Hello:
My son and I will be travelling from Edinburgh to Dublin in February. We would much rather go by land/sea than by air. Is there an easy way to do this? Where is a good place to research it online?

Thanks.

Train to Largs; Seacat to Belfast; train to Dublin

Sheila gave you one land/sea option (another would be from Stranraer to Belfast). But neither one is easy - especially in winter. I would not want to take a seacat or ferry in the winter and the whole trip would take an entire day.

Flying may not be your preference - but a less than 1 hour flight would be much easier than a loooooong day for the land/sea/land choices.

Sheila,

You're getting confused - it's Troon to Belfast! You can only go to Cumbrae from Largs.

Designwright
See below for the link to Seacat's site - I have a feeling they don't operate in winter from Troon but I may be wrong.
This journey will take all day if you don't want to fly, whatever land/sea route you choose and the sea crossing can be rough.

www.seacat.co.uk/SeaCat/timetables/index.htm

If you're just looking for a chance to see as much landcape as possible in the British Isles, why not fly from Glasgow Prestwick (close to Troon, and accessible by train) to Belfast. Or take a train from Edinburgh to Blackpool and then fly to Ireland.

For what it's worth, I'd rate the Belfast-Dublin land journey one of the dullest in the islands. It's particularly dismal on a darkening wintry day with horizontal drizzle.

If, OTOH, you're enough of a masochist to relish the Irish Sea in February, www.ferrybooker.co.uk gives most of the routes available. I'd say the Scotland-Northern Ireland routes are the most scenic, though you're likely to be more concerned with your personal wellbeing at that time of the year. Though, in fairness, on a dryish, stillish, cold sunny day it can be glorious

FlannerUK's suggestion of flying from Prestwick is worth considering.

Another minor correction is required however - Ryanair fly from there to Dublin, not Belfast. No need to go to Blackpool!

Easy Jet to Belfast is another option.
I would fly as well. The ease and cost is to good to pass up.

Apart from my minor (oops) issue about not knowing the difference between Trron and Largs, I think if you really want to go by land that's the way. The rail links are easy. I can do nothing about the scenery God created.
If you were driving the answer would be Stranraer to Larne. But it's a very long dog leg of a train journety from Edinburgh.

My excuse for mixing up the two belles of the Costa Clyde is that I've been reading a book called "Away with the Ferries" about the Caledonian Macbrayne routes, which features Largs a lot.

You can fly Ryanair or Easyjet to Dublin direct from Edinburgh. In fact....

Sheila

in fact.... there's also Aer Lingus who seem to be doing cheap fares as well.
By the way is the book your reading as good as the 'Para Handy' tales by Neil Munro?

We used Ryan Air direct from Edinburgh Airport to Dublin Airport this time last year for a great cost of around 20 pounds as I recall. Do they no longer server Dublin direct from Edinburgh? If so then this is the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way I think.

Your input is so very helpful. We've decided to fly, unfortunately. Given the fact that it will be February, I'm concerned about the weather. We allocated a full day to get from Edinburgh to Dublin, but if the weather gets dicey, we'll be in trouble. We're visiting universities and can't risk an overnight if we get stuck. Thanks all!

It is a one hour flight so all day should be adequate for the trip I would say.