2WEEK DREAM HOLIDAY IN MID JUNE-JUS GOT APPROVAL FOR MY VACATION

sam · Member

2WEEK DREAM HOLIDAY IN MID JUNE-JUS GOT APPROVAL FOR MY VACATION

Maggie117 · Guru

Hi, How exciting! I have to admit that I will be of not help, because I'm finally taking my first trip to Ireland in October, but I have to tell you that you found the right place for assistance/answers/input/insight etc!

Have fun,
Maggie

Michele Erdvig · Host

sam,

Welcome to my forum! June is coming up very fast so you will have to get your itinerary in order and think about making reservations for lodgings.

My first thought is to check on drop-off fees for your car rental since you want to rent in Dublin and drop in Belfast. Most companies have a hefty fee.

Like everyone on the forum, you want to see it all while in Ireland. While it might be possible to drive to most of the places you want during twelve days, you may not have any time for sightseeing along the way. Each sightseeing stop adds time to your trip.

I will give you one example below:

From: Killarney, County Kerry, (IE) | To: Dingle, County Kerry, (IE) via RING OF KERRYVia: Kinsale, County Kerry, (IE) |Cahersiveen, County Kerry, (IE) |Tralee, County Kerry* Starting out in Killarney you cannot possibly fit in Kinsale (Co. Cork), the Ring of Kerry, Tralee and Dingle. The ROK takes most of the day by itself. You will most likely have no time to see much of the Dingle Peninsula. I personally would skip the ROK and go from Killarney to Dingle, do Slea Head Drive and overnight in Dingle. As you see, I just cut out Kinsale, ROK and Tralee.

I suggest you start cutting out places. Choose the most important ones. Try for some two-night stays along the way where you can have a good base for day trips.

It is time to sit down with a map, your calendar and your "must see" list. Cross less important things off your list. Re-do your itinerary so that it is not a marathon driving trip around Ireland. You will have a better trip if you do. If you prefer to have a "green blur tour of Ireland"that is fine. We all have different goals and styles of travel. But at least you know what you are getting yourself into if you stick to your original plans.

I suggest reservations in Dublin, Belfast, on weekends, and in popular places like Dingle and Galway.

Let us know if we can help in any other way.

Michele

sam · Member

Hi dere, g8 thx for ur advice, allocation of no. of days for each place is really d thing i need to work on wid ur help.
Ref to ur example..... as per comments on forum ROK is a must do, hence i was thinkin abt may be stayn 2nts in dingle, coz dis is d biggest of all other routes
Where else wd u reckon me to do a 2nighter?
My impression abt ireland is something like scotland wherein journey is ur holiday, i mean u keep movn n xploring new places enroute n i intend to do d same :
Dublin - O/N dublin, njoy d city
Dublin - Cashel - O/N at cashel + visit rock of cashel + xplore d town of cashel in eve.
Cashel - Killarney - O/N at Killarney + Stop at Cobh for a couple of hrs + njoy killarney in evening
Killarney - Dingle - O/N Dingle, Njoyn d circular route n stoppn briefly at Cahirseveen
Dingle - Can spend another night - njoy d town of dingle
Dingle - Ennis - O/N at Ennis, visit cliffs of moher, roam ard ennis in the eve
Ennis - Clifden - O/N clifden, + have lunch n eplore galway for couple of hrs enroute
Clifden - Maybe another night in Clifden
Clifden - Sligo - O/N Sligo, may be lough gill drive
Sligo - Derry - O/N Derry, can stop at donegal for a while, xplore derry in eve
Derry - Belfast - O/N belfast, doin giants causeway, bushmills enroute

This is wats in my mind, Im working on d idea dat each destination wd take a trvl time of 3hrs (ROK wd perhaps take 5-6hrs thus another nite at dingle) + addin another 3hrs for sightseeing enroute each destiination, i'll fine by startn ard 9am n finishing ard 3pm......
Now datz wat i think...........need ur help as to if dats workable + wat r d things which im missin out at dese places (wat r d things to do for each selected route plz).
+ d challenge can i find nice B&B's at dese placesfor ard 60-70 euro's prpn n plz recommend some B&B's in or ard dese destinations.
Luk fwd to ur wise inputs
Cheers

Michele Erdvig · Host

sam,

Maybe I'm behind the times, but it is taking me much longer to read, understand and answer your inquiry because of the way you write. There is another post on the forum that is similar. Please educate me. Is that the way people do instant messaging and text messaging? Are no paragraphs common? If so I guess I will have to study up and learn a new language! weirdface

Now back to your questions.

