Linblue

I will spend 7 days in Ireland the end of August. I have booked 3 of these days in Dublin, and 4 in County Wicklow. I chose County Wicklow because it is my ancestoral area and we have found the most amazing hotel that is a highlight of our entire trip.

We are planning on hiring a car the 3rd day in Dublin to drive down to Wicklow. From Wicklow, we hope to do day trips around the south and West, until our last day when we will drive back to Dublin, return the car at the airport, and fly out.

I need to query if our plan to drive about during our 4 days in Wicklow is reasonable, and how far we can reasonably anticipate traveling each day before returning to home base. I've just discovered my plans to drive around England (the next leg of our trip) are questionable and to a large extent impractical. Am I making the same mistake in Ireland by underestimating the time needed to get around by car? Our aim is to see castles and historical sites within reach.

any advice?

longhorn55

Trying to cover too much ground in too little time seems to be a problem for most people planning a trip to Ireland. Before I planned the first of our 2 driving trips to Ireland, I learned about the AA Route Planner and it was an invaluable resource. It helped me realize how long driving times are in Ireland, especially compared to those in the U.S.

When using this tool, I was advised to add about 20% to the given driving times to make them more realistic. That was excellent advice which we found to be true.

http://www2.aaireland.ie/routes_beta/

chevre

Driving in Ireland was much easier than I anticpated. I had never driven in Europe and really it was fine. We picked up our car at the Dublin airport and went from there. Though I don't think I would have liked driving around Dublin it was easy in and out of the airport.

Though we had a GPS the Ordinance map was what I relied on. You can buy one at a book shop in Dublin. It's important to get the latest edition for any road updates. Also...the above poster is correct, it just takes longer to get places and you must factor that in. While there are a few highways, you'll want to take the smaller roads and these are slower going. The roads are very narrow, even the main ones. If I had it to do over I would have rented an economy car for the size would have been better on those narrow roads. We had the next grade up and while fine, the smaller car would have been easier to manage.

Cowboy1968

I would not overdo it.
You have 4 days in Co. Wicklow, and that simply leaves not much time for extensive day trips to the South or West.
Not so much because you had to cope with demanding roads. Any long-distance travel from Co. Wicklow will probably route you via the motorway network or via N11 along the coast for a good part of your trips anyway.
But you will still waste a huge amount of the day going to and back from places.

There is so much to see on your doorstep, for example:

- Wicklow Mtns and Glendalough
- Powerscourt House & Gardens
- Altamont House and Park, and the Garden route in neighboring Co. Cavan anyway
- Kilkenny, and nearby Jerpoint abbey and Dunmore cave
- the sunny SE coast between Wicklow and Waterford

All of the above would make much better than the West or South - which I translate into destination like the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, West Cork coast, Kinsale, Kenmare, the rings of Kerry/Beara etc., Killarney - correct me if you mean somewhere else.

As you like castles and historical places, you should take a look at www.heritageireland.ie
You find the sites group by regions, and you will be amazed what you can see within a 0-50 kms radius of your accomodation, or withing 1/2 - 1 hour drive time.
Then you would have the time to just go from one site in the region to the next, time for a walk around villages or do a short trail, etc.

And don't need to spend 2-3 hours per direction in the car, to have just 2-3 hours at your destination before you need to drive back. Not even calculating the price of gas which has gone up dramatically during the last 5 years.

Linblue

I am relieved to have asked now, and not botched the trip when we get there! We are staying at the Carlton Ritz Powerscourt Hotel and the Powerscourt house is number 1 on my to do list. Incredible properties (even if the hotel isn't ancient). We are really excited to stay there. Way out of our usual price range, but we thought we'd bite the bullet for those 4 days 'cause we'll never have the chance again.

I've had a preliminary look at the site attached by Cowboy1968 and understand what you mean by "within a half hour drive". There is enough to do and see in the South East and area below Dublin to keep us busy until Christmas!! That's decided it for me. We'll explore our surrounds and go no further.

And to think, I had a pie in the sky idea of possibly even making our way as far up as Longford!

The tip about car size has also caught me by surprise. I was thinking of hiring a mid to largish size sedan (through Hertz, seems best price?) but will reconsider that too after Chevre's experience.

This forum is really valuable. Thank you all for helping me plan and make the most of our trip. Your knowledge and tips are appreciated.

Padraig

I endorse Cowboy1968's contribution, with the cautionary note that the better-known Altamont House is on the other side of the country. You can add Russborough House, near Blessington, well worth a couple of hours: http://www.heritageisland.com/attrac...borough-house/. If you have any interest in Irish history, you can also visit Avondale, the home of Charles Stuart Parnell (it's mildly interesting even if you don't care about the historical connections): http://www.heritageisland.com/attrac...e-forest-park/.

Wicklow Gaol is also worth seeing: http://www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com/.

But what I like most about Wicklow (and it is one of my favourite parts of Ireland) is the mountain scenery. It's simply beautiful.

Cowboy1968

Thanks for the remark, Padraig.

What I meant was Altamont in Co. Carlow (not Cavan!), on the western edge of Wicklow mountains.
It's part of the Carlow garden trail, which got its own website with all the attractions and waypoints (and is well signposted along the roads of the county)
http://www.carlowgardentrail.com/

The county's TI website also offers a wealth of inspirations for day trips, walks & hikes, etc.
http://www.carlowtourism.com/

For each of the "Top 10" sights scattered all over Ireland with tourist buses lined up in high season, you will find 100 sights of equal interest and beauty that you will share with only a handful of other visitors.

Linblue

Irish history, culture, music, tradition etc. All of great interest to us! Although we are Australian from my generation onwards, and my mother's life in Ireland is now a lifetime ago, I grew up hearing stories about where they lived, the great famine, social norms, the "little people" my grandparents swore they saw, and all manner of things my adult children and I want to experience as heritage. Fortunately, my mother still remembers enough detail to start our search in County Wicklow.

I recently discovered I am an Irish citizen by parentage! I had no idea and feel incredibly privileged to be connected to the "Old Country".

Tourist thick locations are off our list. We want to see & understand the past and experience the present. And maybe bring my Mother back some of the beautiful woven clothes/fabrics, she still talks about with nostalgia.

Padraig

What part of Wicklow is ancestral for you?

Shopping possibility: http://www.avoca.ie/home/explore/our-company/history/

Linblue

My family lived on Church street Wicklow. We also have connections to Longford, (dairy farmers) but i dont have a location for the Longford arm of the family. My mum only remembers skipping down rural lanes with edible berries! We will try our luck with family names as a reference point. I'm planning on researching birth death & marriage records in Ireland before we go, which I believe are comprehensive & acessible online?

Padraig

There is a good deal of Irish genealogical stuff to be found online, provided you are not trying to get too far back in time. You can start here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1288

jaja

There's also the famine ship in Dunbrody.

jaja

Oops. Famine ship is the Dunbrody, anchored in New Ross. I should never work from memory.