Skip to content

Leisurely Loughs & Traditions

With the spectacular River Shannon and Lough Derg providing the backdrop for much of our stay, this wonderful tour combines gentle sightseeing with a river cruise, traditional Irish food, artisan chocolates, picturesque villages and fascinating aviation history.

Book Now

Leisurely Loughs & Traditions

Ireland's Hidden Heartlands & Lakeside

Sunday 10th September 2028(7 Days | 6 Nights | Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

 

Prices & Booking

£1,209 per person - Sharing a Double or Twin Room

£1,499 per person - Single Occupancy Room

 

Secure Your Place

£100 per person deposit, The remaining balance must be paid at least 90 days before departure.

Terms & Conditions Apply

 

 

Discover the beautiful scenery, traditional flavours and warm hospitality of Ireland on this relaxing Gold Star Tours holiday.

With the spectacular River Shannon and Lough Derg providing the backdrop for much of our stay, this wonderful tour combines gentle sightseeing with a river cruise, traditional Irish food, artisan chocolates, picturesque villages and fascinating aviation history.

 

Your Hotels

Our first and sixth nights will be spent at an overnight hotel near Wexford, providing a comfortable start and finish to our Irish adventure.

For the main part of our holiday, we enjoy four nights at The Lakeside Hotel & Leisure Centre, beautifully situated on the banks of the River Shannon, with views towards Ballina and Killaloe. The 4-star hotel offers a restaurant, bar, free Wi-Fi, lift and extensive leisure facilities, including a swimming pool, steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi, cold-water plunge pool and gym.

 

Your Day-by-Day Itinerary Subject to Change

Day 1: Journey to Ireland & Wexford

Please be ready at your designated pick-up point in good time, with your pick-up details shown on your Final Confirmation Sheet.

Once everyone is comfortably onboard, we begin our journey towards Ireland, travelling by coach and ferry.

Following our ferry crossing, we continue to our overnight hotel near Wexford, where we settle in for our first night and enjoy dinner at the hotel.

 

Day 2: Wexford to The Lakeside Hotel

After breakfast, we leave our overnight hotel and continue our journey through the beautiful Irish countryside towards Killaloe.

Our destination is The Lakeside Hotel & Leisure Centre, our home for the next four nights.

The hotel enjoys a superb position on the banks of the River Shannon, making it an ideal base for our leisurely Irish adventure.

On arrival, there's time to settle in and familiarise yourself with the hotel and its surroundings before enjoying dinner.

 

Day 3: Killaloe & River Cruise

Driver's Day Off

Today is a wonderfully leisurely day, giving you plenty of opportunity to relax at the hotel and explore our scenic base of Killaloe.

A short stroll from the hotel takes us to Killaloe River Cruises, where we embark on a relaxing 1-hour circular river cruise along the picturesque River Shannon towards Lough Derg.

With onboard commentary, spectacular scenery and comfortable surroundings, we can sit back and enjoy the views as we gently cruise along the calm, sheltered waters of one of Ireland's finest waterways.

During the cruise, enjoy a warming Irish Coffee as we sail. Take in the magnificent scenery from the open deck or simply make yourself comfortable on the enclosed lower deck.

The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure.

 

Day 3 Highlights

  • 1-hour River Shannon cruise

  • Irish Coffee included

  • Onboard commentary

  • Beautiful River Shannon & Lough Derg scenery

  • Leisure time in Killaloe

 

Day 4: Scenic Lough Derg Drive, Traditional Irish Lunch & Wilde Irish Chocolates

Today we enjoy a wonderful scenic drive around Lough Derg, one of the most beautiful lakes on the River Shannon. It is also the largest and most southerly, touching the counties of Clare, Galway and Tipperary.

We hug the picturesque shoreline on our journey, travelling along country roads and through pretty villages while taking in lovely countryside and panoramic views across the lake.

 

We pause in Nenagh, County Tipperary, with its impressive 13th-century castle and distinctive cylindrical keep, before continuing to the charming village of Garrykennedy.

Here we visit Larkins, situated on the banks of the lough, where a traditional taste of Ireland awaits.

Traditional Irish Lunch

 

We'll enjoy a tasty: Beef & Guinness Casserole(served with mash and tea/coffee.