The Ring of Kerry is not a "must see". If you are doing Dingle you may be pleased enough with that scenery which packs a lot more into a smaller space. The only "must sees" are things that you want to do.

Are you coming from Birmingham Alabama or England? Any jet-lag problems the first day?

Since you want to keep moving on your trip, that is what you should do. It is your vacation and you know how you like to travel. Ireland is a bit like Scotland. However, the little roads do take a toll on the driver as s/he must be alert at all times.

See my comments below:

Dublin - O/N dublin, njoy d city * Fine.

Dublin - Cashel - O/N at cashel + visit rock of cashel + xplore d town of cashel in eve. * Fine.

Cashel - Killarney - O/N at Killarney + Stop at Cobh for a couple of hrs + njoy killarney in evening * This exceeds your three hour driving limit. It will take maybe 4-5 hours, depending on Cork City traffic (on the main roads not the coast road).

Killarney - Dingle - O/N Dingle, Njoyn d circular route n stoppn briefly at Cahirseveen * There is much to see and do in Killarney, which you will miss by doing the ROK. I will let you decide on which is most important to you.

Dingle - Can spend another night - njoy d town of dingle * Fine.

Dingle - Ennis - O/N at Ennis, visit cliffs of moher, roam ard ennis in the eve * Are you taking the ferry across the Shannon to avoid Limerick? If so, backtracking to Ennis does not make sense to me unless you have a specific reason to do so. You would be better off in Doolin, Ballyvaughan or pushing on to Galway. This drive will take much longer than 3 hours.

Ennis - Clifden - O/N clifden, + have lunch n eplore galway for couple of hrs enroute * Fine.

Clifden - Maybe another night in Clifden * Fine.

Clifden - Sligo - O/N Sligo, may be lough gill drive * Fine.

Sligo - Derry - O/N Derry, can stop at donegal for a while, xplore derry in eve * Fine.

Derry - Belfast - O/N belfast, doin giants causeway, bushmills enroute * Fine.

You have fit in three two-night stays with this itinerary and I think that will be a better pace.

Michele

susan · Senior Member

Michele-maybe they are posting from a Blackberry

Michele Erdvig · Host

Thanks Susan. Don't they have the complete alphabet on a Blackberry?

Michele

sam · Member

Hi Susan

Hi Michele

Though I have been using a blackberry as rightly guessed by Susan but at the same time sorry for wording my posting, the way I have, would be more careful in the future.

Sorry for the Inconvenience

Sam

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sam,

No problem. I was just curious about the wording as we recently had another post that was similar. I could read it when I concentrated on it. I just took me longer to process. I guess we all get used to what is familiar to us.

Michele

sam · Member

sam · Member

Hi, I have been thinking a lot about my vacation and have made a few changes to my plans during these last few days.

For starters I'll be taking a ferry to dublin, a friend of mine have been kind enough to offer his car for my trip, fortunately he has a spare car biggrin

.
This surely would give me the flexibility with Start and End points of my trip and may look at adding or subtracting a day from any of the destination depending upon how the journey goes.....

I have also tried to add a few 2night stays, and the Itinerary looks like this now :
June 15 - Arrive Dublin ard 2pm, check inn and move around the city.
June 16 - Free at dublin
June 17 - Drive from Dublin to Killarney thru Kilkenny,Cashel O/N at KILLARNEY
June 18 - May be a day trip to Kenmare, Glengarriff O/N at KILLARNEY
June 19 - Drive from Killarney to Dingle, take the SLEA HEAD Drive or ROK O/N DINGLE
June 20 - Day free at DINGLE O/N DINGLE
June 21 - Dingle to Galway, visit Cliffs of Moher O/N GALWAY
June 22 - Free at Galway O/N GALWAY
June 23 - Galway to Clifden O/N CLIFDEN
June 24 - Drive from Clifden to Donegal, brief stay at Sligo O/N DONEGAL
June 25 - Start from Donegal and reach Belfast, visit giants causeway, bushmills on way O/N BELFAST
June 26 - Ferry to Scotland - O/N Blackpool
June 27 - Blackpool - London

Have the following Q's
1. Is this Itinerary workable - would highly appreciate your valuable suggestions.
2. Are these destinations ok or would you suggest some changes.
3. Any suggestions for June15/16/20/22 (free days at various places)
4. Any suggestions for Things to Do or MUST DO's during the journey.
5. Is ferry reservations really neccessary (as am not too sure abt return dates)
6. What are my options of ferry crossings, to Dublin and from Belfast
7. Shd i book B&B's (what is the general cancellation policy) or should i book as i travel.
8. Please suggest accomodations in or around selected destinations, I have a budget of around 35-40 euros per person

Thanks for all your help thus far and look forward to same smile

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sam,

Your itinerary is shaping up. Thanks for typing with the whole alphabet. wink

See answers below in blue.

