Ireland/Northern Ireland:Coastal Beauty
 

I am trying to finalize our itinerary for a trip this summer. From my research so far, it seems that the coast of Northern Ireland and Donegal (Malin Head, Slieve's League) might be more beautiful than Dingle Peninsula and the Galway Coast. My favorite places in the world are the Big Sur Coastline, Napali Coast, Cape Breton, etc., so that gives you an idea of what I'm looking for. Oh, and Morraine Lake, but that doesn't enter in. I've also read that the two peninsulas (Beara and the one next to it) close to the Dingle Peninsula are actually prettier than the Dingle Peninsula. Can anyone who has been there give me some feedback on this?

Also, I would like to spend the night on an island, and am looking at Inishbofin, which looks to me like it might be similar to Iona. But the Arran Islands, of course, sound glorious, too. Or Clear Island. I only have time (and money) for one island (two nights, hopefully). Any feedback?

The coast of Antrim and Donegal are well worth visiting.On the whole though I prefer the Dingle Peninsula /Ring of Kerry/Beara. The tourist infrastructure is better developed there and Killarney,which is 20 miles from the coast, is the major tourist town in Ireland outside of Dublin. While you cannot stay on Skellig Rock overnight it is a wonderful historical place to visit on a fine day.

Inishbofin is beatiful, but I'm not sure that I would give it two nights. Two nights on an island would, IMO, be better on Inishmore, in the Aran Islands. There is more opportunity for catching some music and there are lots more places to explore (dun Aengus, several beaches, the "seven churches", and another prehistoric fort whose name escapes me. Have not been to Tory or Clear Island so cannot compare.

I love the Dingle peninsula. But for the precise reasons sited by Sandylan, I prefer the less touristy Antrim Coast. I enjoyed Co. Donegal -- but didn't find the scenery nearly as dramatic as Dingle or the Antrim Coast.

The areas are both gorgeous. The Napali Coast and Big Sur are two of my favorite places, too ... and my vote is for the Antrim Coast.

While I enjoyed scenic drives along coast around donegal and then on to Dunluce Castle(loved views from here) and Giant's Causeway...nothing tops Dingle Slea Head for me. Slea head you are hugging the coast all the way around and every bit of it is wow.

also...proximity of fantastic scenery/sights in south/west is the draw

My favorite scenic drives in Ireland, pretty much in this order, would be...
*Dingle/Slea Head!
*Clare coast along Galway Bay then on around Black Head (views of aran islands) to Cliffs of Moher!...then on down south along the coast
*ROK between Kenmare and Killarney(the rest of ROK is nice but this is my favorite section...would put rest of ROK further down list)
*thru Doo Lough Valley! from Croagh Patrick around to Kylemore abbey on to Clifden (sky Road)...the drive on along the coast to Roundstone is pretty also (connemara)
*Beara Peninsula/the Healy Pass...this day we also took a ferry out to Garnish Island
(here is about where I would rank the coast around Dunluce Castle and Giant's Causeway)
*Gap of Dunloe...then thru lakes
*Glenveagh National Park (Castle)along the lake
*southern coast of Donegal out to Glencolumbkille (this is where we stayed at our favorite B&B, Castle Murray House, on St. John's Point)

"I've also read that the two peninsulas (Beara and the one next to it) close to the Dingle Peninsula are actually prettier than the Dingle Peninsula. Can anyone who has been there give me some feedback on this?"

actually...think you may be confusing...most say that Dingle is prettier than the ROK...and Beara is also nicer than ROK because it is less traveled...mind you...ROK is beautiful too.

for a reference...If you look on the map at the size of ROK compared to Dingle loop...it took us about the same time to tour...and Dingle is a fraction of the size...we just couldn't stop pulling over and enjoying Dingle.

Thanks so much, everyone! This is so helpful! I'll just have to fit it all in! "Wake up, kids! Yes, I know that it's five a.m.!"

Would it be possible to do the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula in one long day (staying in Killarney)?

I personally don't think it's possible. It took us one full day to tour ROK and most of the day for the Dingle Peninsula and we didn't stop at every pull off or town we drove past. My husband and I toured both a couple of years ago and there is just too much to see on both peninsulas. Before I went I did extensive research on both and couldn't decide which to choose so we drove both. The next time we go we'll only tour the Dingle peninsula. Hope that helps.

