Northern ireland
 

We will be spending 14 days in Ireland in October and want to see parts of Northern Ireland including Donegal, Giants Causeway and possibly Belfast. We have about 6/7 days for this part of the trip. We were thinking of using Enniskillen as a central point and taking days trips from there. Is this a good idea? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Carolann

My husband and I went on a tour of Belfast and the Giant's Causeway. Belfast was very interesting as the bus took you through the streets and explained "the troubles". My husband really enjoyed the Giant's Causeway. The climb proved too steep for me as I had a bad knee at the time so unfortunately I can't report on it.

The Giant's Causeway was interesting, but the Waterfall Walk in the Glenariff Forest Park is simply magical. Take a cab, start at the top and call the cab when your reach the restaraunt at the bottom. It is really a magical place, fairies live there.

Hi Carolann.

Although NI is very small with 6/7 days I would base yourself in 2 different spots.

Few days in Enniskillen and visit southern Donegal as well as the beautiful lakes of Fermanagh. Then head up North for the splendours of the North Coast and Northern donegal.

See Songdoc's report on The North coast

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34768918

The Giants Causeway is worth seeing.We drove along the Antrim Coast much of the way to Belfast.It is a great drive along the Ocean with small towns along the way.In Belfast we stayed on the south end and took a hour and a half cab tour.We were picked up and taken all over town with the driver giving us a guided tour.It was a excellent way to see Belfast and on a sunday with little traffic was outstanding.If you return to Dublin consider Newgrange in the Boyne Valley.have a great trip.jack

The Antrim Coast is magnificent and also south to Bangor and Donaghdee and to the Mountains of Mourne. Belfast itself has an interesting tour of the city. Just remember its all one beautiful island both north and south

Just a nit, but Donegal is part of the Republic, not Northern Ireland. I agree that you would want to have more than pne place to stay. Touring Belfast from a base in Enniskillen would be too much. Donegal is lovely, but driving in the most spectacular areas is very slow.

The Antrim Coast road nort of Belfast is beautiful and a ride on the Torr Rd at Cushendun is a must. There are some great little possibilities of roads that drop down to bays from there. Murlough Bay is one.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is great. Try to get there early. Once the 1st tour bus hits, it's difficult to get back across the bridge.

Agree that the waterfall walk is well worth it but don't miss Giants Causeway. Just up the road is Dunluce Castle which is in a truly spectacular setting. Quite frankly, the views of the castle from outside are more impressive than from within.

I could go on and on about Donegal. Here are the webpages that cover my trips to that area.

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2002/index.htm

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2005_1/

Hope this helps

Bill

just returned...

loved donegal!
could spend 6/7 days there exploring all the coastal roads...

I would break up stays...doesn't seem long, but back tracking daily would be a waste of precious time

we spent one night in southern donegal after driving up from westport thru sligo, just outside of dunkineely in our favorite B&B...ever! Castle Murray House, can't recommend enough...food, view, service, comfy, great rooms...

on way to donegal stopped at belleek and did part of drive along lake road towards enniskillen, very scenic, and stopped at Tully Castle (our dog's name is Tully...so, had to check it out...it was a wonderful special spot, castle ruins with a very nice garden, and a very lonely young man at the information desk...free sight, small museum, worth a quick stop)

from dunkineely we drove along the coast to glencolmbkille and on a scenic road to adara then up the coast to glenveagh park/castle on to our hotel (silver tassie) just outside of letterkenny) this was a long day 9am to around 6:30/7pm

then next day (another long day 8:30am to 7:30pm) we took a guided tour of derry walls/murals...best guide ever...caroline-lived in bog side during "troubles" great stories and unbiased history account...request to do part of wall and murals-most interesting part.

on to dunluce castle-wonderful, even in the rain...slippery...careful

on to giant's causeway, takes extra time to catch shuttle down/up, try to time when tide out

then on a personal journey into the country side on a quest for a new bodhran...story coming soon...then back to letterkenny

would have loved to have a few more days to explore more of antrim coast and all the little fingers of donegal...can't go wrong with extra time in this wonderful area.