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Ireland - Wildlife of Wexford in Spring
Tour Code: IRL05A varied 5-day holiday exploring the best of County Wexford in south-eastern Ireland.
£1,095 (Inc ferry)
£975
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Summary
The county of Wexford is located in the far south-eastern corner of Ireland and is home to an abundance of wildlife year-round. On this new tour, we will explore a range of habitats from open lakes and sand dunes to beaches, coastal lagoons and rugged cliffs, encountering a wonderful range of wildlife as we go, while also enjoying some historical sites too. We will be based for four nights at the excellent Glendine House, a Georgian property in the small village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsula, close to the River Barrow. Each evening, we will eat at a local restaurant in the village.
The tour begins, however, at Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire, Wales, from where we take the 4-hour ferry crossing to Rosslare in Ireland. The ferry cruises close to Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm and we can expect to see plenty of Manx Shearwaters, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins as we travel. Cetaceans may include Common and Bottlenose Dolphins and perhaps Harbour Porpoise. Over the next three days, we will enjoy a range of sites around Arthurstown. At Lady’s Island Lake, a huge sedimentary lagoon, we can expect close views of Sandwich, Common, Arctic and even Roseate Terns, one of the rarest breeding seabirds in Europe. All are present in good numbers, while Mediterranean Gull, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Shelduck also breed, and Little Tern is possible too. A day trip to Great Saltee Island – a short 20-minute boat trip away – offers large seabird colonies including Puffins and a ‘walk-in’ Gannetry! Chough are often seen here and the island is both an important site for Grey Seals and holds an interesting suite of plants. We will also visit Tacumshin, one of Ireland’s premier birdwatching sites, where we can expect a wide range of wetland species and the chance of something rare! Other sites along the south Wexford coast include Hook Head, a lowlying headland with a lighthouse in a dramatic setting, and Ballyteige Burrows, a protected dune system, holding an array of dune flora and a variety of insects (including Dark Green Fritillary), while the 12th-century Tintern Abbey is close by for a visit and river walk. After a most varied few days, we will board the ferry back to Pembroke Dock in Wales where the tour concludes and from where we make our way home.
- Explore dramatic headlands and the varied habitats of south-eastern Ireland.
- Seabirds including Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Gannets. Chough possible.
- Breeding Roseate, Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns.
- Cetaceans may include Common and Bottlenose Dolphins.
- Day trip to the seabird colonies of Great Saltee Island, including Puffins.
- Based at a lovely Georgian property in the small village of Arthurstown.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Ferries
- Accommodation:
We shall be based at the excellent Glendine House, a Georgian property in the small village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsula, close to the River Barrow. All rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
Breakfast and dinner are included; lunches are not. Depending on our daily plans, we may stop to pick up sandwiches and other lunch items, or we may call into a café or pub. This will be kept flexibile.
Dates & Prices
2026
Tour Leader: Andy Smith
Andy lives on the edge of Dartmoor in South Devon. He’s been a keen birder and naturalist for as long as he can remember and has enjoyed a varied career divided between conservation work in Britain and Ireland, school teaching and wildlife tour leading. He started leading for Naturetrek way back in 1997 and has now led over 150 tours to a wide range of destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Antarctica. When not currently leading tours Andy teaches geography and history to teenagers and in his spare time he explores the natural history of Dartmoor and the South Hams and serves on the records committee of Devon Birds. He also makes regular trips to the west of Ireland to visit his children and grandchildren.
2027
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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