What's up: While planning my trip to Ireland, I came across a post that described Hawk Walks as…read morebeing one of the most amazing experiences to do. So after a bit of research on the web, I decided on signing up for one at Ireland's School of Falconry.
Transit: I travelled here using the bus. I was staying in Galway City and I took the Citylink 430 to Claremorris and transferred over to the TFI Local Link 431 and got off at Cong. From there, it was a short walk (maybe 15-20 mins) to Ashford Castle. After entering the castle gates, it's another 10-15 min walk to the school. If you're arriving by car, the School instructions were to park at the castle visitor car park (near the golf course).
Environment: I emailed them months in advance to schedule my Walk. Since I wasn't staying nearby, they asked for payment ahead of time, which was done via credit card. When I arrived at Ashford Castle, I had to inform the staff at the bridge that I was there to go to the Falconry School. He directed me towards the other end of the castle and told me to follow the signs. Along the way, you'll pass by the gardens and fountains of the castle, which made for lovely views. When I arrived at the school, I rang the doorbell and was shown to the office for a short wait. The staff also offered to store my backpack behind the counter so I didn't have to carry it during the Walk. My instructor gave a quick tour of the area and informed me of the proper handling of the hawk. Then I met my feathered buddy for the hour, Andes. As we walked the grounds and surrounding forest, Andes flew along to follow us and when he was signaled, he flew down towards my gloved hand.
What was ordered:
- 1 hour Hawk Walk (I had so much fun learning about the hawks and walking around the castle grounds and forest surrounding it)
Yay/Nay/Meh: Yay! Definitely a Yay! This was such a unique experience and it was amazing to see how well trained the hawks were. Since hawks eat meat, they do warn you that some of their food will resemble animals and may be a bit meaty. Credit cards are accepted.
