tidy

I am just beginning to planet rip to Ireland. I thought we might include Scotland but am having second thoughts about that now. We will have 4 to 4 and a half weeks. I thought we'd do 3 weeks in Ireland and remaining time in Scotland. I usually begin my planning with Rick Steve's and Fodorite's input. I know many of you do not like Steve's because it is too rushed but I can adjust his time frame as I so desire. His 3 weeks includes:
Dublin 2 days
Kilkenny- 2 nights with a trip to Cashel
Waterford- 2 nights with time in Waterford and Wexford
Kinsale- 2 nights with time to visit Cobh and Kinsale
Kenmare- 1 night,time for Muckross house and farms
Dingle -3 nights, a day for ring of Kerry, a day for dingle peninsula loop and a day for Blaskets
Galway-1 night, time for Cliffs of Moher, the Burren
Aran Island- 1 night
Westport-1 night, drive through Connemara
Derry- 1 night,drive to Northern Ireland
Portrush-2 nights, explore Derry and Antrim coast
Belfast-1night

I am thinking we will not do the 2 nights in Waterford. Also there will be 4 adults traveling I late May and early June,is it necessary to have accommodations booked ahed or can we make themes we go?
Please give input on the above itinerary and if we need to book ahead. Thanks much,

Tony2phones

Some don't like St Rick's stuff because its opinionated and inaccurate.
2 nights Waterford will be spent doing? 2 nights Kinsale?? nice to visit for a couple of hours but then what. 3 nights Dingle!! and use one of those days to drive 200 miles. The Blaskets are weather dependant but late May you should be ok. More time in Kenmare/Killarney would let you see Beara perhaps and do the ring without wasting €50 in fuel. have a night in Clare between Dingle and the Cliffs and that does not mean Doolin, Kinvara perhaps just over the Galway border or if the dates fit Ennis and catch the Fledh Nua. Why rush between Inis Mor and Portrush there is 25% of the island in that one night allocated. no point in staying in Derry if you have 2 nights in Portrush (Avarest guest house?)

I think you should sit down with a map and route planner and work out the logistics of what to fit in where rather than backtracking. Consider multi nights in Touring Bases rather than isolated spots. The Cliffs and Burren "Eco Park" covers twice the area of Dingle and thats without the rest of Clare, The Connemara is four times the area.

Assuming you are renting a car in Dublin I would return the car to Dublin dropping in Belfast will incur multi country repatriation fees.

janisj

>> I know many of you do not like Steve's because it is too rushed but I can adjust his time frame as I so desire<<

Has nothing to do with pace/rushing. RS is good to very good for a lot of places but IMO his advice for just about anywhere in the British Isles is weak.

tidy

Tony2 phones, Steve's had 1 day I a assuming to get there and explore and the the 2nd day to explore Wexford but as I said I will probably not do that area. I believe 2 days in Kinsale was to get there and I assume to explore Cork, Cobn and Kinsale itself. sounds like maybe you do not this that is an area of interest??? the 3 days in Dingle ws one to do the Dingle Peninsula and one the ring of Kerry. Is it worthwhile to do both of those or are they similar??? what is Fled Nua?? I see whT you meAn about Derry. where do you feel I am back tracking??

historytraveler

Agree that Steve's itineraries are great for much of Europe; however, he's just not that good with the British Isles. Personally I think his three week itinerary,which you posted,is rubbish

Tony2phones

The Fledh is more or less the start of the Traditional and cultural festival season http://www.fleadhnua.com/
St Rick will send you to places He likes and have you avoid places he doesn't.

I generally recommend the counter clockwise route which would have you heading to Belfast direct from arrival with a hire car. Night one in Belfast gives chance for the Black cab and Tittanic links. stay Premier Inn.
Day 2 Antrim, the causeway coast, Bushmills day3 Derry both with Portrush as a base. stay Avarest.
Day 4 cross by the Foyle Ferry and drop via Letterkenny to Donegal stay just north at Drumcorry farm.
Day 5 Slieve league cliffs maybe Beleek pottery and Carrowmore megalithic cemetery staying over in Ballina (couple of options)
Day 6 North Mayo coast and Achill island (land bridged) or just down to Clifden via Westport. Dun Ri guest house 2 nights
Day 7 Connemara stay Clifden
Day 8 Galway or Inis Mor night in Galway (Prague House (Salthill)
Day 9 Burren and Cliffs to Ennis, Grey Gables/ Old Ground/Temple Gate.
Day 10 either Bunratty and Adare or Loop Head ending in Dingle
Day 11 Dingle peninsula ending in Killarney or Kenmare.
Day 12 take a coach tour of the ring same as last night
Day 13 Cork see Kinsale cross the ferry into Cobh end in the city or stay in Cobh
Day 14 Blarney (forget St Rick) worth it for the grounds snogging the Rock is optional
Now the night.. either Waterford or Cashel
day 15 Kilkenny
day 16 return the rental and Dublin until the day you head for Scotland either flying from Dublin or Coach and sail with Stena Line via Belfast to Glasgow/Edinburgh.

All reversible and all just suggestions.

tidy

Thank you much. I think it may still be better to end at Belfast so that we can take the ferry to Scotland if we decide to do Scotland. So, do you think we need to make reservations ahead for accomodations?

Tony2phones

Late May you should be ok even Ennis with the Fledh will not get booked heavily until possibly St Pats don't think there are any other festivals that might clash.
You can get the coach in Dublin to go to Scotland http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/travel...ast-cairnryan/ That extra hour and a bit will save a lump on Car hire repatriation fees

tidy

Again thank you. I am really late on getting flights and finding them a bit pricey. We live in Colorado and were impacted by the flood and had a daughter get married so really late on planning.yikes . Any suggestions on Scotland highlights.

Tony2phones

Stirling Castle and the Wallace memorial. Spey Valley http://www.highlandcampervans.com/tr...ner/routes.htm, Edinburgh of course.

There are a lot of options as there are in Ireland possibly best to ask this as a separate question and look through some of the Trip advisor Scottland forum at itineraries on there.

tidy

It is feeling like Ireland and Scotland is too much for 4 weeks. Possibly we will take the boat instead for only a 4-5 days to wales. Is it going to be possible to pick up a cR when we come across to HolyheAd? I am going to post this separately as well.

historytraveler

Yes, there are car rental places in Holyhead.

Tony2phones

Rental at Holyhead will be very limited it is expected that people will be travelling with their own car or using the rail link for onward travel. I think there is only Hertz and maybe Practical (mainly van hire) who serve the port.