Estimated Activity Times???

Shawn · Senior Member

Estimated Activity Times???

Michele Erdvig · Host

Shawn,

I'm glad to hear my book has arrived. To see the places you have posted depends on many things. For outside sites weather may determine how long you stay. For instance if it is pouring rain at Glendalough you may not care to hike around and get wet. At Powerscourt there are many different gardens to see, hiking trails, etc. One person's visit of two hours could easily turn into more hours if you are having fun. So I am just going to post some general info and you will realize that there is no definitive answer.

Powerscourt Gardens: 2 hours

Glendalough: 2 1/2 hours

Waterford Crystal Tour: 2 hours (depends on if you have to wait for the next tour). Shopping could easily add on more time.

Rock of Cashel: 1-2 hours (depends on waiting for next tour)

Cahir Castle: 2 hours

Blarney Castle & Woolen Mills: This one is difficult to predict. If you are kissing the stone and a line forms (tour bus) it could take a long time. You could spend all day at Blarney Woolen Mills if you enjoy shopping. Estimate: Castle & grounds: 1 1/2 hours Shopping: 1 1/2 hours.

Ring of Kerry: 5 to 8 hours as a day trip from Killarney (depends on if you do things like Skellig Ring or Valentia Island).

Dingle: You can do Dingle as a day trip from Killarney and it will take all day. If you are staying in Dingle with good weather you should take the whole day for Slea Head Drive, Blasket Center, etc.

Now don't hold me to those times! You will have to tell us what your actual times are when you get back.

Michele

P.S. Everything will be open in Killarney on Sunday.

Shawn · Senior Member

Wow, thanks so much. That will be an incredible help.

I will post an itinerary soon!

Shawn

Michele Erdvig · Host

Shawn,

Happy to help with some ballpark times. It should help with the itinerary planning.

Michele

Shawn · Senior Member

Michele,

Ok...here is the new itinerary. My fiance and I are interested in scenary and local culture. This trip isn't so much about going on historical tours for us, but serving as a honeymoon. I have taken out the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle because of time. But, is it worth it just to do a quick visit without the tours? Can you check my estimated driving times too...ballpark?

Sunday – Depart from Boston at 6:45 p.m.

Monday – Arrive in Dublin at 7:15 a.m.

Lodge in Dublin

Tuesday – Dublin

Lodge in Dublin

Wednesday – Pick up car as early as possible

Dublin to Powerscourt Gardens (55 minutes)

Powerscourt Gardens to Glendalough (50 minutes)

Glendalough to Kilkenny (2 hours)

Lodge in Kilkenny

Thursday – Kilkenny to Carlow –hot air balloon ride (30 minutes)

Carlow to Waterford Crystal daytrip (1 hour & 30 minutes)

Waterford to Kilkenny return (1 hour)

Kilkenny Castle & Kilkenny City, etc.

Lodge in Kikenny

Friday – Kells & Mount Sanford walk

Kilkenny to Blarney Castle & Woolen Mills (2 hours & 45 minutes)

Blarney to Killarney (1 hour & 30 minutes)

Lodge in Killarney

Saturday – Muckross House & Gardens, Killarney National Park, Jaunting Carts, Torc Waterfall,

Ross Castle

Lodge in Killarney

Sunday – Killarney to Kenmare - just couple hours to look around (45 minutes)

Ring of Kerry

Lodge in Killarney

Monday – Killarney to Dingle Peninsula (1 hour & 30 minutes)

Dingle to Kilrush via Tarbert Ferry (2 hours)

Visit Loop Head if time?

Lodge in Kilrush

Tuesday – Kilrush to The Burren (2 hours)

The Burren to The Cliffs of Moher (1 hour)

The Cliffs of Moher to Aillwee Cave (45 minutes)

Aillwee Cave to Ennis (1 hour)

Ennis Pubs – live music!

Lodge in Ennis

Wednesday – Ennis to Shannon Airport (30 minutes)

Depart at 3:45 p.m.

Arrive in Boston at 5:35 p.m.

Is it worth the detour to take the Vee Drive on the way from Kilkenny to Blarney?? Is there anywhere we may be able to sneak in Mizen Head?

Thanks so much

shawn

-- Edited by Shawn at 10:12, 2006-01-24

yesiree · Guru

Your itinerary looks pretty good. I have a few thoughts to add some extra scenery and culture.

Dublin - Powerscourt - Glendalough - Kilkenny: this route/sites might take longer than it looks like it should on paper, so expect to be arriving in Kilkenny late in the day/early evening...Kilkenny a good place for restaurants and traditional music - it's a great medieval village...and can be bustling at times (feel free to check out the post on downloading my walking tour of Kilkenny).

Kilkenny-Carlow-Waterford-Kilkenny: the hotair balloon ride sounds very fun (just outside of Carlow is Brownshill Dolmen - it's just in a field, but it is sooooo huge and quite facinating "how'd they get balanced on those stones?"...I wonder if you'll be able to see it from the balloon...it'll be much more impressive up close - it's within a ten minute drive of town and takes about a half hour to complete the self-guided walk)...be sure to check open times for the Crystal Factory and Kilkenny Castle...both are very popular sites, so there can be a bit of a wait. A stroll around the castle grounds is can be very romantic...especially in the evening or early morning.

