help with Itinerary

youngka · Guru

help with Itinerary

Michele Erdvig · Host

youngka,

The route you will take is a very slow-going but scenic drive through West Cork. There is much to see along the way, although I don't know if you will be doing things like Bantry House & Gardens, Mizen Head, etc. I assume that you will want to stop at sightseeing along the way too? For instance, Timoleague Abbey, Charles Fort (Kinsale), Kinsale town, The Queenstown Story Museum (Cobh), Blarney Castle, and other places. If that is the case, you might want to overnight somewhere along your route.

Michele

youngka · Guru

Thank you so much Michelle.....I didn't think we could do this trip in one day --- glad to have you there to ask questions. Since the trip I described will be our first day of getting out and going, I think we may break it up in to two days. Later in the week finish up what we missed.

Thank you again

Youngka

Michele Erdvig · Host

Youngka,

Always happy to be of help. Another thing to consider would be to ease into the self-catering and save the trip for the end of your time there. That way you will know exactly what you want to see that you didn't have time for before. Just a thought.

Michele

youngka · Guru

Michelle, That is such a great idea! I have been working on our schedule for the Galway cottage week. So much to see, and I know we won't even "touch" most of it. My husband and I are going to sit down with all the ideas/descriptions of places to see and we will start eliminating, so make an easier restful trip. I am thinking the Ring of Kerry will show us a lot. Plus, the trip planned in the Cork area (not the original plan, but less of things to be seen-- this time) There are a lot of places to see near Galway and right near our cottage. If and when we go back, we did decide that the weekly cottage may not be that good. It may be better to just go until around 4 p.m. and then start checking out places to spend the night. Won't have to back track this way, and leaves a lot to see on our next trips. You are such a help, thanks!

Youngka

Michele Erdvig · Host

Youngka,

The fun of self-catering is being able to settle into a place for a week knowing that you can do as much as you want or as little. On some days you may just want to stick around the area and relax. On others you will be ready for long day trips. Weather will also be a determining factor. Make your lists with the most important things first. If you don't get to the ones lower on the list, you won't even miss them.

Michele

youngka · Guru

Michelle,

Your advise sure makes sense. When I was in Germany, what I didn't see I didn't know what was missed. Good theory for Ireland. Thanks so much again!

youngka

wojazz3 · Guru

I can see doing Middleton, Youghal, Cork and Kinsale as part of one two day trip. You won't have much time in any of them, but you can certainly do it. You could also do Cork as a day trip and perhaps Kinsale.

As far as Bantry, Skib and Bandon, They are pretty easy day trips from Ballylickey. Bandon could be visted on the way to Kinsale. Also consider Clonakilty which, if you can be there in the evening has some nice music pubs. Castletownsend is right down the road from Skib and Mary Ann's is a great place to stop for a bite. Best banoffee in Ireland if they have it.

Don't miss the drive up and over the Pass of Keimaneigh and Gougane Barra. Loop on the back roads to Kenmare and then back down over Caha Pass.

You're staying in a wonderful area and there are countless things to see. You will be able to fill your week and then some. I applaud your choice.

Bill

youngka · Guru

Bill,

Thank you so much for your input! This does help a lot! Gives me combinations of towns for a day, or just one area/town per day. I was thinking, with the mountains and roads it would not be a good day trip -- for all I had planned. We will not see a lot of what we have written down; but as Michelle said, we can just go to the "other" places on our next trip - which we hope to do next year and for a longer time!

THANKS!

youngka

wojazz3 · Guru

I also presume that you are considering a tour of the Beara Peninsula which is a wonderful drive and should take a full day if you stop a lot like I do. The coastal drive that ends or starts at Lauragh is beautiful but very narrow and slow moving. It also attracts very few tourists. Healy Pass, with it's winding little road is a nice drive, not very scary from the south side and on the north side there are only a few spots that are quite narrow with limited vision.

Another place to consider is the Mizen Peninsula. Crookhaven is a tiny little fishing village and the home of my favorite pub, O'Sullivan's. I've had a couple of wonderful experiences there. The Crookhaven Inn just around the corner serves very good food in it's tiny restaurant. Mizen is a wild peninsula very much like Beara. The trip to the lighthouse which includes crossing a suspension bridge out to the island is beautiful on a sunny day.

Last but not least is tiny Sheep's Head Peninsula. Again, some tiny roads, one which leads to a small car park near the end of the peninsula. There is a walk that is rather muddy at times but it takes you to the tip and to the lighthouse sitting on the cliff overlooking the ocean. There are a few perilous options when following this trail, but if you stay near the center, you likely won't have many cliff walks.

Bill

youngka · Guru

Bill

You are being so helpful, in that I have looked thru Michelle's, Rick Steves and a book from AAA, and have found mostly popular places -- and very tempting places -- to see. You have definitely given me something to rethink. We are, afterall, going over to see Ireland -- I think I was getting side tracked for shopping places, cute little stores and eating places -- THANKS for the nudge!

We leave on the 6th. of October so will be there during the Fall/Winter -- hopefully cool, drizzly and miserable! We love this type of weather and looking forward to it during Oct.

Mizen Peninsula was also one of my choices. Thanks

Thanks so much for your ideas, if you think of more, please let me know

youngka

youngka · Guru

Hi Bill,

You had given us lots of ideas for our first trip (October '06) and now we are going back in March '07, want to see some of the places we missed so will be in similiar places for "home bases".

We were not able to go the one place you mentioned, that we wanted to see: "Don't miss the drive up and over the Pass of Keimaneigh and Gougane Barra. Loop on the back roads to Kenmare and then back down over Caha Pass." Our map was not good enough to show us the path to the back roads to Kenmare. Would you be able to give us more precise directions? We saw where you were talking about, but didn't find a "loop".

THANKS for your help once more....

youngka