Horseback riding/1st visit questions

Laurenroseou · Newbie

Horseback riding/1st visit questions

CowboyCraic · Guru

Lauren,

First off, welcome to the forum!

Let me see if I have your Itinerary down:

Day 1: Arrive in Dublin

Day 2& 3: Cork

Day 4 & 5: Kerry

Day 6 & 7: Galway

Day 8: Cabra Castle

Day 9: Home

First off, I am glad to see so many two nights stays. That is beneficial. Now comes the parring down.

Kilkenny on the way down to Cork is a good stop over and you can wile away a few hours or more just there. I would consider staying in Kinsale, unless you have a reason to make Cork Ciity your focus.
As to your Kerry time, all three on your wish list are full day trips, especially at that time of year when the days are still shorter, and you haven't even considered the Gap of Dunloe, which is a gem in and of itself. There is a riding stable outside of Killarney which offers trail rides into Killarney National Park. They are open year-round and have excellent horses and guides. I think that would be your best opportunity for a ride in some stellar scenery.
Your time in Galway, you could probably base out of the City itself. One day will be taken up with your visit to Inis Mor. You could explore the City during your arrival afternoon. On the way up into Galway, you could opt to do the coastal route which will bring you to the Cliffs of Moher.
Newgrange/Tara would be out of the way on your way back to Dublin and you really want an early morning start from Galway so that you can enjoy the full Cabra experience.

Those would be my suggestions, as far as itinerary. I am sure that others will weigh in, as well wink

Slan Beo,

Bit

tony2phones · Guru

I would reverse the whole thing with Cabra Castle the starting point put the Dublin stay to the end. My views on Kinsale are not as above nice place to visit but would be well down on my place to spend the night list so maybe one night Cork and last two Dublin.

CowboyCraic · Guru

Tony has some very valid points...and yes, mo chara, I too can think of better places to spend a night than either Kinsale or Cork City. Be that as it may, Kinsale is on her bucket list...T'were it me, I would aim for somewhere like Eyeries...but for me, smaller is better...and away from the tourist track is even more so....

T'were it my own trip and given the parameters, I would probably eliminate the Cork slice....and do something along the lines of

Day 1: Arrive Dublin ... Cabra

Day 2 & 3: Galway

Day 4, 5 & 6: Kerry...staying in Kenmare over Killarney

Day 7 & 8: Dublin... Turning in the car and staying at City Centre

Day 9: Fly home

With two days in Dublin, they could arrange for a NewGrange tour with Mary Gibbons on the full day...and still have an afternoon and evening to further explore

Laurenroseou · Newbie

Thank you for your help and quick responses! I think you make great points about reversing our trip. I was concerned that the castle stay at the end of our trip would limit our time there to enjoy the property. So in your opinion, you recommend seeing and spending time in other areas rather than seeing Cork? Is there another area of the trip that a castle stay might work better? Thank you for the horseback riding suggestion as well :)

tony2phones · Guru

If I can throw another Castle into the mix for a night after Galway (which could be the first two nights as it is a straight 2 1/2 hr drive from the airport by motorway) down in Clare http://www.castlehotelireland.com/dromoland-castle/ I have linked it via a Castle hotel website so you can see other places available.

For a non Castle Castle (it is a castle but modern) Abbeyglen in Clifden is in my favorite part of the world west from Galway in the Connemara. http://www.abbeyglen.ie/ then maybe a bit of Beach riding from Clegan http://www.clegganridingcentre.com/amenities.htm There is also Connemara Hawk walk by Letterfrack just up the road.

-- Edited by tony2phones on Monday 26th of November 2012 12:17:02 PM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Looking at your route some other castles nearby would be:

Ashford Castle
Ballyseede Castle
Clontarf Castle

There are always trade-offs when visiting Ireland without much time. Decide what on your list is most important. Leave out the others if they will adversely affect it. Only you know exactly what is important.

Laurenroseou · Newbie

Thank you so much for all of your info and responses! We would like to blend our trip with some common seen sights in Ireland with some not so common sights. So any suggestions are helpful! Here is what our itinerary includes so far:

Day 1: Arrive early in Dublin, drive to Cabra Castle for our castle stay.
Days 2&3: Drive to Galway, Stay in Galway City for 2 nights (Aran Islands....anything else around this area that you recommend seeing on our second day? Connemara?) Visit Cliffs of Moher on drive down to Kerry.
Days 4, 5, & 6: Drive to Kerry, Stay in Kenmare for 3 nights (Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Killarney National Park-horseback riding, Gap of Dunloe-great recommendation!)
Day 7: Drive to Cork, Stay in Kinsale for 1 night.
Day 8: Drive to Dublin, Stay in Dublin, flight out the next day.

After looking at everything on a map, figuring out drive times etc, would it be silly for us to stay in Cashel rather than Kinsale? I know there are mixed reviews on this area. Is staying is Cashel better? It looks like less of a drive back to Dublin.

We plan on staying in B&Bs for our trip as well. Any recommendations on places to stay would be great!

I really appreciate this forum and this has been a great help in making our honeymoon wonderful! THANK YOU!

tony2phones · Guru

For the road west from Galway http://ireland.activeboard.com/t50055177/n59-galway-route/

Galway to Kenmare with a diversion to see the Cliffs is a long day. Dingle as a day trip from Kenmare is a long day. I would seriously consider a stop between Galway and Kenmare in the area between Ennis and Adare or Listowel. Then drive round the Dingle peninsula on the way to Kenmare for 2 rather than 3 nights,

I can't think of a reason to overnight in Kinsale unless you belive like some foodies that its the only place in Ireland where the food is worth eating! Blarney might be a good option for a night and get into the castle grounds (which are well worth seeing) before or after the snog a rock tour bus's. That would make for a straight drive to Cahir - Cashel - Dublin. The other option might be from Kenmare to Kilkenny via Cashel for the night before Dublin. As said earlier fitting so much into so little requires compromise.

Maggie117 · Guru

Hi, I'm also heading to Ireland in March. I liked Kinsale....stayed right in downtown. Nothing fancy, but clean quiet and affordable. Tierney,s guest house. I've stayed at both Cabra and Ashford,and loved both. I got an awesome deal at Ashford because I booked and then kept in contact with the castle and was able to get a lower rate, (When they were released.) If I had a choice I would pick Ashford.

Have a great trip!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Places to stay.