Please take a look at my poss. Ireland/UK itinerary
Mar 23rd, 2006, 09:59 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Please take a look at my poss. Ireland/UK itinerary
Hi,
Here's my possible itinerary. Some info: I'm 29, female, traveling solo. I like a mix of city and remote area exploration. I won't have a car and will be utilizing bus and plane ( will fly Glasgow and London). I also will be staying mostly in hostels, although I might possibly treat myself to a night or two in something a bit nicer. I am comfortable doing day-trips and bus tours; although I don't love being part of a huge pack of tourists I do understand it's unavoidable in July (I forgot to mention that! Going from mid to late July. Some of my interests are: hiking, biking, people-watching, listening to music, wandering and meandering, sitting still and taking in the view. Any insight would be more than welcome
Arrive at Shannon Airport
Day 1 through 3 Galway (and side trips)
Possibly spend one night in Connemara, or Aron islands?
2 ˝ hrs to
Day 4 Westport
1 ˝ hour to
Day 5 Donegal/Portrush
Day 6-7 fly or boat to Glasgow (have a friend there, know it’s sort of out of the way)
Fly to
Day 8-9 London (another friend visit)
Fly to
Day 10-11 Cork/West Cork/Kinsale
Day 12-13 –Dingle/ Blasket islands
4hrs
Day 14 Depart Shannon Airport
Here's my possible itinerary. Some info: I'm 29, female, traveling solo. I like a mix of city and remote area exploration. I won't have a car and will be utilizing bus and plane ( will fly Glasgow and London). I also will be staying mostly in hostels, although I might possibly treat myself to a night or two in something a bit nicer. I am comfortable doing day-trips and bus tours; although I don't love being part of a huge pack of tourists I do understand it's unavoidable in July (I forgot to mention that! Going from mid to late July. Some of my interests are: hiking, biking, people-watching, listening to music, wandering and meandering, sitting still and taking in the view. Any insight would be more than welcome
Arrive at Shannon Airport
Day 1 through 3 Galway (and side trips)
Possibly spend one night in Connemara, or Aron islands?
2 ˝ hrs to
Day 4 Westport
1 ˝ hour to
Day 5 Donegal/Portrush
Day 6-7 fly or boat to Glasgow (have a friend there, know it’s sort of out of the way)
Fly to
Day 8-9 London (another friend visit)
Fly to
Day 10-11 Cork/West Cork/Kinsale
Day 12-13 –Dingle/ Blasket islands
4hrs
Day 14 Depart Shannon Airport
Mar 23rd, 2006, 11:06 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hop, hop hop!!! You are all over the place! But if you like that, fine 
If you like hiking/walking, please check out the Burren -- it's a fabulous area just south of Galway, and one end has the legendary Cliffs of Moher. Just south of that is Doolin, a place to visit the Aran Islands.
I think you'll have a blast, though you sound like you're traveling a lot. Can you perhaps fly into London, spend the days you need to there, then Glasgow, and then head over and do your Ireland time and fly out of Shannon? It would save a lot on the backtracking, and make it not such a green-blur tour.
If you like hiking/walking, please check out the Burren -- it's a fabulous area just south of Galway, and one end has the legendary Cliffs of Moher. Just south of that is Doolin, a place to visit the Aran Islands.
I think you'll have a blast, though you sound like you're traveling a lot. Can you perhaps fly into London, spend the days you need to there, then Glasgow, and then head over and do your Ireland time and fly out of Shannon? It would save a lot on the backtracking, and make it not such a green-blur tour.
Mar 23rd, 2006, 02:48 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GreenDragon,
I think you might be right. I think I've settled on skipping London and even possibly Glasgow. Maybe the friends can come to me! So what do you think, about 12 days no car, base myself for a few days in each: Cork, Dingle, Galway, some of the pretty towns in between, somewhere in the Northern Coast, possibly Dublin (keep hearing Dublin is skippable, what do you think?)
Thanks!