Kilkenny-Kells-Blarney-Killarney: Kells priory is great - I would choose stops in Cashel and Cahir and skip Blarney, but I realize Blarney is on many people's must-see list (if you choose the Cashel-Cahir route take the walk from Cahir Castle to the Swiss Cottage - some other things to consider en route: The Vee, Glen of Aherlow (both for scenery), Lismore Castle, Ballysaggartmore Towers and Mitchelstown Caves...it's a little more dramatic/physical than Aillwee and a bit more homespun).

Killarney-Dingle-Kilrush: are you planning to do the Dingle on this day? If so, it'll be a full day and you will not be able to do Loop Head.

Kilrush-Burren-Cliffs-Ennis: I thought the Burren Perfumery was interesting (it seems to really hit a cord with many women - several women I know rave about it)...I also enjoyed the multimedia presentation at Caherconnel Stone Fort very near the Poulnabrone Dolmen (some historians may argue the historical accuracy of certain parts, but I think it brings a pile of rocks to life and worth the extra few euros)...be sure to get out and walk parts of the Burren...Ennis is a great choice for your last day...great music, food and shops.

Give yourself extra time to get to the airport...traffic around Ennis can get crazy at times...any extra time can be spent shopping at Shannon Duty Free.

Corey

Shawn · Senior Member

Corey, thanks so much.

Yeah, I figured that Powerscourt/Glendalough/Kilkenny day would be a long one. But, I think it can be done. I will check out the walking tour and other sites you mentioned.

I can't wait for the Balloon ride. That's our big splurge (we chose that over a castle stay). If the weather is no good we can catch it in Cork or Tipperary as well.

As far as Blarney...my fiance will come home without me if we don't go. This may be our only trip to Ireland, and if she doesn't get to kiss the stone (though touristy) she'll kill me!

Missing Loop Head is fine. I may check out Mitchelstown Caves though. It may save us from driving so far north. How are the Dunmore Caves near Kilkenny?

Good to know it's coming together...thanks again,

Shawn

yesiree · Guru

All three of the caves are good, but my personal ranking would be #1 Mitchelstown (there's something about knocking on the farmhouse door, walking down the road to the entrance and being taken down narrow, steep, zig-zagging steps by a young, but knowledgeable guide)...#2 Aillwee (access is easier and it handles more tourists...and I think it's a bit shorter)...#3 Dunmore (there's a story of a massacre and some coins to prove it happened - the rangers who run the tour are very knowledgeable and the very long set of steps into the gaping mouth are on a long, steady slope). Like the balloon ride, let the weather be your guide...caves are great for rainy days.

Dunmore Cave is within fifteen minutes from Kilkenny and expect the visit to last 45 minutes to 1.5 hr depending on how you hit the tour schedule. Mitchelstown Caves are about 10-15 minutes from the highway and you should give the same amount of time for the tour.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Shawn,

You can download Corey's Kilkenny Walking Tour free: http://www.knockahopple.com/downloadkilkenny.html He has given you some excellent advice for your trip.

I agree that you day going through Co. Wicklow and ending in Kilkenny will be a long one. It is doable if you get an early start. If you will be arriving at your accommodations after 6 pm call to let your hosts know because reservations expire at 6!

On Friday I would skip Mount Sanford Walk because it will have you going off in two different directions. Do Kells and continue on to Blarney and Killarney.

Given your time limitations in Ireland, I would skip the ROK on Sunday and do Dingle instead. It really does deserve a full day rather than a quick drive through. Just my opinion.

On Monday your timing is deceptive. It does take 1 1/2 hours from Killarney to Dingle. After that you can easily spend the whole day doing Slea Head Drive, Blasket Center, Dingle, etc. This is one of Ireland's most scenic areas and it would be a pity not to spend more time there. (See comments above.)

On Monday if you follow advice above you would skip Dingle and would have time for Loop Head.

I think your itinerary is very full now and the Vee Drive and Mizen will be much too much.

I agree with Corey about leaving plenty of time for getting from Ennis to the airport since Ennis traffic can be extremely slow.

Michele

Shawn · Senior Member

Michele, thanks for the advice!

I will remove Sanford Walk. Would removing the quick stop in Kenmare help with the ROK situation? We would really like to see it. Also, would an early start to Dingle and removing Loop Head make Monday possible?

In general my fiance and I never spend any time but overnight in our lodging. We want to be out and about as much as possible. But still, would these changes make it ok, or would it really be too much?

shawn

Michele Erdvig · Host

Shawn,

Since you want a very active trip and really want to see the ROK, you could certainly keep your itinerary mostly intact and still do it including Kenmare. You could do Dingle by removing Loop Head. But early starts!

Michele

Shawn · Senior Member

Last thing...what if at the end of Monday after travelling the ROK we end up in Dingle instead of Killarney? That way we could get a good start in Dingle. Is that possible?

If that works...would it be worth spending a night in Kenmare on Saturday night and starting the ROK from Kenmare on Sunday?

help! thanks for everything!!!

shawn