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Ireland/Scotland Trip: Itinerary Help Needed

Ireland/Scotland Trip: Itinerary Help Needed

Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:06 AM
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Ireland/Scotland Trip: Itinerary Help Needed

As a college graduation gift to myself, I have decided to embark on my first solo trip to Ireland and Scotland. I am doing in the trip in 18 days (2 travel days) in early May 2017 all by public transportation. I am very against renting a car because I will not be able to split the driving with anyone, stress of driving in a foreign country, rental cost, gas cost, and parking cost. My last three trips to Europe (England, France, Italy, Germany, Czech Rep.) I have all done by public transportation and do not mind sticking to a strict schedule. All the train/bus times on my itinerary are accurate (pulled from current timetables). I know my schedule is very full, but I am used to being on the go and traveling constantly, and want to see a lot. Also I want a full day after flying, that way I adjust to the time difference, it's what I've done my last three trips to Europe and works great for me. I have some early mornings which I don't mind because I'm not planning on staying out late (being a woman traveling alone in a foreign country). I know some may say I'm not spending enough time in cities, but the cities don't hold a ton of appeal for me. I'm interested in scenery, wildlife, history, and adventure. I do include some group day tours, just to give myself a break from constant planning, but I definitely do NOT want to do a group tour for the entire trip. Suggestions would appreciated!

Ashley’s Irish and Scottish Adventure:
Day 1: Travel Day
• Depart Chicago O’hare Airport
Day 2: Arrival & Doolin
• Morning: Arrive in Shannon, Ireland, eat lunch
• 1:45pm: Depart for Doolin by bus
• 3:30pm: Arrive in Doolin
• 4:30pm: Arrive at hotel and check-in
• 5:00pm: Depart for Cliffs of Moher by bike rental
• 8:00pm: Dinner
• 9:00pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 3: Cliffs of Moher and Burren
• 10:00am: Wild Burren Kayak Tour
• 2:00pm: Return to Doolin, lunch, and relax
• 5:15pm: Cliffs of Moher Ferry Tour
• 6:15pm: Return from tour
• 6:30pm: Dinner
• 8:00pm: Return to hotel
Day 4: Travel & Dublin
• 7:45am: Arrive at bus stop
• 8:35am: Depart for Galway
• 10:30am: Arrive in Galway
• 12:00pm: Depart by train for Dublin
• 3:00pm: Arrive in Dublin, check into hotel
• 4:00pm: Guinness Storehouse Tour (1.5 hours)
• 6:00pm: Dinner
• 8:00pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 5: Kilkenny Day Tour
• 8:45am: Depart for Kilkenny Day Tour (Collins Day Tours)
o Glendalough
o Kilkenny Castle
• 6:00pm: Arrive Back in Dublin
• 7:00pm: Dinner
• 8:30pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 6: Boyne Valley Tour
• 7:00am: Depart for Suffolk Street (Tour Pick-Up)
• 8:00am: Celtic Boyne Valley Tour
o Loughcrew
o Trim Castle
o Hill of Tara
o Monasterboice
o Drogheda
• 6:00pm: Arrive in Dublin
• 6:30pm: Dinner
• 8:00pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 7: Dublin Sightseeing
• 8 am: Leave for Irish National Stud
• 9 am: Irish National Stud (1.5 hours)
• 12:30pm: Return to Dublin, eat lunch
• 1:30pm: Kilmainham Gaol (1.5 hours)
• 3:00pm: Return to hotel, collect bags, head to train station
• 4:15pm: Depart for Belfast
• 7:05pm: Arrive in Belfast, dinner
• 8:30pm: Check into hotel
Day 8: Giants Causeway Day Tour
• 9:30am: GIANTS CAUSEWAY & ANTRIM COAST TOUR FROM BELFAST
o Bushmills Whiskey Distillery
o Dunluce Castle
o Giants Causeway
o Carnlough
• 6:00pm: Return to Belfast
• 7:00pm: Dinner
• 8:00pm: Return to hotel
Day 9: Belfast & Travel to Scotland
• 9:00am: Titanic Belfast Museum (2.5 hours)
• 12:00pm: Lunch and collect bags, wait for ferry
• 3:30pm: Depart for Cairnryan
• 5:55pm: Arrive in Cairnryan
• 6:15pm: Depart for Edinburgh by bus, dinner
• 9:45pm: Arrive in Edinburgh
• 10:30pm: Check-in to hotel
Day 10: Edinburgh
• 9:30am: Edinburgh Castle (3 hours)
• 12:30pm: Lunch
• 1:30pm: National Museum of Scotland (3 hours)
• 4:30pm: Royal Miles, Arthur’s Seat (3 hours)
• 7:30pm: Dinner
• 9:00pm: Return to hotel
Day 11: Aberdeen
• 5:30am: Leave for bus station
• 6:15am: Depart for Aberdeen
• 9:10am: Arrive in Aberdeen
• 10:00am: Check into hotel, drop bags
• 11:00am: Train to Stonehaven
• 11:20am: Dunnottar Castle (2 hours), lunch
• 2:30pm: Train to Aberdeen
• 3:00pm: Aberdeen Maritime Museum (2 hours)
• 5:30pm: Dinner, walk and explore
• 8:30pm: Return to hotel
Day 12: Inverness
• 6:30am: Arrive at train station
• 7:15am: Depart for Inverness
• 9:35am: Arrive in Inverness
• 10:30am: Check into hotel, drop bags
• 11:00am: Travel to Clansman Harbor, lunch
• 1:00pm: Jacobite Cruise (2 hours)
o Loch Ness
o Urquhart Castle
• 3:00pm: Travel to Inverness by bus
• 4:00pm: Rent bike and ride to Culloden Battlefield
• 5:00pm: Arrive at Culloden Battlefield (2 hours)
• 7:00pm: Leave for Inverness
• 8:00pm: Arrive in Inverness and dinner
• 9:30pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 13: Fort William
• 8:00am: Arrive at bus station
• 8:45am: Depart for Fort William
• 10:45am: Arrive in Fort William
• 11:00am: Bus to Kinlochleven
• 11:30am: Arrive at hotel, check in, drop bags, lunch
• 1:00pm: Bus to Glencoe
• 1:30pm: Glencoe, Lost Valley Walk (4.5 hours)
• 6:00pm: Travel back to Kinlocheven
• 6:30pm: Dinner
• 8:00pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 14: Jacobite Steam Train
• 8:30am: Travel to Fort William by bus
• 9:00am: Arrive in Fort William, walk to train station
• 10:15am: Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig
• 4:00pm: Arrive back in Fort William
• 5:00pm: Dinner
• 7:30pm: Arrive back hotel
Day 15: Travel to Isle of Skye
• 8:45am: Arrive at Glencoe bus station
• 9:30am: Depart for Portree (Isle of Skye)
• 1:15pm: Arrive in Portree
• 1:30pm: Check-in to hotel (Cruinn Bheinn), drop bags, lunch
• 3:00pm: Explore Portree and Portree Harbour
• 7:00pm: Dinner
• 8:30pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 16: Isle of Skye Bus Tour
• 8:45am: Leave for Somerland Square
• 9:30am: Skye Bus Tour Departs
o Fairy Glen
o Kilt Rock
o Fairy Pools
o Quiraing
o Neist Point
o Dunvegan Castle or Neist Point Lighthouse
o Old Man of Storr
o Cuillin Mountains
• 7:00pm: Arrive back in Portree, dinner
• 8:30pm: Arrive back at hotel
Day 17: Travel to Glasgow
• 7:00am: Arrive at bus station
• 7:45am: Depart for Glasgow by bus
• 2:00pm: Arrive in Glasgow, lunch
• 3:00pm: Check into hotel
• 3:30pm: Kelvingrove Art Gallery (1.5 hours)
• 5:00pm: Dinner
• 6:30: Return back to my hotel
Day 18:
• Return Flight to Chicago
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:20 AM
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As answered elsewhere. The plan is fine and well considered to suit you and your needs... But fine scheduling will not work in Scotland and won't get a look in in Ireland.
Its fine if you can be flexible on your timings.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:24 AM
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Where would breakdown in scheduling be? I overestimated on all my times, to give myself leeway in case I needed it.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:30 AM
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I won't try to dissect every day since you say your travel times are accurate (this regimented would be crazy making for me but you say that's what you enjoy)