After lunch, we continue our scenic circular drive around Lough Derg, stopping to admire the beautiful villages of Portroe and Terryglass.

Wilde Irish Chocolates

To finish our day, we visit the small artisan Wilde Irish Chocolates factory, located on the banks of Lough Derg.

Here we're treated to a guided factory tour and chocolate tasting, providing a delicious end to our day exploring Ireland's Hidden Heartlands.

 

Day 4 Highlights

  • Scenic circular Lough Derg drive

  • Nenagh

  • Garrykennedy

  • Beef & Guinness casserole with mash

  • Tea/coffee

  • Portroe & Terryglass

  • Wilde Irish Chocolates

  • Guided factory tour & tasting

 

Day 5: Foynes Flying Boat Museum & Adare

After breakfast, we begin our day with a fascinating visit to the famous Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

The museum is home to the world's only replica of the legendary Boeing 314 Flying Boat, providing a fascinating insight into the golden age of transatlantic passenger flight.

Our visit includes a guided tour and Irish Coffee experience.

Irish Coffee Experience Included

After our visit, we continue to picturesque Adare, where you'll have free time to explore and discover for yourself why it is renowned as one of Ireland's prettiest villages.

Later, we return to The Lakeside Hotel, giving you another opportunity to relax and enjoy the hotel's excellent leisure facilities.

 

Day 5 Highlights

  • Foynes Flying Boat Museum

  • Guided Tour

  • Irish Coffee Experience

  • Visit to picturesque Adare

  • Free time to explore

 

Day 6 | Farewell to The Lakeside & Wexford

Following breakfast, it's time to say farewell to The Lakeside Hotel and begin the next part of our journey.

Sit back and relax as we travel towards Wexford, enjoying the Irish scenery along the way.

Later in the day, we arrive at our overnight hotel near Wexford for our sixth and final night.

After checking in, enjoy your final evening meal of the holiday and a relaxing evening at the hotel.

 

Day 7 | Homeward Bound

After breakfast, we say our goodbyes to Ireland and begin our journey home.

We travel to the ferry port for our return crossing to the UK, which is included as part of your holiday.

Once back on the mainland, our coach continues towards our local drop-off points, with suitable comfort stops along the journey where possible.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey home after a wonderful seven days in Ireland with Gold Star Tours.

 

GOLD STAR TOURS with ALBATROSS TRAVEL

Explore • Discover • Travel

Leisurely Loughs & Traditions(Sunday 10th September 2028(7 Days 6 Nights DBB

 

It is not possible to display the home pick-ups map because JavaScript is disabled in your web browser.

JavaScript Information

The map below can be used to check the price of a home pick-up. The map shows the price bands for each area we service. To check the price from your address either click your street on the map or enter your postcode or city/town and click the 'Check Price' button.

Check Price
Loading
Home Pick-up Pricing Key:
£35.00
£25.00
£16.00
£15.00
£10.00
£6.00

Below is a list of pick-up points available on this tour.

Below is a list of pick-up points available on this tour.

Loading
Name Address
Bakers Yard Bakers Coaches - Yard - Moreton in Marsh
Cotswold Business Village, GL56 0JQ
Banbury Cross Banbury Cross
By Taxi Rank & Toilets
Bicester Bicester Town Centre
Manorfields Road Bus Stops, Behind Shops.
Bloxham Garage Bloxham - The Garage
Banbury Road A361
Brackley Brackley - Market Square
Main Coach Bays
Chipping Norton Chipping Norton - Behind Sainsburys (Main Road)
Old Bus Stop, New Street (Worcester Road)
Farthinghoe Farthinghoe
Near Speed Camera
Middleton Cheney Middleton Cheney - The Library
Milcombe - New Road New Road, Milcombe
Moreton in Marsh Moreton in Marsh
Town hall (Redesdale), by Tesco Express
Oxford Pear Tree Services Woodstock Road, OX2 8LZ

Please select the number of passengers that will be travelling

From Price Book Now Call Back Telephone Favourites
10 Sep 2028 £1,209.00 Loading
Show/Hide Pricing Loading
Loading

It is not possible to display any suggested tours because JavaScript is disabled in your web browser.

Loading