Please trust the posts and do Dingle. Do not even try to do both--can't be done if you want a good experience.Kerry is just too touristy for us--and we have lived in Ireland. Also do not forget the Cliffs of Mohr.As you love Big Sur--the Cliffs are a must.
As I am sure you know it is good to leave some gaps in that itinerary! I think you might come to regret two nights on an island--and wish you might have saved that night for a B&B on the spur of the moment.
Enjoy.

Hi Cindy,
I just want to chime in and say: Don't fit it all in! It's important to take your time and really enjoy the towns and music and people of Ireland. It's mostly all beautiful.

My preference is Mayo and Donegal for the stunning scenery. I also love Kerry, but for us there are too many tourists in summer in that area.

How long is your trip? We did one two week trip split between Kerry and Donegal and that worked fine. Then a 3 week trip with a week in Westport and a week in Donegal and that was even better.

Okay, okay! There's no way that I wouldn't do Dingle after hearing from you guys! Our trip is 13 nights (and then 2 in London). So Rosetravels, how what was your itinerary, with one week in Kerry and one week in Donegal? I am thinking that we will cut back to either one night on an island, or maybe just a day trip. Has anyone been to Clear Island? How does that compare to some of the others? I am looking for a place that we can rent bikes and cycle (without a lot of uphill), and maybe just explore the beaches. Something similar to Iona, perhaps? What's the biking like in Inishmore? Thanks!

on our 10 night trip we did
in and out of shannon...

2 -westport (first day up thru burren to cong then on to westport,pub/music; 2nd day croagh Patrick/doo lough valley/kylemore abbey/a bit of the sky road/along coast to roundstone/back to westport, pub/music)

1 -southern donegal (carrowmore/yeat's gravesite/beleek/tully castle/ to st. john's point...excellent stay/dinner Castle Murray House B&B)

2 -outside of letterkenny (1st day along southern coast to glencolumkille, up to glenveagh national park/castle; 2nd day side trip to Derry (great tour of wall/murals!),Dunluce Castle, and Giant's Causeway)

1 -doolin (on way south stopped at knock, around blackhead, cliffs of moher, pub/music)

1 -dingle (down coast to kilimer/tarbert ferry/(some did horseback riding/golf/shopping in town), pubs/music)

2 -kenmare-(gap of dunloe tour, then on to kenmare, pub/music; 2nd day garnish island/beara pen./healy pass, pub/music)

1 -bunratty (on way scenic drive thru moll's gap past ladies view/killarney national park, lunch in adare(would skip), bunratty folk park/castle, shopping at woolen mills, bunratty castle banquet; next morning...more shopping...then flight home)

with 3 more night (since you have 13) I would add another night in dingle, kenmare, and spend a night on antrim coast

Hi Cindy,
Sorry to be so slow to reply - busy week.

One trip to Ireland we rented a cottage in Kenmare and then did day trips. We went to Sheepshead Peninsula and hiked to the end. We spent a day taking the boat to Skellig Michael (spectacular.) We did a wide variety of daytrips in the area (they escape me right now) and it was lovely and scenic. Then we drove up to Donegal where we'd rented one of the Donegal Thatched Cottages for a week on Cruit Island. I thought the area around the Slieve League was simply stunning. It's a wilder beauty.

Then the next year we spent 3 weeks in Ireland: 1 week in Westport and a week in Rathmullen, Co. Donegal. That trip we loved Westport for the incredible scenery, nice hikes and the really great town with fun pubs. Day trips were hikes in Connemara, a hike up Croagh Patrick, a day on Achill Island and (my favorite) a day on Clare Island.

The week in Rathmullen we went to the Antrim Coast. Songdoc is right, it's remarkable. We also went to the Slieve League and Kilcar and Glenveagh. All stunning. We went to Malin Head and Inishowen. I thought for rough artistic beauty, that was all remarkable. Standing on Malin Head was memorable.

I've been to your favorite places too and even then, what you'll find in Ireland is that all is beautiful. Co. Kerry you'll find more tourists. Westport and Donegal the tourists will more likely be Irish, and fewer, people are interested in talking with you at the pubs because they don't see many Americans, and the scenery is breathtaking.

I just read your post to my husband and he said the area around Kerry was more beautiful, especially the mountains and valleys NE of Kenmare (where few go.) But for sheer scenery, the area between Kilcar north through the Glengesh Pass can't be beat. And for him the tourism in Kerry was a bit much.

