Hi! Thanks for all the good Ireland tips out there - they've been helpful. Specific questions, though... Have 6/7 days to spend in Ireland. Would like to spend a lot of time walking or cycling...and have to stay in hostels (as opposed to b&amp;b's or hotels) due to limited budget. That being said, would like to walk the Burren Way from either Ballyvaughn or Fanore (sp?) down to Liscannor. Would like to stay 2 nights in Doolin. Is this a viable trip? Can I explore Hag's Head from Doolin, either via bus or cycle, and then return to Doolin for another night? <BR><BR>Would also like to do Dingle Peninsula, though haven't gotten very far with that...any tips? Can I cycle the long route around the peninsula - rent a bike somewhere? <BR>Guessing a day may be taken up just by getting from Doolin down to Tralee? Via bus? <BR>Are both of these walks/trails safe for a woman to walk alone? <BR><BR>Thanks in advance!!

DK,<BR><BR>My husband and I love hiking and usually organize our trips to make sure we get some nice hikes in - prefer circular hikes, at least 3-5 hours on the trail. We also take in the sights but really love the hiking part of our trips.<BR><BR>That said, we found Ireland to be a difficult place to hike. The trails are not that clear and it is easy to get lost, which can be fun sometimes, sometimes not. Another problem was that without clear trails, you are often walking thru boggy turf - squishing and pulling your feet out of mud. I just wanted to mention this to you because it came as a surprise and a bit of a disappointment to us. <BR><BR>However, there are nice hikes to be found - you just have to work at it a bit. There are trails such as the Burren Way, the Ring of Kerry, the Ring of Beara, I forgot the name of the main trail in Galway. These can be very nice trails but you need to plan transportation - they are linear, one way type of trails. You definitely need a car.<BR><BR>We spent a lovely day in the Dingle peninsula and wish we could have stayed longer. The bicycle ride around Dingle was very very nice. We rented in town -very easy. The bike ride doesn't take as long as you think it is going to. The second half of the ride distance-wise takes half as long time-wise. So take your time and see the sights along the way. Don't rush.<BR><BR>Another great hike was between Killarney and Kenmare. We were staying in an apt in Kenmare and the owner recommended taking a taxi to the beginning of the hike and walking back to Kenmare. It was lovely - nice varied trails with nice views. Good signage. I can't remember the name of the starting point exactly, but it is the waterfall that is near Killarney on the road to Kenmare. You walk from the waterfall back to Kenmare. About 4 hours with stops for pictures.<BR><BR>As for a woman walking alone, I wouldn't be worried about the woman part just the alone part. The paths just aren't very good if they exist at all in some places. Maybe that doesn't bother you, but it would bother me. Especially since there really are few if any people on these &quot;trails&quot; (for obviious reasons). The Burren hike was especially unnerving - barren, trail disappears once you hit the rocks, few markings, no one in sight. And when we were there, somewhat foggy. If I went again, I would definitely take one of the guided hikes in the Burren even though we prefer to be on our own.<BR><BR>I hope I haven't been too discouraging. Ireland is lovely, but don't expect the kind of wonderful trails that you find all over Britain or Switzerland.

Any experience with hiking along the Beara Way?. There's supposed to be an excellent stretch bet. Allhies and Eyeries.

We hiked a short piece of the Beara Way around Lough Inchiquin. Part of the path was nice with good views, then it almost completely disappeared - when we picked it up again after walking a mile or so we felt like hiking geniuses. Way-finding was always challenging wherever we hiked in Ireland. But other parts of the Beara Way might be marked more clearly.<BR><BR>I can certainly tell you that we were the only ones on the Beara Way path. You will find this hiking to be very peaceful.<BR><BR>I can recommend a very short but lovely walk around the waterfall at the end of Glen Inchiquin Road. We had to pay a small fee to the people who obviously keep the path in good shape, which didn't bother us a bit. We wish there were more people taking care of the rest of the paths. Anyway, the circular hike is fairly short (around an hour)but really quite nice - worth the drive.<BR><BR>You know what would be a great idea? If someone would start a shuttle service out of Kenmare just running buses around the Beara and Kerry peninsulas - that way you could start a hike, walk as far along the route as you want and then pick up the bus to drive you back. As it is, you will find it a bit tricky hiking without two cars. Very very few circular routes.<BR><BR>And I would recommend shoes that are good for boggy muddy hikes. For any hiking in Ireland.

When are you planning on being in Ireland?

Janebell: Thanks for the advice on the Beara Way. P I'm heading to Ireland from Baltimore in mid-April w/ my daughter and will head to Beara P. while spending little time in Kerry P.

DK, if you're traveling by yourself, you may find some B&amp;Bs that are just as inexpensive as hostels, since you pay per person at a B&amp;B, not per room. And you get that lovely big breakfast.<BR><BR>I've hiked the Wicklow Way, which was well marked, except in parts of the Wicklow Mountains, where we got horribly lost in the middle of a snow/sleet/rain storm in June because of missplaced trail signs. But if you have an Ordance Survey map of your hike, you should be able to stick to the trail without too much trouble.

DK,<BR><BR>By all means, try to reserve time for a bike ride around the Dingle Peninsula's Slea Head. This can be a memorable day trip, especially if the weather gods are on your side.<BR><BR>Renting wheels is a cinch. There's Foxy John's Bike Hire, located at the corner of Main and Green Streets.<BR><BR>As an added treat, you might consider getting an early start on the day by biking around a portion of Slea Head, and then locking your bike at the pier just south of Dunquin, for a ferry ride out to the Great Blasket Island. The island has a fascinating history and makes for memorable walks and splendid views back to the Irish mainland. Check out www.blasketferies.com<BR><BR>Best of luck.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>< BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>