I am visiting Dublin in May, 2006. Is it possible to drive to Scotland? If so, how long is the drive. Has anyone ever done this before, and if so, where>\?
--Thanks, Roe

There is a sea to cross - but you can drive to Larne in the north or Ireland and then take a ferry to Scotland

You can also drive to Ballycastle and take a ferry to Campbeltown. Longer drive, shorter boat trip. I believe it's pretty expensive to take a car.

Bill

OK - I guess we're assuming this is for real? No, you can't drive fromn Ireland to Scotland. And no, you can't take a ferry from Ireland to Scotland. You CAN take a sea ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland.

But if you actually want to visit Scotland from Ireland - it is much faster, easier, and cheaper to fly.

The Ballycastle-Campbeltown service ceased several years ago; it wasn't a shorter route, anyway.
Ferries operate from both Belfast (www.stenaline.co.uk) and Larne (www.poirishsea.com) to Scotland. You can also cross from Dublin to Holyhead in Wales(www.stenaline.co.uk or www.irishferries.ie) or from Dublin to Birkenhead near Liverpool (www.norsemerchant.com).

Please if you do the Ferry route do NOT take Irish Ferries. They are having industrial relations/Union problems as they are trying to throw the staff off the boats and replace them with Cheaper staff from eastern europe who will be working for less than minimum wage. It's a sad situation and the Ferry company seem to be able to get away with this by ousting current staff and underpaying new staff. Try to avoid them if you can.

Thanks

S

Fly from Dublin with Aer Lingus or Ryanair.

Or train/bus to Belfast & fly from there with Easyjet.

British Airways also fly between Dublin and Glasgow

This reminds me of an incident that happened many years ago when I told an acquaintance about my upcoming trip (from the U.S.) to London. He asked if I were going to drive -- and he was NOT kidding!

While that was extreme, I think many Americans (especially those who have not traveled) lack what others consider to be basic knowledge of geography. I'm finding that as I tell friends about my upcoming trip to Northern Ireland, they don't understand that it is a separate country from the Republic of Ireland. They're shocked to learn that the two countries use different money. The fact that the two countries share one island -- and similar names can be confusing.

Okay, I admit it . . . prior to planning my first trip to the U.K. (and studying maps and reading guidebooks) I would not have been certain whether it would be possible to drive to Scotland from Ireland. Now PLEASE, don't tell me I can't drive to Hawaii

Oh yes, sorry Chas ! Roe, where in Scotland do you want to go ? There are also airports at Aberdeen, Invernes...

I know when I rented a car in Dublin that the rental company wanted to know whether or not you were taking the car across the border. I think you might be limiting your rental options if you want to rent a car in Dublin and return it in Scotland or elsewhere in Great Britain. It would probably be much cheaper, and more conveinient, to simply take a flight from Dublin to wherever it is you want to go in Scotland.

SiobhanP,
"they are trying to throw the staff off the boats"? Surely not? Splash!?
OK, sorry, you've raised a serious issue. I always try to avoid patronising anyone who blatantly exploits people, animals or the environment when I go to exotic places but I didn't exepct to see it so close to home.
To get back to the original question, fly from Dublin to Glasgow, Edinburgh or wherever and hire a car. If you are flexible about the exact date and book ahead you could get a flight for next to nothing. The flight is so short that even the cheapest of cheap airlines should be just about tolerable.