Tour Reviews

A great tour – many thanks. We are already recommending it to friends.

Brent and I have done bike tours for the past 7 years, all over Europe, and this was the most enjoyable one we’ve done so far. The people, countryside, weather and your Garmin mapping was amazing ! We will be back next year (or maybe this Autumn) for another tour and will be recommending you to all our bike friends!!

Perfect organisation, spectacular routes and great selection of B&B’s. I enjoyed my cycling trip very much and would do it all over again!!.

I would recommend Ireland by Bike to ANYONE. If you are not an avid cyclist, get the electric bike. It does take some getting used to but it was a lifesaver on the hills for me. This route thru Donegal County was the perfect length and difficulty for us, and we did do every extra route that was provided. I would encourage everyone to do all the extra routes if you are able.

Un’esperienza meravigliosa. Nonostante abbia fatto questo viaggio in solitaria, non mi sono mai sentita sola poiché ho incontrato così tante persone amichevoli – e anche animali! – lungo tutto il percorso e anche perché sapevo che voi, Nóra e Seamus, eravate sempre pronti ad assistermi. La pedalata è stata a tratti faticosa ma mi ha dato l’incredibile opportunità di visitare posti remoti e incantevoli con il mio ritmo. Ultimo ma non meno importante, avere avuto qualcuno che trasportasse la mia pesante valigia è stato impagabile!”

An amazing experience. Despite having done it solo, I never felt alone both because I met so many friendly people (and animals too!) all along the way, and because I knew that you Nora and Seamus were always there to support me. The ride was at times hard but that has given me the incredible opportunity to visit mesmerising spots and remote areas at my own pace. Last but not least, having you carry my heavy suitcase was priceless!

“We would go again in a heartbeat and will continue to tell our friends. Donegal was stunning and the hospitality incredible. Why go anywhere else?”

“If you like to ride a bike and want to see a beautiful country, take this tour. It was my favourite vacation that I have ever taken. I highly recommend it!”

“I really enjoyed the combination of landscape, scenery, sports and travelling. I will absolutely recommend it to anyone who is interested in this kind of holiday. And I’m also quite sure, it won’t be the last one for me. Thanks again!”

 “Back Roads and Beyond” was our first self-guided bike tour in another country. We were doing it to celebrate a 65th birthday! Nora and Seamus organized and supported us with every rotation of our pedal, choosing excellent routes to ride and comfortable warm B&B’s to end each day. Having the luggage transferred and our B&B chosen ahead of time was so great. We could not have done this on our own. Their knowledge of the country was invaluable in every way. They were open, honest, knowledgeable and approachable.
There can be no other way to see Ireland! The Irish people were open, friendly and very welcoming. They are not jaded toward tourists but rather helpful and encouraging. We often got the side-ways nod as we cycled, the nod that says, “Not my cup ‘o tea but good for you!” Thank you Nora & Seamus!

Nora and Seamus, you did an excellent job! De manier waarop jullie zorg droegen voor ons en alles wat we maar nodig hadden gedurende de fietsreis, was voortreffelijk! We vroegen ons wel eens af of het allemaal niet te veel was voor jullie, al die zorg. We hoopten met het boeken bij Ireland by Bike op een zorgeloze vakantie, zonder geode en geregel; en dat is precies wat we hebben gekregen. Of het nu de keuze van B&B’s ,de fietsroutes of de routeboekjes waren, aan alles was te merken dat jullie deze vakanties met veel liefde en overgave organiseren. We zullen jullie zeker aanbevelen aan onze vrienden!

(“Nora and Seamus, you did an excellent job! The way you took care of us and of all the things we needed, was remarkable. Sometimes we worried if it wasn’t too much for you to handle. We hoped to have a carefree holliday, without any hassle, and that is what we got. In every aspect it was noticeable that you organize these holidays with a lot of love and care. We would surely recommend you to our friends!”)

Art and I had a most wonderful adventure on our recent (April 1-8) “Highlights of the Highlands” holiday in Ireland. From stunning scenery to quiet roads and a variety of climbing challenges, from lovely B&B’s and gracious hosts/hostesses to charming villages, from dependable bikes to near-perfect cue sheets and maps, Seamus Gallagher, owner of Ireland by Bike, has planned an experience we will remember for years to come. We were lucky that the weather was ideal (cool and dry, mostly—of course, good clothing and rain gear helped) and that we arrived in the middle of lambing season—sweet singles and twins were thriving all along the Wild Atlantic Way!

We have recommended this tour to all of our cycling friends—anyone who chooses this tour will not be disappointed!”

“We are back home in Canada and wanted to let you know that our family cycling tour as planned and supported by Ireland by Bike was exceptional.

The hybrid bikes, detailed route planning with maps and GPS, and the B&B style accommodations all exceeded expectations – this part of Ireland is so beautiful and the small towns we biked through or stayed in each had their own wonderful expression of Irish history and Celtic culture.

Thanks for the memories.”

We wanted to go on a bike trip in late May 2015, but couldn’t decide where to go – France, Italy, or Spain – maybe Ireland.  We knew that the weather would most likely be great in the first 3 countries and would most likely be bad in Ireland.  So why choose Ireland?

In a nutshell:

Wow! The scenery is stunning, beautiful, incomparable – especially the sea cliffs.
Seamus is an amazing host.  Words do not do justice.
The weather was challenging (rain, hail, wind, but also sun).
The people of Ireland are gracious, welcoming, and they take care of you – you have to experience it to believe it!

