Hello
My husband and I are planning a trip to Ireland early next September. We are thinking of taking a short trip to Inishmore. We will take a ferry to the island and then take a minibus tour of the island. How strenuous is the climb to Dun Angus. We are both healthy and reasonably fit but are senior citizens. At the time of our trip I will be 76 and my husband will be almost 80. If we do not go to Dun Angus is there enough to do in the town until the minibus picks up to take us back to the boats (about 2 hours)? Thank you for any advice.
Peggy
Posted by
Midway, UT
3269 posts
You can preview the hike for yourselves by looking at the street view feature on Google Maps, which shows most of the trail from the walker's perspective in some detail.
As you'll see the walk is an easy and gradual uphill climb - shouldn't be an issue if you're reasonably fit. The other condition to be aware of is the rocky and uneven terrain, especially as you near the top of the trail and enter the fort itself. Might be an issue if balance is a concern.
Might add that the mini bus drivers can tailor your tour to you specific interests and available time, so if you do skip the fort they'll gladly extend your tour to see more of the island in order to coordinate with your ferry departure.
Posted by
RIchmond, BC,Canada
1182 posts
I was going to say exactly what Robert said. It is a gradual uphill walk through what I would call a cow or sheep pasture. It gets a little rocky and uneven in places, but I think if you go slow and careful you will be fine.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
7590 posts
Unless you're seeking delicious beef, it's Dún Aonghasa you want (not "Dun Angus").
Here's all you need to know about the conditions along the paths to Dún Aonghasa from an old post (there's also lots of details about visiting Inis Mór in general). Read this: Separate day trips to the Cliffs & Islands? In addition to the detailed descriptions and Q&A in that post, you'll also find a link to good photos showing you what it's like (see: Inishmore's Uneven Ground).
What a shame it would be to be limited to just 2 hours on that beautiful island. If there's any way you can juggle your itinerary to open up more time on Inis Mór, it's worth doing. For us, our 2-and-a-half days on Inis Mór was one of the best highlights on our trip to Ireland (which was filled with great things, so it says a lot). For example, while Galway is pleasant, I would trade any day in Galway for a day (or another day) on Inis Mór (though tastes vary, I'm sure some folks would describe Inis Mór as "boring").
The town on the island is pretty limited. One substantial shop for buying local sweaters (they're nice), a few smaller shops, one pub, not a whole lot more. It's charming, but you don't go to Inis Mór for the sites and experiences of the little town.
Hope that helps.
Posted by
Lakewood, CO
262 posts
As others have said it should not a problem if you are reasonably fit. My husband and I did it when he was 85 and I was 79. We had no problems. Enjoy your trip to Ireland.