annettetx

Good evening, everyone --

DH and I just found out that we've been OK'ed to go on a business reward trip in Ireland in April. The business part of the trip ends in Dublin, and then we have 3 days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) to make our way from Dublin to London before we fly home on Sunday.

Seeing St. David's Cathedral in Wales has been a bucket list item for me, so we think we'd like to make our way to London via St. David's, and it appears that there are 2 options:

Option 1 -- take the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, rent a car, drive down the Welsh coast to St. David's, and then make our way to London.

Option 2 -- drive down the Irish coast to Rosslare, take the ferry from Rosslare to Fishguard, rent a car, drive to St. David's and then make our way to London.

I'm curious which option appeals to you more and why?

We know this is a short amount of time, and we won't do either option the full amount of justice it deserves. We've never been to either Ireland or Wales, but have been to London a number of times.

Thanks! annettetx

janisj

six of one/half dozen of the other really.

#1 would have no driving on the Irish side but #2 would have much less driving on the UK side. Pros and cons to both, but if I had to choose, I'd go via Fishguard simply because it is more convenient to St David's

flanneruk

Get the train from Dublin to Rosslare. Even if you hired a car for your husband's business, you don't want to be encumbered with the contraption in Dublin, and the straight drive to Rosslare is almost entirely through Ireland's least rewarding countryside and dullest strip development.

Incidentally - and I might be wrong - but I've never noticed a car hire place in Fishguard. Companies might deliver from Haverfordwest, but if that's not an option it might be easier to get a ferry to Pembroke Dock, which is slightly buzzier.

Tony2phones

There is a Commuter train runs for Dublin to Rosslare. ferry to Fishguard and there is Hertz rental point at Fishguard.

michelhuebeli

There are two Arriva trains from Holyhead to Fishguard/Goodwick, both slow, one leaves at 10:40 and arrives at 18:46, the other 12:52/20:23.

With the Stena ferry (Stena allows walk-ons) departing from Dublin at 08:20 and arriving in Holyhead at 11:45 you could make the second train.

The Rosslare ferry leaves at 09:00 (arr. 12:30), too early to get there from Dublin unless you make Rosslare an overnight.

annettetx

Thank you all!

With your help, we decided to go with option 1 and take the ferry to Holyhead. The timing of the ferries is better from Dublin, and it seems that the landscape between Holyhead and St. David's is better than the scenery from Dublin to Rosslare.

I hadn't thought about a train from Holyhead to St. David's, michelhuebeli, so thanks for that suggestion!

Unless we opt for the train, this is our current thinking:
Thursday, noonish -- arrive Holyhead via ferry from Dublin and pick up rental car; have lunch and see the castle in Caernarfon; stop at Harlech Castle; stop for dinner somewhere; and then drive in to St. David's in the evening.

Friday -- explore St. David's Cathedral, and walk along a portion of the Wales Coastal Path. Stay a second night in St. David's.

Saturday -- spend day driving from St. David's to somewhere -- perhaps Cardiff or Bath or Bristol. Overnight in one of those towns. According to Google maps, there are 2 main routes -- a southerly option following (more or less) the coast, and a northerly option through Brecon Beacons National Park. Any thoughts on the merits of either of those routes?

Sunday -- depart in time for for a 9a arrival at Heathrow car rental return and a noon flight back to the States.

Does that sound pretty feasible?

Cheers,
annettetx

janisj

I sure wouldn't. The drive from Holyhead to St David's with just minimal stops for lunch and to explore the two castles will take more than 7 hours.

Fish guard is just sooo much easier IMO.

janisj

Oh and to explain the difference between my two posts . . . That was factoring driving to Rosslare. Taking the train down and ferry to fishguard would give you the most time for St David's and the drive to London.

michelhuebeli

For Thursday: Be sure to know how late your lodgings are open for check-in, and how late you'll get something to eat - I think you'll get into St. Davids later than you have calculated.

For my comfort level the last night would be spent much closer to LHR for a noon flight.

janisj

Depending on your airline/terminal you will need to be at LHR between 9 and 10 AM. Bath or Cardiff are too far away.