flutterby1
Unregistered User
(8/13/03 12:15 pm)

Final Itinerary - I hope - How does this look?

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Can you please tell me if this itinerary sounds reasonable for the time I have in Ireland. I am ok if a few of the days has a lot of driving time, but I do not want every day to be too packed full of driving and activities. I am hoping this is my final itinerary.

DAY 1 - Arrvie in Shannon at 8:00 Sept 11, 2003
See Cliffs of Moher. Then head to Killarney (and if time start the Ring of Kerry). Sleep in either Killarney or however far I make it on the Ring of Kerry.

DAY 2 – Finish Ring of Kerry and either have a packed lunch or do lunch in Kenmare. From Kenmare, drive to Gougane Barra Forrest Park. Next, drive to Drombeg Stone Circle. From the stone circl, drive to Kinsale or just make it as close to Kinsale as possible.

DAY 3 – IF not already in Kinsale, then drive to Kinsale. Explore Kinsale for a little while then drive to Blarney castle. Next, Drive to Cashel and see Rock of Cashel. Stay the night in Cashel.

DAY 4 – Drive to Kilkenny. The only thing I want to see in Kilkenny is Design Center and do a little shopping (not interested in the castle). From Kilkenny, drive to Avoca and see Meeting of the Waters. Head back to see Wicklow Gap. After Wicklow Gap, head to Glendalough. Stay in Laragh (near Glendalough) overnight.

DAY 5 – Explore Glendalough. Head from Glendalough to Delgany (there is a particular church I want to visit in Delgany for personal reasons). According to a route planning website, Delgany is about a half hour away from Glendalough. From Delgany head to Enniskerry and see Powerscourt.

DAY 6 – If ran out of time on day 5, then see Powerscourt. ONLY IF TIME I will head to Trim to see Trim castle. Head back to Dublin and see Book of Kells.

DAY 7 – fly home from Dublin

DebbieK
Registered User
Posts: 59
(8/13/03 12:14 pm)

Re: Final Itinerary - I hope - How does this look?

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I have to tell you - that still sounds like an awfully loaded itinerary. Just reading it makes me want to sit down and take my pulse.

Day 1 - I really don't think you will be able to do any of the Ring of Kerry after you get to Killarney. You will be BEAT. I am guessing you won't even get to into Killarney until around 4 or even 5, and by then you will be exhausted and really tired of driving. The Ring is NOT something you should do while fighting jetlag.

Day 2. The Ring itself can take 4-5 hours (of which most of it is DRIVING ) I think you need to trim down this day to make it more realistic. Add on to the ring time, about 2 hrs to get to Kinsale and this is another long day spent in the car. Not including the Beara/ Circle items.

Day 3 - May be ok - depends on how much you want to see / explore in Kinsale. BUT - I would really think you should stay overnight in Kinsale if possible the night before.

Day 4 - better , but now you are getting into the small WINDING mountain roads. Lots of really blind curves, and no passing zones. You need a lot of patience driving in this area. It is beautiful, but I found it very tiring to drive.

Day 5 - should be fine - you will need to have a strict limit on yourself as to how long you can wander through Glendalough - otherwise your whole day will be off. Double check how late Powerscourt is open so you can plan your day.

Day 6. Good .

Day 7 - sleep on the way home- you will need it by then.


I would definitely make a list next to each day of the things that are MUSTS and those that are NICE TO DO. I have a feeling that after a day or two, the frenetic pace will start to wear you down.

I will be interested to hear from you when you get back , on what you did/ would do different/the same.
I may just be a bit more laid back than you - I HATE rushing from place to place trying to see everything. I always feel pressured and anxious, like I am missing something. I have found doing less and just turning it back a notch is a better philosphy for ME while traveling.
Now I only wish I could do the same here at home

flutterby1
Unregistered User
(8/13/03 2:02 pm)

reply

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Yeah I do not want to have to rush every single day, but I do not mind one or 2 days of a lot of drive time. I think I will take your suggestion and not try to do the Ring of Kerry on day 1. I will just put that off till day 2 after I have had a good night of sleep.

Day 2 I think I will leave the way it is and that will be my "full of driving" day.

Day 4 I think I may also end up just skipping Avoca/Meeting of the waters. That is going a little out of my way, but if I have the time and energy I will try to see them. This day will be one of those "wait and see" days. I will have to decide once we get to that point.

Again your info has been very helpful!

DebbieK
Registered User
Posts: 60
(8/13/03 2:38 pm)

Re: reply

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Do you have your reservations yet for your night in Dublin? That looks to be a Saturday night, so if you haven't already done so - book someplace now.

flutterby1
Unregistered User
(8/13/03 3:14 pm)

reply

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WELL, IT IS ACTUALLY ON A TUESDAY NIGHT - TUESDAY 9/16, BUT I WAS THINKING I SHOULD PROBABLY BOOK IT ANYWAY SINCE I KNOW FOR SURE I WILL NEED TO STAY IN DUBLIN. THANKS!

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1720
(8/13/03 10:32 pm)

Still a Lot!

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Hi flutterby1,

I'm glad that you have taken Debbie's advice to not do the Ring of Kerry on Day 1. It is really much too much. The rest of your itinerry is packed to the gills with things to do and driving. But since you are there in September you can "wing it" and just see how much you can fit in and how far you can get before your energizer bunny batteries (or daylight) runs out. Hopefully, this will be the first of many trips to Ireland for you and a good learning experience.

Definitely make your Dublin reservations ASAP.

I am also looking forward to hearing how the trip goes when you return. I hope you have a day or two to recover before you must return to work?

Michele

garyvol
Unregistered User
(8/14/03 8:07 am)

plans for thought

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Might I add that (on the 1st day) if you get into Killarney around 4, you might be able to squeeze in Ross Castle. I liked that tour.
Then the next day, on the way to the start of the ring, you can again squeeze in Agadoe Heights and Gap of Dunloe (just a little walk in about a mile from parking the car). Cool places to visit.

The royal jester's 2 cents. -gary

P.S. Yeah, we got home on a Friday and enjoyed the recovery time on the weekend sleepins before going to work on Monday.