Driving trip

tony2phones · Guru

Driving trip

AKLR · Veteran Member

Just received Michele's book Ireland Dream Trip . I saw a suggestion of staying a least 2 - 3 nights in each location instead of packing up and moving each night. We only have 15 days to see Ireland so are trying to pack in as much as possible and maybe too much, so wondered your thoughts: We are hoping to start in Dublin, end up in Westport and back to Dublin

Day 1 and 2 - Dublin - 2 nights - two full days

Day 3 - Pick up rental car and tour Glendalough and onto Kilkenny -1 night

Day 4 - 1 full day seeing parts of Kilkenny -and possibly Cahir, if time permits and then head to Kenmare for an overnight

Day 5, 6 &7, stay in Kenmaare touring Beara Peninsula and a couple of sights around Killareney , onto Dingle - 3 nights

Day 8,9, 10 stay in Dingle for sightseeing and then head to Galwayfor 2-3 nights. We want to see the Connemara, possibly Clifden and Westport before heading back to Dublin for a late afternoon flight.

Day 11, 12, 13, 14 - Galway, Clifden, Westport

Day 15 head back to Dublin

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

Welcome to my forum. Hope you are finding my book helpful for planning your trip.

I suggest you add another night to Kilkenny. There's a lot to see in the area. You can borrow a night from Dingle. Unless you plan on spending a whole day on the Blasket Islands or something else time-consuming in Dingle, two nights there will be sufficient.

Are you planning on driving from the west coast to Dublin for your flight? If so, what time does it depart?

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Michele,

Your book was a suggestion by a very helpful TA reviewer and I'm enjoying reading it. I too, wondered about our Kilkenny stay of only one night so will consider your suggestion seriously.

We arrive in Dublin at 8am on October 8th, and fly home at 2pm on October 23rd. I was planning on leaving the "west coast" on Monday October 22nd but since we won't be having an early mornig flight the next day, hoping to make a leisurly day getting to the airport to arrive early evening.

Sue

AKLR · Veteran Member

Thanks Tony,

Your suggestions , particulariy, as well as most of TA as been most helpful and as I continue to "TWEEK" our travel plans, hope to hear your further comments as well. Will take a look at the "counry" area you mentioned. Since we're from Nebraska and have no coast, we always gravitate towards those when traveling. It means a lot for your thumbs up for our itinerary stops so far.

Sue

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

You must check in at Dublin Airport three hours in advance of departure. Add a 4 hour drive and it adds to the mayhem of departure. Plus you should build in extra time for the drive. Do you want to stop for lunch? Add an hour. What if you get a flat tire or run into a traffic jam? You need to have more than 4 hours in those eventualities.

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Michele

I was planning on having a full day's drive from Westport to the Dublin airport and spending our final night at the airport Monday October 22nd. We don't fly out until 2pm on October 23rd, so was using October 22 to make the drive back to Dublin. I thought if we arrived at our airport hotel by or 7pm we could easily turn in our car and be at the hotel. Since we don't fly out until 2-pm on the 23rd, we shouldn't have any problem getting checked in without a rush. Thanks

Sue

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

I got it now. Good idea to spend the night at an airport hotel. Premier Inn is good. Check on closing time for the car rental companies. Many times the lots close at 6 pm or so, although the desks at the airport are open longer hours. That may determine at what time you want to return your car.

Some good things to see along the route are Clonmacnoise and Belvedere House.

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Tony,

So here's a revision :

Dublin - 2 nights -Booked at the Brooks hotel

Kilkenny - 1 night booked with Dunromin B&B at this time Consider adding a 2nd night here and if so, next day head to Kenmare via Cashel or Cahir

Kenmare - 2 nights - tour Beara

Dingle - 2 nights. 1st day we want to use Dennis for his Slea Head tour to give my husband a break. Next day visit Killarney. Head to Ennis for overnite.

Ennis - 1 night. Here I'm confused. Are you suggesting totally skipping spendina a night in Galway and going straight to Clifden from here? We like that idea of staying in Clifden and were looking at that as well. But also are looking at taking a tour out of Galway with Galway tours one day. Then driving up to Clifden to stay to tour more on our own.

Clifden - 2-3 nights -??

Westport 2 nights

Dublin Airport - 1 night

Hope this makes sense, as that is one of my weakpoints!!!! PS: I know we have a car but with the roads we'll be diving in Ireland thought my husband would enjoy a break or two - not that we couldn't do them ourselves as well.

Sue

tony2phones · Guru

Take a night from Clifden and put that into a night in Galway. Or have 2 nights Ennis and head the 1 hr to Galway, park on the Station car park for the day. Take the tour (which tour?) then drive back to Ennis along the coast road that night. If you are taking the Burren Cliffs tour with GTC then get the train to Galway and back and have a no drive day.

What are your dates? sorry if I already know my memmory is non existant at the moment.

-- Edited by tony2phones on Wednesday 13th of June 2012 05:41:25 AM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

Dublin - 2 nights -Booked at the Brooks hotel * Fine.

Kilkenny - 1 night booked with Dunromin B&B at this time Consider adding a 2nd night here and if so, next day head to Kenmare via Cashel or Cahir * To be determined.

