Travel Itinerary

Muggletoo · Member

Travel Itinerary

tony2phones · Guru

Hi, welcome to the forum,
Unfortunately your first encounter has to be an honest one

Day 3 makes no sense at all returning to Dingle. If driving the ring and seeing Muckross and Torc then spend the night in Kenmare especially as you have Beara and Mizen on to Kilbrittan the next day.

Cork to "Clare"? presume Doolin or Ballyvaghan although I might suggest Ennis or Ennistymon.

Why go to Clifden then the next day be back for Galway then the next day via Westport and Achill ect to Donegal needs a serious rethink, it can all be done logistically in 3 days but not as written.

Go through west Clare to Galway. Then Galway to Westport so day 8 is Westport to Donegal.

The rest is probably possible but a little busy. hopefully your hotel bookings are cancelable/rearrangeable.

Roy · Guru

I see from your profile that you're in Virginia. Are you flying Dulles to Dublin? I will defer to Tony on route finding, your trip is very ambitious. What time of year are you traveling?

Michele Erdvig · Host

Julie,

Welcome to the forum. Like other forum members I too am curious as to when you are visiting Ireland. Also, you mention that all your lodgings are booked. Did you do this yourself or have a travel company do this for you? Are your reservations firm or can you change things around a bit?

The reason I ask is that your itinerary is very aggressive. If this is the way you like to travel then more power to you. We here call it a "green blur tour of Ireland" as it barely gives you time to take a breath or enjoy things as you speed to accomplish everything on your list. As Tony suggested, some of the plans are awkward and could have been made to flow better.

If you can give us more input we can help you refine your trip once we know what we are dealing with. The more details you give about what you want to get out of your trip, the better.

Michele

Muggletoo · Member

Hi everyone! Thanks for your replies. We are leaving June 11, via CDH, then onto Dublin. Arriving at 11:10 am. Then we leave on June 24 at 9 am (I got a great price on our flights $650). I worked with a travel company out of Ireland, Exploring Vacations. Really nice people and the office is in Meath. I told them what I was interested in seeing and they set up the lodging and rental car. If I want to change any hotels or b&b's we have to pay a fee to do so.

We are staying in Doolin in county Clare. We have 2 nights in Ventry, outside of Dingle.

Day 3 and 4, I am not sure of how to plan the itinerary. We can cut some things out that don't make sense. Muckross is not a must see. We can drive up to Torc Waterfall.

If anyone has an idea of how to better organize the sight seeing (can't change the nights) I am all ears! The other adult and her daughter I am going with hav7e left it up to me to do all the planning.

PS We all love to laugh and are honoring the memory of a lost loved one because his dream was to visit Ireland. We will be there on the 1 year anniversary of his death.
Thanks
Julie

Michele Erdvig · Host

Okay. Now that we know your overnight stays are "written in stone" we just have to mull over the daily plans. Give me a little time to think it through and I will get back to you with some comments. One good thing is long daylight hours in June.

Muggletoo · Member

Thank you Michele!

tony2phones · Guru

"Exploring Vacations" right,

OK.

Day 1 works. But you don't pass a Tesco store. Consider heading from the Airport M50 onto the M4 and 30 miles outside Dublin you hit the Services. you can get Coffee and snacks there. take the M6 off the M4 as far as the N52 Just before you hit Tullamore you will see Tesco's store off on your right R420. Call in if you want a sim card / phone anything else. continue to the next roundabout, left turn onto the 421 into Tullamore, Bridge house is on your right, nice hotel. I suppose Clonmacnoise might be possible depends how tired you are but there's some rural roads in that mix best not done unless wide awake. You need to pay the M50 Virtual Toll and the M4 toll is under E4 so have a E5 or E10 note handy for the toll both just before the services.

Day 2. No idea why you want to look at castle hotels so forget Kinnitty and Dromoland. The Slieve Bloom is South you are heading South West. Birr is just down the N52 so a good option, The Castle grounds are well worth a look the Telescope was well ahead of its time when constructed but the Castle itself is a private residence and seldom open to the public. Now the Rock of Cashel is out of the way, Nenagh Castle is worth a look and free, Desmond Castle (Adare Castle) is larger and worth a look via the Adare Heritage centre. By the time you get past Tralee onto the Dingle peninsula and 30 more miles to Ventry via the Connor Pass its way to late for the Blasket isles.