But I will comment on day 9 . . . Belfast to EDI is a fast/cheap/easy flight. You could be in enjoying Edinburgh before your ferry ever hit land. That is a long slog. You have vert little time in Edinburgh and squeezing in an extra half day would be very worthwhile IMO.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:33 AM
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Didin't see the previous two posts . .

>>Where would breakdown in scheduling be?anywhere. You are talking very rural areas and things happen. Buses don't always run to strict timetables. A herd of sheep in the road or an accident and your whole day could be shot.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 10:52 AM
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I do like the idea of flying Belfast to Edinburgh. I'll definitely look into it.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 11:00 AM
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I understand where you're coming from with my tight schedule. However, I planned my itinerary so that in the event of a delay I won't miss anything I've paid a large sum for (day tours). Before all my day tours, I insure I am in my location the day before. Also in the event of delays, my day wouldn't be shot, I would simply cut out the scheduled event I was least excited for. Trust me I didn't make all these plans, and not have contingency plans in mind as well.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 12:00 PM
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It reads like a well thought out itinerary to me. You may need to check with hotels that you can check in early and drop off your bags. Places like Travelodge have a 3pm check in and Premier Inn have a 2pm check in. It is possible to pay extra to check in from 12 o'clock.
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 12:05 PM
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I'm really not concerned about checking in early, just mostly about dropping my bags so I don't have to lug them around. Do you think most hotels would be accommodating of this, if I gave them prior notice?
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 12:23 PM
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>>I'm really not concerned about checking in early, just mostly about dropping my bags so I don't have to lug them around. Do you think most hotels would be accommodating of this, if I gave them prior notice?
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 12:46 PM
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What is being offered is a little general information on being flexible on times. Unless I am being paid for planning I generally don't look at bus and train schedules so like others who read the itinerary have no idea how much flex an itinerary that reads like a military manoeuvre has factored in.

What I can see is the set timing and the constant "Diner~Return to Hotel" evenings which makes the whole thing look like its copied from a combination of tour schedules with no sit and chat to the locals time factored.

These things are not criticisms and shouldn't be taken as such
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Old Nov 17th, 2015, 01:05 PM
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I'm sorry for not being specific on my flexibility on times in the evenings. Those times are very much an estimate. I plan to give myself plenty of time to eat and enjoy the area if I wish. However, I don't want to be wondering around at all hours of the night due to safety reasons and I need a good night sleep to keep on pace. The schedule was more of an approximation to myself, to insure I wasn't returning to my hotel at 1am and then had to be up at 5am.
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 04:37 AM
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a question please. Your Aberdeen day- what made you pick those two things?
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 05:58 AM
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" I don't want to be wondering around at all hours of the night due to safety reasons"

I don't see any obvious safety issues in your itin.

Two things to just check
1) Are you able to return the bike while the store is open?
2) One of the nicer things about being in Ireland is the crak and the music in the bars. While scheduling it in would be against the spirit of well, ... of ireland.. you should try to do what you can

You do understand that "mañana" is a spanish word that brings a sense of urgency to Irish ears.
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