njsusan

We will be taking this trip on A Saturday in mid June.This will be our first full day in Ireland,and we will only be spending one night in Kinsale.
Leaving Cashel after breakfast and stopping in Caher to see the castle.Should we drive the scenic route,The Vee ,to Cobh and use the ferry then on to Kinsale?Or use N8 to Cork then Kinsale, looks to be quicker.
Will driving The Vee route give us enough time in Kinsale?We would like to see the forts,Maybe Desmond Castle and the town.
Susan

Budman

Here's an excellent tool for trip planning/routes/times. I would add a little time onto their estimates.

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/

wojazz3

Hi Susan. The N8 will definitely be faster. I did pretty much the same thing a couple of years ago starting in Caher but I believe I saw the castle the night before. We took the Vee drive and then made it even more confusing and took a little road along the Blackwater River. It involved a bit of getting lost, an embarrassing pronounciation of the town Youghal and quite a few stops. We spent a pretty good part of the day doing this, but it could have been done more quickly and the road along the river was very slow. You could take a quicker road at Lismore that is more direct. The upside is that Lismore has public toilets that were voted the tidiest in 2002 I believe. You certainly wouldn't want to miss that.

Here is a link to a web page were I cover briefly my trip through that area. You could always do the fort the following morning.

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ire...03/kinsale.htm

Bill

chip

As I recall the road from kinsale to cashel via cahir was one of our easiest drives.

we went from kinsale to cashel with a stop at cahir and the swiss cottage and we had time to enjoy the rock of cashel and then out for the evening at the bru boru center show.

we visited cobh from kinsale via blarney and jameson whiskey tour (I think we did the scenic route?)rand used the ferry on the way back...a little confusing/tiring (but we did do the whiskey tour!), could do, just depends on how much of a challenge you want and how much you want to enjoy kinsale.

Cobh and Kinsale have some curvey, steep, and narrow roads...wouldn't want to push it on your first full day of driving.

really enjoyed cahir, swiss cottage, and charles fort...cobh was ok...the chuch in cobh is nice

since you are only staying one night...the easier drive would be better, especially if you have a lot of driving the next day!

njsusan

Thanks Budman ,I did use the trip planner but they don't seem to use the ferry as part of the route.
In your trip report didn't you use the ferry fronm Kinsale to Cobh?Do you remember the time it took.
Bill ,So drive the vee to Lismore then N72 to either N8 or the rural R627 would work.I think we will make the choice that day depending on weather ect.I saw your quote in fodors 2006.
Susan

njsusan

Chip thanks for your trip info.We are heading to Kenmare for 2 nights after Kinsale,but not taking the coastal route.So that day won't be to bad.
Susan

Itallian_Chauffer

We visit in Watergrasshill every year. It's on the N8, half way between Cork City and Fermoy. Wenever we head west from Watergrasshill, we always take the tunnel. To me it seems more intuitive and more straight-foreward a route. If you are visiting Cobh (COVE), enroute, the Ferry MIGHT be a better option.
Touring Cahir, driving the Vee, touring the Museum and Cathedral in Cobh and then driving into Kinsale will make a full day, but a pleasant one and it will not be truely dark until nearly 11 PM in June, so you'll have lots of daylight for touring.

Bob

njsusan

Hi Bob
I see Watergrasshill on the map,so are you saying drive the vee to Lismore then N72to N8?From there the tunnel(in Cork?) to N22 to N71 to R 605 to Kinsale - Or N22 to N27 /R600 to Kinsale?
We did not have plans to stop in Cobh just pass through it in our route.
Susan

Itallian_Chauffer

Actually, no. If I was driving the Vee into Lismore, I think I would continue on, into Dungarven, or Youghal (YAWL -- quite picturesque and worth a drive through), and then drive on to Midelton (Jameson's). The Museum in Cobh IS worth a visit. We find some of the exibits quite moving, actually.
Since the bypass around Fermoy is probably still not done, the traffic there on a Sat in June might be moving pretty slow.
Ultimately, it comes down to what YOU want to see and do. Just remember, 'When God made time, He made plenty of it', particularly during an bright, Irish June.
Bob

wojazz3

Hi Susan:

From Lismore (which is a cute little town), you could take the N72 into Fermoy or the slightly more rural 628 back to the N8. Either way would work fine.

If you're not going to town of Cobh, there is no reason to head there to take the ferry. It's quite confusing comeing off the boat and you might as well take the main road.

One question: My quote in Fodors 2006? Have I been published?

Bill

njsusan

Hi Bill
I like the N72 to N8 route,it seems to have both scenic and faster roads(if that is possible in Ireland).

Yes you are published in the start of the southeast section
"The Rock of Cashel is a spectacular ruin and is one of the most important religious sites in Ireland.Its position overlooking the plains is quite amazing."
-wojazz
I think they should send you a free copy!
Alot of other regulars also Greendragon,irisheyes,and SiobhanP.
Susan

boB10861

Michelin also provides an excellent on-line route planning tool:

http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichel...ontroller/Maps

boB