Day 3. Sensible use of this day might be to see the Blaskets and Slea Head drive and sights No time for Iveragh which would eat the full day anyway and just pile miles on the rental with little reward. Chill Day.

Day 4. Muckross and Torc maybe some of Beara and the Mizzen before Kilbrittan

Day 5. Maybe Kinsale, passage west ferry to Cobh up to Blarney Castle. Back to Adare then the Shannon Tunnel, Bunratty Castle and up to Doolin. long day so be selective of what you do want to see.

Day 6. Doolin to Clifden via the N59 will link this route later.

Day 7. Clifden to Galway via Kylemore, National Park, Leenanne and Cong

Day 8. Galway to Donegal. fitting Westport and Achill into this day isn't practical stick to the N17 and fit in some sights on the way, Knock shrine, sights round Sligo or Yeats links

Day 9 will link a map with sights.

Day 10 and 11 nearly make sense so as written.

Links. Some sights round Connemara Galway Clifden, Cong. https://goo.gl/UL09QA N59 drive http://goo.gl/Ek8bpw

Some sights round West Clare https://goo.gl/UtW24m

Some options on the Galway Donegal to Dublin section can be found on https://goo.gl/xrDQtD

That's a pint of Guinness and a Jameson;s should we ever meet wink , no idea how much Exploring Vacs charged you confuse

-- Edited by tony2phones on Sunday 7th of February 2016 06:33:44 PM

Roy · Guru

She's in good hands with your logistical help Tony!

tony2phones · Guru

Simplex transportation algorithms and building sub sea oil pumps, far easier than fitting Ireland into a 2 week package Roy.

another, Dublin to Galway has some points between Dublin airport and Tullamore. https://goo.gl/sQATcr google has eaten my Dublin to Dingle map.

Roy · Guru

I'm down to 2 days unaccounted for at the end of our upcoming 2 weeks between Buncrana and last night in Dublin. Deferring to my wife if she wants more family time. Or not.

tony2phones · Guru

Bite the Bullet Roy and forget the $ v £ exchange rate, 2 nights in Portrush (Avarest Guest House)

Roy · Guru

tony2phones wrote:
Bite the Bullet Roy and forget the $ v £ exchange rate, 2 nights in Portrush (Avarest Guest House)

I know you're right, but hard bullet to bite!

balinaraw · Member

Research, research, research before you firm up your plans. Enjoy Ireland at a slower pace and come back often and eventually you will see all you wish to see. The scenery and the historical and geological sites won't disappear between visits. Take the advice posted above.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Finally back with some input. Personally, I am not a fan of the itinerary. I think it could have been much better planned as it seems very disjointed and doesn't flow well. But since it is written in stone we now have to deal with just commenting on your day-to-day sightseeing.

Day 1: We get into Dublin about 11:30 am. Then we will gather our bags and car and hit the road. First stop is Tesco to get some drinks and snacks for the road. We are at The bridge House Hotel the first night. After we check in and freshen up we will ride out too Clonmacnoise and enjoy the ride and explore the town of Tullamore. * Tony's advice is spot on. Can't really add to it unless you feel like stopping at the Kilbeggan Distillery. But frankly Clonmacnoise should be enough for your first day.

DAY 2: Leave the hotel and stop at Birr Castle. Along the way drive towards Slieve Bloom Mountains and Kinney Castle. Then visit Bunratty folk park, Dromland Cadtle, and the Great Blasket Islands. Maybe put Rock of Cashel in there somewhere. Our night is at Ventry. * Agree to skip Dromoland and Kinnity. Birr Castle is not open to the public but the gardens are beautiful and well worthwhile. You could stop at Cashel but it requires a different route and you would have to skip Bunratty Castle & Folk Park. Depending on route you could have a quick photo stop in Adare for the thatched cottages.