My wife and I were on the 11-day Cycling and Walking Tour in late May 2015.  Compared to other bike trips in France and Italy it was both easier (terrain) and harder (weather).  We were in Donegal during an unusually cold and wet May, or so we were told.  And yes, you do hear “no one comes to Ireland for the weather” an awful lot.

But regardless of the weather (or maybe because of it), people were exceptionally friendly and welcoming — almost beyond reason.  At two different B&Bs when we came in from the elements wet and cold, we were immediately taken care of by wonderful innkeepers (Rosaleen in Glenties and Geraldine in Glencolmcille).  And I mean taken care of: we were placed near a peat fire, had our wet clothes dried, and provided with scones and hot tea.  Afterwards, all was well in the world.

Donegal is a very special place. It is a generally quiet place, visually spectacular, a little browner in some parts than expected (from the peat), and the Glenveagh highlands were reminiscent of the Alaskan tundra (a surprise to us).  In Donegal town, we heard traditional Irish music in a pub (not the touristy rendition that is heard in many places) and even had great Indian curry.

Biking along the coast from Killybegs to Glencolmcille or Glencolmcille to the Maghera Beach Caves near Ardara — were among the most memorable days of our lives.   But it was the hiking at Slieve League and the sea cliffs near Glencolmcille that were our favorite parts of the whole trip.

But I’m saving the best for last – and this is Seamus.  You’ve probably already read that he is amazing, is a wonderful man, takes care of you, and all that.  And he is all this and more.  But, the impression that I am left with is this: Seamus is a truly caring man who really wanted us to have the best possible vacation.   And he made it happen.  For example, during a break in an otherwise rainy forecast, Seamus offered to break with the schedule, drive back down to Donegal Town to pick us, drive us the opposite direction to Glencolmcille (a lot of driving on his part), and then dropped us off at the trail head for what became for us, one of all time great hiking experiences. The views were breathtaking and this was only made possible because of his generosity (and knowledge of the area).

So, if all this talk of rain scares you a little – don’t be turned off by it.  We were in Ireland during a bad patch – even for the Irish.  And, in spite of it (or because of it), we experienced one of the best adventures that we have ever had.

“Our trip was a memory making experience of a lifetime.  It was the first time I’ve used a service instead of travelling independently.  The guidebook, route selection, high quality of accommodations and wonderful service was the REAL benefit of using Ireland by Bike.  I’m now trying to talk a friend into joining me for the Yeats Country and Lakelands Tour.”

“Due to our time with you we’ve proceeded to recommend the tour to our friends who might be interested. This is, for us, the highest form of praise.  We felt well supported, which was of course important knowing you were never far off. Your knowledge with the landscape was perfect.  It felt like a personalized experience, yet we had plenty of leeway to explore whatever we wanted.  Also appreciated your understanding of us, the aging foreign biker people, and your sense of humor throughout.  And your choice of places to stay was terrific as well.  You guys totally rocked this thing.  Thank you, and the best of success to you in the future.  Best wishes, Steve and Jenny…”

“We thank you for a wonderful trip with my family. You provided a very well put together service with wonderful accommodation selections and excellent response times to any issues we requested assistance with. I will not hesitate to recommend you to friends. Thank you again Seamus and Nora for everything.”

“Kathy and I just want to let you know how fondly we remember our bike trip with you in County Donegal. You were both terrific and gracious hosts. The B&B people were most warm and helpful. The rain, the wind and the hills all added to the experience.  We had a blast. County Donegal was everything we had hoped it would be.”

“The service, friendliness and availability of the owners far surpassed the other European self guided bike tours we have taken.”

“A fantastic summer getaway.” I would definitely recommend Ireland by Bike to friends as a first choice because of the Sat nav, the friendly owners, the professionalism of the guidebook, and the quality of the cycles. Thanks!”

“It was an excellent tour from the start to finish. We were very well taken care of which was greatly shown by the pick-up at the station in Sligo, the time Seamus took to explain the tour and the equipment. There was great flexibility and support by Seamus to adjust the tour to personal and weather conditions as well as our planned itinerary.”

“I think Ireland by Bike gives us an excellent experience to explore Donegal.  Otherwise we would not be able to see so many beautiful and quiet places.  The idea behind Ireland by Bike is very good.”

“It was a great tour and a wonderful experience. I did it alone, and I can recommend it!”

“We were a little surprised by the terrain the first couple of days.  Enjoyed all the sites and just really took our time each day so that we could take it all in.  Thank you for a wonderful experience that we will never forget.”

“Without a doubt the best biking trip we have ever been on. Seamus created a tailored bike trip for us that was superb.  Great scenery up around Sligo, Donegal, Blacklion, Belcoo. How he found those back roads for us to use was amazing. Safe biking, B&B’s were perfect and luggage waiting each day at B&B.  We will return to Ireland and definitely use Irelandbybike.”

August 2012 – eight of us.

“This self guided custom Northwest Ireland “Grand” tour was a year in the planning and absolutely worth every minute spent. Our contact Seamus Gallagher, owner of “IrelandbyBike.com ” was absolutely flawless in his oraganizing, helping with every minute detail and readily available should we have needed him. Countryside was strikingly beautiful, but the friendly, welcoming people in this more rugged, sparsely populated and less travelled part of Ireland was what really made the trip. We would certainly recommend to anyone.”