trail used by smugglers in days long gone which includes the Killeter Forest with its huge old needle trees. You will pass by the ruins of the former homestead of the Caledon Family overlooking a pretty lake full of water lilies. Coming out of the forest you'll be crossing an open area in the Lagheybar Mountains from where you have an impressive view over Donegal Bay and the Donegal Mountains. From here the trail goes downhill most of the time and ends at the outskirts of Donegal Town with many traditional pubs and colourful shops. The world-famous Donegal Tweed i s manufactured here. From Donegal Town the cycling trail goes towards the Northem banks of the idyllic Lough Eske at the foot of the Blue Stack Mountain Range. This picturesque lake is surrounded by hills on three sides and this sheltered location allows rich woodland to grow on its Western shores. The route along the old, unused railway line leads to the popular Biddy O'Bames Pub which delights guests with its "olde worlde" chaim. From here the trail goes North until the Ardmourne House sign indicates the turn-off from the main road. The scenery changes again as the trail leads through the vast boglands of the Moume Valley which brings the cyclists back to Ardmourne House . . Day 3: After the substantial ft111 Irish Breakfast guests are provided with their packed lunches and set off to walk the "The Pilgrims Way Trail". It starts off with a gentle walk past Lough Derg Church, worshipping place of pilgrims, and continues into the Slievedoo Forest, the vast Killeter Forest and Mullfamore from' where guests have a breathtaking view of the Donegal Mountains. . Killeter Forest is a young forest, planted in 1959. It features Conifer and Broadleaf trees and is home to red deer and a wide variety of birds. A holy weh and the remains of the Caledon Family hunting lodge are also found here. The village of Killeter lies at the heart of the Derg and the Mourne River valleys. To the west is the fertile valley of Speerholme 1 which affords views of the Derg River. To the east lies Crilly's Hill with its Iron Age fort. Just beyond these hills is a fine example of a Neolithic chambered grave, Aghnahoo Dolmen. Day 4: Today guests will have the opportunity to discover one o f Ireland's magnificent waterways on board a cabin cruiser. After the sumptuous Irish Breakfast in Ardmoume House guests are leaving for the Manor House Marina in Killadeas at the Lower Lough Erne. Due to the absence of any commercial traffit the Eme Waterway is a true paradise for leisure cruising. After detailed instructions by the experienced Manor House Marina Crew it is time to explore this great waterway and observe swans, herons and birds enjoying their natura1 habitat. From time to time you may even see another boat on, this vast expanse of water! Day 5: After a leisurely Irish Breakfast the day will be spent sightseeing and shopping. First stop is the town of Strabane on the banks of the River Mourne. The history of this town dates back to 1613. Regular markets and fairs were held at the time which continued to take place through the centuries up to the 1940's. Strabane has strong connections to the USA: two signatories of the Declaration of Independence came from this area and the Central Bank of Alabama was founded by an emigrant from Strabane. A visit to the Gray Printers Museum is both interesting and entertaining. John Dunlap who leamt his trade here emigrated to the U.S. and founded the first daily newspaper in America, the "Pennsylvania Packet" . Next stop is "The Old Mill Shop" in Castlederg in the old Spamount Woollen Mills which supply garments to such famous stores as Liberty 's and Selfridge's in London. At mid-day guests arrive in Donegal Town with its colourful traditional pubs, restaurants and shops specialising in the world-famous, locally manufactured Donegal Tweed. After a relaxing pub lunch it is time .to explore the small shops and also visit Magee's, the tweed manufacturer whose name is famous all over the world. Day6: After the full Irish Breakfast it is time for another enjoyable activity - golf. Guests are transferred to Newtownstewart Golf Club, an 18-hole undulating parkland course. As on almost all Irish courses everybody is welcome -beginners as well as advanced golfers. Guests who did not bring their own golf Clubs may hire them for the day at a small fee. Light Snacks are available at the Club House for lunch. Day 7: After an enjoyable breakfast. it's time to experience another 18-hole golf course -Donegal Golf Club in Murvagh near Donegal Town. The setting i s very different from Newtownstewart. Donegal is a magnificent links course on a rugged sandy Peninsula, screened by a wall of dense woodlands. Again, Clubs are available for hire for guests who did not bring their own equipment and Snacks are available at the Club House. Day 8: After a leisurely Irish breakfast transfer to the airport for departure .
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