Day 3: Drive the Ring of Kerry counter clockwise. Visit Gap of Dunloe, Ladies View, Skellig Ring, Muckross House, and Torc Waterfall. Spend the night in Ventry again. * TOTALLY agree with Tony to skip the ROK. This is a day for Dingle: Slea Head Drive, Blasket Center, Gallarus Oratory, Kilmalkedar and perhaps a boat ride to see the dolphin.

Day 4: Ring of Beara. While there visit Mizen Head, Dromberg Stone Circle, and Inch Downey Island. Spend the night in Kilbrittan. * This would be the day for Killarney, Ross Castle, Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, skipping Beara, Mizen, Drombeg and Inchydoney.

Day 5: Drive to Clare. Along the way visit Cobh, Blarney Castle, and the burren. * Where in Clare? Some of your other overnight stays are very odd so this one might be as well. Too much backtracking to include Cobh. See Blarney and proceed to Clare and the Burren. Depending on where you are staying, you could do the cliffs, Aillwee Cave and Pounlabrone Dolmen today.

Day 6: Clare to Clifden. Visit today the Cliffs of Moher, Connemera, Inagh Valley, Roundstone, Bertraghboy Bay. * If you do Connemara today no need do Sky Drive on Day 7 as you will probably have seen it already. It is an easy drive from Clifden. See a map for details.

Day 7: Clifden to Galway City. Kylemore Abbey, Sky Road, Tawnyard Pass, Joyce Country, and Ashford Castle. * Skip Sky Drive and see it on Day 6. Ashford Castle is a hotel and unless you have reservations for a meal you probably won't get in. Call ahead for details and admission prices to the estate. Cong Abbey & woods worthwhile.

Day 8: Galway to Donegal. Achill Sound/Island, Crouch Patrick, Glengarry Lough, Balina, and Donegal. * Wow! This day is a killer. No way can you do all that unless you start at the crack of dawn and end at midnight. Best to skip Achill, Croagh Patrick, Ballina and proceed on the main road to Donegal. You will be passing Sligo and could stop at Drumcliff and Yeats grave. Just north of Sligo and signposted off the main road is a scenic drive called Gleniff Horseshoe Loop. If the weather is good and you have an hour or more to spare it makes a lovely drive. Depending on when you arrive in Donegal, you could see the castle.

Day 9: Donegal to New Castle. Derry, Messenger Temple, Dunluce Twmple, Giants Causeway,Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Bally Castle, Drive through the Glens of Antrim to Inch Abbey and Castle Ward to Newcastle. * Another intense sightseeing day. Although you will be driving through Derry I would not stop to view the walls but continue on. Each of the nine Glens of Antrim is a trip in itself, which requires driving up into the mountains and then back down again to the main road. I sincerely doubt if you can do all that. Castle Ward will probably be closed by the time you approach it so instead skip it and take the direct route from Belfast to Newcastle via the A24.

Day 10: Newcastle to Trim. Mourne Mountains, Mellifont Abbey, Slane, Bru Na Bonnie, Hill of tara, and Trim Castle. * You will view the Mountains of Mourne from Newcastle and can drive through them if you opt to take the route through Hilltown instead of the coast. A visit to Bru na Boinne to include Newgrange, the visitor center and Knowth will take a minimum of 3 hours. Plan the rest of your sightseeing accordingly.

Day 11: Trim to Dublin. Howth then drop the car at the airport. 5ake the bus to our place the next 2 nights in Dublin. * What a relief!

I don't mean to be a wet blanket or toot my own horn but I could have planned a much saner itinerary for you. I'm afraid the one your travel agent planned is the epitome of a Green Blur Tour ++++. So take our advice and you will salvage your sanity and have a much better trip by cutting down on some of the sightseeing. biggrin Enjoy Ireland! Hope these musings help.

Muggletoo · Member

Thank you for your ideas Michelle. I will take both yours and Tony's and combine them together to create an amazing itinerary for us all!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Great. Let us know how the plan works out when you return. We would love to know.

Muggletoo · Member

I will definately do that! One site I want to see is Queen Maeve's burial site. It looked like a peaceful walk and area.