madforireland

Hello, after years of having the idea simmering on the back burner, we have excitedly booked our trip to UK and Ireland this summer ( huge YAY!!) and would love some input and advice if anyone is willing to share and doesn't mind repeating themselves.

We will be two adults and two teens, (this is a big trip for us! ) we will have 13 nights total in Ireland (coming from London via rail/sail - thank you Tony2phones) arriving late afternoon on let's call it Day 1. I figure two nights in Dublin, and then off to tour around. We will rent a car once we leave Dublin, our route must include Sligo, all else is open, with the final night close to, or in Dublin to catch late morning flight back across the Atlantic. I would love some advice and ideas as I am undecided about a couple of things.
Looks like the west coast with Sligo to the north will be the predominant route.
1) suggested route with highlights?
2) in B&Bs all nights or find a central location and rent a house for a week with additional nights in B&BS ? Is this a good idea, or will it limit us too much?
3) include Northern Ireland or leave it for another visit.
thank you!

madforireland

Forgot to mention, we would like to try and fit in Dingle if at all possible

Tony2phones

"Forgot to mention, we would like to try and fit in Dingle if at all possible"

OK I do not rate the town and don't think the peninsula offers anything unique.. But I would be interested to know the reason for the comment?

Back to the question and my regular quote that you need 14 days to see 3/4 of the coastal route round.

http://goo.gl/maps/WsMPW is a map I did recently for a couple. Sligo could quite easily take the place of Ballina. with 3 extra days you could drive round Dingle for the photos between Ennis and Killarney before heading back to Dublin from there.

madforireland

"Forgot to mention, we would like to try and fit in Dingle if at all possible"

Thank you for the link Tony, we had wanted to get to Connor pass, for the fun of it being my son's name. I don't want to rush like crazy, but I do want to move at a lively pace so the teens don't get restless either. If it's not feasible, we won't push it.

Are there any issues with taking a rental car into NI?

Tony2phones

Sorry can't give you an alternative Connor Pass,, lots of better examples of mountain pass and Famine roads but Connor is labeled on only 1, which lays claim to being the Highest mountain pass in Ireland 390 mtrs.. Dingle likes to make claims whereas Beara being the same size peninsula is less so and does actually have the Priests Leap pass @ 510 mtrs although this is now only a laneway which has not been converted to a R road. The Healey Pass on Beara crossing Cork to Kerry is perhaps the best famine road Pass so if you get chance to come back in the future, one to check out..

The reason for the question was that anything you can see or do on Dingle Peninsula you can see or so elsewhere on the island and I would have given some options.

If its any compensation there are a number of good Pubs carrying the name... one just up the lane from us.

For Sligo http://www.discoversligo.com/?pagid=culture

Tony2phones

Car rental and crossing the Border.. provided you are not renting in one country and dropping in another then there are no repatriation fee's involved. Some rental companies charge extra for insurance risk of breakdown recovery but most do not so not the problem it used to be.

madforireland

Thank you for the Sligo link, we are unsure we can fit Dingle on this trip, maybe if we leave out the north coast of NI. Have more reading to I guess, as I still don't have a feel for the itinerary.

Please do go ahead with those other options if you are willing and able ,

Thanks!

Tony2phones

Done this many times and the only thing Unique to Dingle would be Behive Huts, but then if you want to see a Beehive hut get across to the Skelleg's. Slea Head might be the furthest point west but is a long way from the best tip to a peninsula there are many examples around the island, Beaches and film set locations can be found anywhere and of course a solo Dolphin like the one that comes and goes in Doolin but no comparison to the Schools which can be seen from many points or the Orca migration which can be seen from Malin Head Donegal twice a year.
Of course nowhere else comes with the same amount of Rick Steves endorsement but then anyone who has been to Ireland knows how useful his information is..

End of the day the peninsula is worth seeing when people have time to go and explore. get off piste and see the places that don't get into the guide books.. I am planning to have a night down by Castlegregory with the Camper in Summer but I will be avoiding the western Town's hustle.

For Dingle in miniature have a look at Achill Island which is fairly spectacular, especially when the weather is good.. http://www.achilltourism.com/

I wouldn't swap the North Antrim Coast and Glens for Dingle either http://www.northantrim.com/ definitely a great part of the island.

madforireland

I haven't progressed with my plans since my last post but am determined to plan our route by the time this weekend is over - I could use some help please. My problem is information overload,I have read (and greatly enjoyed) so many posts and travel articles, trip reports, etc....that I am in circles!! Most important thing to us is Sligo for the roots, and some coastal scenery, authentic sites. I like the suggested routes that people were very kind to provide, but tell me does it make better sense to rent a cottage somewhere on the west coast for say one week, and day trip from there, with the remaining 3-4 days at B&BS ? If so, where would be the best place to base ourselves?