I think you might be right. I think I've settled on skipping London and even possibly Glasgow. Maybe the friends can come to me! So what do you think, about 12 days no car, base myself for a few days in each: Cork, Dingle, Galway, some of the pretty towns in between, somewhere in the Northern Coast, possibly Dublin (keep hearing Dublin is skippable, what do you think?)
Thanks!
Mar 24th, 2006, 06:03 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Two weeks for Cork, Dingle, Galway, Donegal, and maybe Dublin... definitely more doable!
I would personally only spend a couple days in Dublin, if any. It will be much nicer to concentrate on the west coast, as travel is sloooow in Ireland -- even with a car it's 35 mph at most!
Cork is, I think, the second largest city in Ireland, and has a nice feel to it, so you'd probably get all the 'city energy' you need from that. Stop by Cobh, it has a great history as the point where most of the immigrants from Ireland to the US left from. About 3 days here is my recommendation
Dingle is reknowned for incredible beauty of the countryside and great music (the west of Ireland has a great reputation for traditional music everywhere!). I'd stay there for at least 4 days! There are probably several day tours you could get in on from here going around the Dingle peninsula, giving you a chance to explore.
Galway is a college town, and as such has a lot of stuff for young adults. At 29, you'll do fine A day trip down to The Burren would be wonderful if you like hiking/biking. Check it out at http://www.burrenbeo.com/
Once you head north of Galway, you're in areas I've not yet been -- but Donegal is a great area, according to all reports Another 4 days there would be fine.
If you want to head to Dublin for the last 3 days, you can, but you could also go to many other places -- and I personally would rather spend more time in Galway or Donegal, exploring the area
Have you checked out www.slowtrav.com and lonely planet? They cater to hostel-budget travel more specifically, and are great resources.
I'll be leaving Ireland just as you arrive -- our flight leaves on July 9th. I'll wave to you as we go!!
Caed Mille Failte! (A hundred thousand welcomes)
I would personally only spend a couple days in Dublin, if any. It will be much nicer to concentrate on the west coast, as travel is sloooow in Ireland -- even with a car it's 35 mph at most!
Cork is, I think, the second largest city in Ireland, and has a nice feel to it, so you'd probably get all the 'city energy' you need from that. Stop by Cobh, it has a great history as the point where most of the immigrants from Ireland to the US left from. About 3 days here is my recommendation
Dingle is reknowned for incredible beauty of the countryside and great music (the west of Ireland has a great reputation for traditional music everywhere!). I'd stay there for at least 4 days! There are probably several day tours you could get in on from here going around the Dingle peninsula, giving you a chance to explore.
Galway is a college town, and as such has a lot of stuff for young adults. At 29, you'll do fine
A day trip down to The Burren would be wonderful if you like hiking/biking. Check it out at http://www.burrenbeo.com/ Once you head north of Galway, you're in areas I've not yet been -- but Donegal is a great area, according to all reports
Another 4 days there would be fine.If you want to head to Dublin for the last 3 days, you can, but you could also go to many other places -- and I personally would rather spend more time in Galway or Donegal, exploring the area
Have you checked out www.slowtrav.com and lonely planet? They cater to hostel-budget travel more specifically, and are great resources.
I'll be leaving Ireland just as you arrive -- our flight leaves on July 9th. I'll wave to you as we go!!
Caed Mille Failte! (A hundred thousand welcomes)
Mar 24th, 2006, 06:05 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PS. if you want to take a look at my brand new 'travel' website, it's here:
http://www.greendragonartist.com/BIireland.htm
That's the Ireland one, and at the bottom offers links to many different aspects of Irish culture, such as religion, driving, history, people, pubs, etc. Let me know what you think, I'm always adding to it!!!
http://www.greendragonartist.com/BIireland.htm
That's the Ireland one, and at the bottom offers links to many different aspects of Irish culture, such as religion, driving, history, people, pubs, etc. Let me know what you think, I'm always adding to it!!!