Kenmare - 2 nights - tour Beara * Good.

Dingle - 2 nights. 1st day we want to use Dennis for his Slea Head tour to give my husband a break. Next day visit Killarney. Head to Ennis for overnite. * Makes more sense to see Killarney on the drive between Kenmare and Dingle since you will be driving right through it. Do the Slea Head tour on your second day in Dingle.

Ennis - 1 night. Here I'm confused. Are you suggesting totally skipping spendina a night in Galway and going straight to Clifden from here? We like that idea of staying in Clifden and were looking at that as well. But also are looking at taking a tour out of Galway with Galway tours one day. Then driving up to Clifden to stay to tour more on our own. * If you are planning on seeing the Cliffs of Moher on your drive north, it might make sense to stay nearby in Doolin or Ballyvaughan. What is the tour you are thinking of taking from Galway?

Clifden - 2-3 nights -?? * I would think 2 nights would be plenty.

Westport 2 nights * Fine. Achill Island makes a nice day trip.

Dublin Airport - 1 night * Good.

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

We'll be in Ireland October 8th-22nd - fly out the afternoon of October 23rd.

Re: the GTC - we were thinking of taking their Connemara & Cong tour they offer as they pick up at some of the B&B's in Galway we were considering. (Plus sometimes we learn more from a guide than we could on our own) I have e-mailed them as being concerned about the overlapping of part of the drive but they said it was only about 30 minutes on the same road we'd be taking when we head to Clifden. We can re-think that as time gets closer too. Cutting our Clifden nights to TWO is a good suggestion especially if we do take the tour.

RE: seeing the Cliffs of Moher, we were hoping to make the drive to see them on the way from Dingle but also had read seeing the cliffs on a "misty moisty morning" wouldn't be the best either. I haven't really completely finished our drive after Dingle but am noting all suggestions and continue to do so. I had been reading that a straight drive from Dingle to Galway and or Clifden would be too long in the car so like the idea of breaking it up.

Re: Achill Island - I saw many ferry trips along the way but wasn't sure of Ireland's mid October weather for being on the water. But always a good option if we hit a nice sunny day.

Again, more thanks and Michele, our suggestion for the Slea Head tour is the way you suggested , I just miss-typed.

Sue

tony2phones · Guru

Achill Island is land bridged and well worthwhile if the weather is kind. Highest sea cliffs, great coastal drives. and some wonderful secluded beaches. (Dingle eat your heart out!)

http://www.visitachill.com/en/index.html

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

You are thinking of the Aran Islands where you have to take a ferry or plane. As Tony says, Achill Island (Ireland's largest island) has a bridge to it and is west of Westport. Break out your map!

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Michele,

Mea Culpa!!!!!!!. My new phrase. You're right I haven't researched the area north of Galway yet.

Thanks

Sue

Michele Erdvig · Host

Well, it is confusing. They both start with an "A"! wink

Green Dragon · Guru

And they do both say 'island'. :) Clare Island is another possibility, but that does require a ferry, like the Aran Islands. Achill is a lovely day trip - here's a photo I took while there. Stunning! http://www.greendragonartist.com/Galleries/Small%20Images/Ireland2011/Westport416small.jpg

Bertrand · Veteran Member

Wonderful photo. Thanks.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Ahh, Christy - nice photo. I know that road well.

AKLR · Veteran Member

WOW is all I can say about Achill. Will definitely take a look at making that a stop as well. Now, I really may have to cut something out to make time for this as well. I'll spend some time on this next.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

Here are a couple more images from Achill Island

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Thanks, it's beautiful. So many hidden treasures in Ireland. I'm so glad I'm starting early on our plans.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Sue,

Take a look at IrelandTravelKit for more hidden gems.

Michele

AKLR · Veteran Member

Still playing around with our itinerary. The more i continue to read, the more I add to our trip. Must stop.

Question? Do I have too much coast with too similar views? The more I read, the more I learn that those of us from the US, underestimate the driving times on your roads considerably And try to see TOO MUCH. I have looked at maps but reviews also say to add more to those times to be accurate so am trying to keep that in mind as I plan our stops.

Beara - 2 nights, Dingle 2 nights, Clifden, 2 nights, Westport -2 nights, with a day's trip to Achill "ISLAND" (now that I know where it is?) You'll note I left out the Cliffs of Moher, evidently one of the most popular stops in all Ireland. Hope I don't get kicked out of forums for that. We were leaving them as an option if the weather was nice the day we drive from Dingle, Enis, Galway, but as I look at our trip, we can't wait around for the perfect day on any of our suggested coastal drives. I do have various sightseeing stops in all of these areas as well. Thanks again for everyone's patience with me. I think we have a good itinerary as of now but was concerned I put in too much "sea".

Sue

tony2phones · Guru

Dont see the Ennis nights in the above? Assuming you have just missed them then take a day over here in the east of the county Killaloe/Ballina, Lough Derg. Or have I already plugged that?

AKLR · Veteran Member

Tony, I do still have Ennis but want to give us ample time to sight see other sites along the way as well so was wondering if I am putting "in to port" at to many coastal stops. I don't want to overload my driver.