Tony2phones

If the key area is Sligo then base yourself around there.. some great coastal scenery and you cant get any more authentic than Carrowmore and the Ciede Fields the contrast from the Slieve League to Downpatrick Head and onto Achill.

Have a couple of nights in Dublin, get the train to Sligo and collect your rental car or hit the ground running collecting your rental at Dublin Airport, do the Northern arc to Sligo then drop the car and train back to Dublin to end the trip?? I prefer the second option personally but it not my holiday.

madforireland

Thank you, do the self catering cottages usually rent week by week?

abram

We spent almost 5 weeks in Ireland last summer, staying mostly in apartments or cottages. Our stays ranged from 1 to 4 nights, so it is not necessary to book for a full week. IIRC, in the West, we rented apartments in Dingle, Galway, and Westport.

Tony2phones

Rental is generally Saturday to Saturday but some do short let's although 4 nights will generally cost the same as 7 .. http://www.imagineireland.com/ is a reliable company that does short let.. There are some places generally attached to Hotels that have self catering apartments on day let but you can usually have a top rate room in the hotel itself for less.

madforireland

Hello again! I have finally made a stab at our itinerary, could you please help fill in the blanks, and/or make suggestions of better routes,
Itinerary
27 Day 1 - arrive in Dublin 5:00 pm ish from Holyhead
28 Day 2 - tour Dublin , see sights , sleep Dublin
29 Day 3 Antrim coast - giants causeway, rope bridge, bushmills distillery - sleep Portrush
30 Day 4 - sleep Portrush?
1 Day 5 Sligo / Mayo
2 day 6 Sligo / Mayo
3 day 7 Sligo / mayo
4 day 8 Galway
5 day 9 Galway
6 day 10 Doolin
7 day 11 Killarney
8 day 12
9 day 13 - sleep Dublin, airport?
10 day 14 noon flight home to Canada

Itallian_Chauffer

You could stay in Killarney on Day 12 and do a daytrip to Dingle -- including Connor Pass.
Day 3 is a bit rushed, but you can cover missed items on Day 4.

We really enjoyed spending a couple of hours in Derry -- The Hop-On/Off bus tour, a walk on the City Walls and a visit to the Diamond.
If you can spot the sign for the turn-off, a brief visit to Grianan of Aileach http://www.megalithicireland.com/Gri...20Aileach.html should prove enlightening -- weather permitting!


A Trip Report from 2007 covering a the North:
http://ireland.activeboard.com/t1282...iscovery-tour/

One from 2012 covering Sligo and Mayo:
http://ireland.activeboard.com/t5151...tirement-tour/

madforireland

Thank you Italian Chauffeur, I really enjoyed those trip reports!!

I have a couple of questions / doubts on my itinerary - how long will it take us to get from Dublin to Portrush? Will we have time to see the sights that day (day 3)?

Does it make sense to spend another night there as well, as I have planned (day 4)

Any really fun or neat accommodations to recommend, thinking of primarily B&BS , maybe one castle stay,
Thanks !!

madforireland

How does this itinerary compare? With the help of T2P previous link, with a few adjustments on my part - does this make more sense than mine above? By make more sense, I mean more interesting

Dublin 1 night
Portrush for 2 nights
Donegal for 1 night
Sligo for 1 night or 2
Clifden for 2 nights
Ennis for 2 nights
Killarney 2 nights or is 1 enough here?
Dublin for 2 nights (a day to visit and tour)

Tony2phones

Personally I would head straight to Belfast out of Dublin for Day/Night 1, its an easy drive these days, saves the back and forth for the hire car and you are 1/4 the way there from the Airport over Dublin anyway. Then there's the baggage in the trunk of the car instead of being dragged around until your accommodation will let you drop it off?

Forget all that, your coming Rail and sail to Dublin Port Stena.. I will leave it there for those reading who might be flying.. You could still head up to Belfast but as you don't get in until tea time night 1 Dublin makes sense.

madforireland

Tony, may I ask where the pub named Connor is?

Tony2phones

About 300 yards up the lane on the other side, can't miss it there's only the school and another house between here and there.

Which Connors O'Connors.. There's a good one we use in Killarney,
for Sligo http://www.sligoheritage.com/archOConnor.htm