Natural and cultural discoveries in Celtic lands

PONANT invites you on an all-new 9-day cruise aboard Le Bellot for an exceptional immersion in Celtic lands, from Dublin to County Cork, via Wales and Northern Ireland.

From Dublin, the capital of Ireland boasting a convivial atmosphere and authentic charm, your ship will sail to the medieval town of Youghal. From the port, you can easily get to the historical Raleigh Quarter, home to St Mary's Collegiate Church and the Clock Gate Tower. Walking along the old ramparts, which are among the best preserved in Ireland, you will be able to admire the views over the bay. An exploration of River Blackwater will reveal splendid country houses, including that of the Jameson sisters, direct descendents of John Jameson whose name is synonymous with Irish Whiskey.

You will then reach Ballycotton, a small and sheltered fishing port, renowned for its black lighthouse sitting on a rocky islet. You will be able to go all the way around the island in a zodiac dinghy. During a walk along the cliffs, you will perhaps be lucky enough to glimpse peregrine falcons, seals or dolphins. A short distance from there lies Fota House, a large 19th-century mansion home to a large collection of paintings, an arboretum and superbly restored gardens. 

Then, Le Bellot will reach the charming port of Kinsale, lying at the mouth of the Bandon estuary. With its narrow streets of colourful façades, its cafés, pubs, galleries and boutiques, Kinsale is one of Ireland’s most popular towns and enjoys a reputation as the country’s gastronomic capital.

In Baltimore, you will sail to the port in a tender among the legendary Carbery's Hundred Isles, thus named in the poem, The Sack of Baltimore, by Irish writer Thomas Davis, evoking the worst pirate raid to ever take place in Europe, during summer 1631. You will land on Sherkin Island, populated with artists in summer. Along the narrow streets edged with fuchsias, small cottages and workshops seem to welcome visitors.

Your ship will head for the shores of Wales and you will sail around the island of Skomer in a zodiac dinghy. This national nature reserve surrounded by spectacular cliffs is one of the country’s most beautiful sites. An ornithological paradise, it is teeming with many species, for example, Manx shearwaters, razorbills, gannets and fulmars. The waters surrounding the island are some of the British Isles’ richest in terms of fauna and flora. At the end of the summer, you can observe seals, dolphins and porpoises as well as the strange sunfish.

Le Bellot will then make a port of call at Fishguard, a small and peaceful coastal town nestling in the hollow of two hills, an ideal starting point for exploring the Welsh countryside.

Finally, you will head for Warrenpoint, a seaside resort in Northern Ireland set in an exceptional natural environment, which promises beautiful walks in the Silent Valley Mountain Park, before arriving in Dublin, where your cruise will come to an end.