1. Is this Itinerary workable - would highly appreciate your valuable suggestions. * It is with a few tweaks.

2. Are these destinations ok or would you suggest some changes. * I think most are fine. Clifden if pretty close to Galway. Why switch where you are staying when you can do Connemara as a day trip from Galway? I would take the day from Clifden and add it to Northern Ireland. The Antrim Coast is very spectacular and you are speeding through it. On June 17 you have a long drive. Suggest you skip Kilkenny and go via Cashel and Cahir.

3. Any suggestions for June15/16/20/22 (free days at various places) * For Dublin: www.visitdublin.com ; Dingle: Slea Head Drive and the various sites along the way;

4. Any suggestions for Things to Do or MUST DO's during the journey. * I think you pretty much have it covered. Cahir Castle on June 17. You can pop into the tourist office in the towns you are visiting and pick up free brochures and advice about the local area. Sometimes by spending half an hour doing that you can find some wonderful and offbeat places to visit.

5. Is ferry reservations really neccessary (as am not too sure abt return dates) * Make your reservations as soon as you know.

6. What are my options of ferry crossings, to Dublin and from Belfast * Take a look at my "Transport" page.

7. Shd i book B&B's (what is the general cancellation policy) or should i book as i travel. * You should always book Dublin, Belfast, Galway and weekends (Fri & Sat). Each individual B&B has their own cancellation policy. You can book as you go however you must decide if you want to spend time (perhaps hours) looking for a place to stay. The tourist offices will find you a B&B for a small fee if you are stuck.

8. Please suggest accomodations in or around selected destinations, I have a budget of around 35-40 euros per person * See my "Lodgings" page.

Michele

sam · Member

Hi, Thanks a lot for all your precious advice, hopefully will give a proper shape to my trip and bookings by this weekend.

Would skip a night at clifden, but please advise if I should do clifden as a day trip on June'22 (wouldn't that interfere with my exploring galway city/can the city part be done in the evening) or should I do Clifden on June'23 enroute to Donegal (wd that make galway-donegal journey too long.)
confused

Secondly, Please suggest where should I swap the day from Clifden, which town of Antrim would you suggest, or should I go for 2nights in Belfast.

Moreover thanks for suggesting all those links......VERY VERY USEFUL smile

Sam

sam · Member

Hi Again

Im having second thoughts about spending 2 nts abt dingle, wasn't able to find much to do about this place, other than the scenic drive..... please suggest.

Secondly, suggest where could I swap the night from clifden

Sam

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sam,

What do you want to see in Galway City? You can certainly walk through downtown, do some shopping, etc. in a couple of hours -- if that. You could do it in the evening when the place is jumping and the pubs are too. However, not all shops are open in the evening.

If you feel you do not need a whole day to walk around Galway, you could see Connemara with no need to stay in Clifden. You must decide what is important to you. There are always trade-offs when planning any trip. Unless you have 6 months you will not see everything, and perhaps not even then.

You can do Dingle and Slea Head Drive in one day. But it is such a scenic area that most people want to slow down there and absorb the beauty and ambiance. If you just want a quick look it is doable in a day. Links to Dingle:

http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/

http://www.dodingle.com/pages/visitor_attractions.html

http://www.greatblasketisland.com/

http://www.dodingle.com/pages/things_to_do_in_dingle.html

Michele

CowboyCraic · Guru

There is enough to do on the Dingle peninsula and Dingle town itself to keep a person occupied for more than two days. There is the scenic drive, the Sciuird archelogical tour, a visit to Blasket Islands, Dunbeg Promontory, Celtic History and Prehistoric Museum, and a myriad of other ways to spend your time.

That being said, a lot of the magic of Dingle is in not being too busy every minute of your time there. In that way, you experience more of the local flavor. A chance conversation with a local store owner, a pub chat which leads you to a lively trad session or directions to some out of the way place to which a guide book might never lead you.

As to doing Clifden enroute to Donegal, it would be a full day, close to 6 hours with time for stops along the way and lunch in Clifden probably likely to hit 8 hours.

Slan Beo (Take Care),

Bit