He also said the Slieve League was like Big Sur on steroids. Hard, isn't it? Good luck! :)

Oh, this is such delicious information! Thanks! Is Malin Head a good place to spend two nights near the end of the trip? There's a hostel there that looks great, and I am thinking that we'll be pretty tired by then, and that we can just explore the beaches, hang out, walk, maybe bike, etc.

Hi Cindy,
Malin Head was gorgeous but really cold, windswept and pretty remote. It reminded me of Dutch Harbor Alaska. We stopped for a few hours and went to the pub. We were the only ones in the pub - OK, it was noon or so - but there aren't that many houses there. I would definitely not stay 2 nights. Maybe one...but there should be better places in Inishowen to stay.

Hi Cindy:

You are flying in and out of where? I'm a bit of a slow traveler and 13 days is about the minimum for what you want to see IMO. You can easily spend a 2-3 days on the Antrim coast, Donegal can fill a week, but pick a spot or two and enjoy. Co Galway and Connemara is beautiful so throw in a couple of dyas here, don't forget Co Clare. You are planning on Dingle and Beara and then (Cape) Clear Island which is the sounthern most patch of land in Ireland. That's pretty full. Of course, you could leave some stuff out in the middle. There is also a Clare Island which may be what you are referring to.

I think one of the Arans would be better for a couple of days if for no other reason than they are centrally located.

As others have said, RoK and Dingle in a day are not possible. I would suggest a few days on Dingle.

Try not to do too much and slow down to enjoy. Ireland is best at a slow pace.

Bill

Some of the places we're looking at have been chosen because I've found hostels with inexpensive family rooms there. We're flying into Dublin and out of Belfast, 13 nights. This is what we're looking at so far:

2 nights Dublin (just one full day)
1 night Kilkenny (cool castle hostel)
2 nights Cork (free hotel w/ points--but don't have to do this. I thought we'd drive around the southern coast one day, do Cape Clear Island)
1 night Killarney (do the ring that day)
1 night Doolin and 1 night Clifden or Letterfrack
OR 2 nights Doolin
1 night Glencolumbcille
1 night Malin Head
1 night somewhere near the Giants Causeway
2 nights Belfast

As I'm reading your posts, I am thinking that maybe skipping Cork and the Beara Peninsula might make more sense so that we could spend more time doing the Dingle Peninsula, Doolin, and Connemara. But we have hotels with free points in Cork and Killarney, so that's why I've planned it the way I have.

Please keep advising! I am listening!

It's me again. What about, instead of the itinerary listed above:

2 nights Dublin
1 Kilkenny
1 Killarney
1 Dingle
2 Doolin
1 Clifden or Letterfrack
1 Glencolumbcille
1 Malin Head
1 Antrim Coast
2 Belfast

That leaves out Cork, unless we drive there on the way to Killarney. Is that a big loss? Would you suggest 2 nights Dingle or Doolin or Connemarra? Or we could do one night in each of these places, with one in Cork.

By the way, I saw "Ryan's Daughter" last night, and almost died at how pretty the Dingle coastline is!

Thanks.

Dear Cindy,

I think you are still trying to cover too much. On your one night visits, you'll get to a place and have to be on your way again. How about thinking of doing just one part of the country this trip. Say only go as far as Cliften or Galway and have a few days in Dingle or Killarney. Or stay North and enjoy that part of the country. I found on my 8 trips, I enjoyed the Irish people firstly and the scenery second. Don't try to cover so much and you can have both.

Kind Regards, Joan

Oh, I know! Just talking about this itinerary is wearing me out! I just think that this will be my one time in Ireland in my whole life, and want to see it all! BUT...

Let me ask this:

Is there a good place to be based for a few days to see both the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula? Or would it be better to stay near Killarney, and then near Dingle somewhere? Would I be crazy to skip the ROK altogether, and focus that week of my trip on Dingle and Connemara? (Except that my husband says, "We've got to see the ROK." Of course, he also says, "We've got to see the Cliffs of Moher. We've got to see the Giant's Causeway." I actually love that about him!)

Also, if we spent a few days doing Dingle, could we drive from there to Clifden or Westport, stopping to see the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, in one day? I was thinking of staying in Doolin just so we could toot around there. But we might do better just making a day of it, then settling somewhere in Connemara.

AND, several of you mentioned Westport. Is that a better place to stay than around Clifden?

For what it's worth, Malin Head literally took my breath away.

I can also highly recommend the Malin Hotel (at least I could as of 2003).