Southern Ireland (1 Viewer)

[mickflip]

Hi we have booked a ferry to Southern Ireland for last week in August, first two weeks in September. Never been before. Are we likely to be able to wild camp? Has anyone got any ideas for a route or suggestions of what not to miss?? Thanks Mick

 

[ambulancekidd]

 

[AndyPK]

Welcome from The Cotswolds!

Never been to Ireland, so cannot help you, I’m afraid……but others will be along who can!

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[Conal]

Went to ROI June 2017. Travelled part of the Wild Atlantic Way incl Malin Head, then down the West coast, Rossbeg, Castlebar, Doolin (Cliffs of Moher), Blarney, Cork, Garretstown via Kinsale, Clonea, Dungarvan, then though “The Midlands” to Lough Ennell nr Mullingar in County Meath. Then Loughcrew Megalithic Centre and finished in Dublin (hotel for this).
To answer your question, we found it was difficult if not impossible to find anything like an Aire and the roads have NO verges you can park on. They have very wide useable verges for tractors to allow faster traffic passed but you can’t park on these. There are “Britstops”.
our blod detailing our trip may be of some use and is here:
www.conhiltravels.Wordpress.com and select category Ireland.

 

[ontheroadagain]

I would recommend that you download the Motorhome Parking Ireland app.
This will give you lots of locations for motorhome parking in Ireland, including wild camping and campsites.

 

[MisterB]

Getting rid of your rubbish might be a minor problem if you do wild camp all the time ...

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[rolosroller]

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[Blue Knight]

Hi we have booked a ferry to Southern Ireland for last week in August, first two weeks in September. Never been before. Are we likely to be able to wild camp? Has anyone got any ideas for a route or suggestions of what not to miss?? Thanks Mick

Hi Mick,

There are lots of places to wild camp in the ROI and some of the beach car parks even come with fresh water taps.

Search for sites and a few other apps will help but for the most we found/used locations which were not annotated on any app.

Use your common sense in choosing sites though. In the out-of-the-way country areas some of the kids are almost ferral so expect wheel spinning cars in the car parks and youth gatherings after dark, plus quad bikes etc.......or so we've found in the area above Donegal.

Otherwise, A gem of a place and only second to Northern Ireland

All the best - and good luck,

Andrew

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[HugoBNB]

Welcome

 

[David and Sally]

Hello and welcome.

 

[Margaux2]

Hi we have booked a ferry to Southern Ireland for last week in August, first two weeks in September. Never been before. Are we likely to be able to wild camp? Has anyone got any ideas for a route or suggestions of what not to miss?? Thanks Mick

Don’t mean to hijack your important questions Mick but think this may also help you , We too are thinking about Ireland! Are the roads any worse than Cornwall or the Scottish 500 for a 9m Motorhome,does anyone know please?

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[Blue Knight]

Don’t mean to hijack your important questions Mick but think this may also help you , We too are thinking about Ireland! Are the roads any worse than Cornwall or the Scottish 500 for a 9m Motorhome,does anyone know please?

We have a 6.34m PVC and go everywhere but there has been one or two occasions when even I've thought "don't be effing stupid" and have reversed accordingly. This is not a privilege that'll you'll have with a fat'ish 9m MoHo.

Personally speaking I've not seen any larger motorhomes venture off the beaten track(s) so the main connecting roads is just about what most stick too.

That said, you need to think about where you want to visit. If you see a coastal location which has road sizes that are depicted as below b-road sizes then you need to think twice or be prepared to get stuck along with the potential damage that comes with a decision.

All of the NI/ROI towns are connected by good road routes so if you just intend to bob-between these then you'll have no problems at all.

However, a 9m long, 2.3m wide van is not really designed for real island adventuring so the ultimate risk needs to boil down to your need for adventure.

.....and instead of just following the sat nav make certain that you research your more remote destinations via Google maps first.

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Robb]

Wild Atlantic Way, if you have the time, and a rain coat!

 

[Lenny HB]

Wilding is pretty much the norm in Ireland, when we went only spent one night on a site.
Water easy to get, garages will let you fill and always taps in the harbours and on the end of piers for the fishing boats to wash their gear. If filling up on the piers best to do it in the evening after the fishermen have gone.
Plenty of public toilets to empty the loo but best to carry a spare cassette.
Can be a problem getting rid of rubbish, supermarkets often have bins in the carparks, community tips charge to drive in but you can walk in for free.

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[Blue Knight]

Wild Atlantic Way, if you have the time, and a rain coat!

Yep and that's already beginning to p!$$ the locals off with motorhomers who think they can venture and camp anywhere in their vans.

 

[Lenny HB]

Yep and that's already beginning to p!$$ the locals off with motorhomers who think they can venture and camp anywhere in their vans.

When we went we were welcomed by the locals even told to park in front of no camping signs as they were to stop the Pi-keys. But most places we stopped there weren't any locals, easy to get away from civilisation in Ireland.

 

[Liverpoollass]

Yes I second that!
"Wild Atlantic Way" we went Via Northern Ireland and travelled South last September.
We wild Camped all the way, felt we had to come home after 7 weeks as they had a suggested an all counties lockdown and we didn't want to spoil our trip by upsetting anyone as everyone had been so nice, we found plenty of places to stay along this route and yes rubbish disposal was a problem at times, we only found a couple of Aire type stops, but managed very well. Scenery is out of this World and The Wild Atlantic Way certainly lived up to its name in a storm... Here is just a taster..

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[Robb]

I'm going to Strandhill, Co Sligo on Saturday which is on the Wild Atlantic Way, but I'm in the Caravan Park, so hopefully I won't p!$$ anyone off!

 

[bobandjanie]

We did the Wild Atlantic Way and a bit inland stopping at the marinas on the waterways, we went from Fishguard and came back to Holyhead, we did a month in June 2015 and free camped for all of it.

We had lovely weather and could quite easily done two months or longer, there's loads of toilets and taps, and the Irish are very friendly and helpful, we really must go again we loved it. Bob.

 

[Liverpoollass]

When we went we were welcomed by the locals even told to park in front of no camping signs as they were to stop the Pi-keys. But most places we stopped there weren't any locals, easy to get away from civilisation in Ireland.

Yes..locals were hilarious! in Northern Ireland we were trying to keep ourselves to ourselves in
for the first 14 days, to satisfy ourselves that we hadn't brought covid over, we only did activities like fishing, walking etc and very brief visits for our groceries.
We were approached by locals time and time again, given bait, and then fish for breakfast and one couple were having a BBQ and knocked on our hab door to give us home made chocolate cake and ginger cake. I asked a toilet attendant if I could empty our cassette and she unlocked the disabled loo.
The Republic was just the same at Doolin ferry port, I was blocked from the pay machine by an elderly man, who said "Don't be putting anything in the council's piggy bank"
Later that evening Tom was fishing and a young couple called him over to fish near them as they were pulling them in 2 at a time, we had a socially distanced party with them on the pier!

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[Margaux2]

We have a 6.34m PVC and go everywhere but there has been one or two occasions when even I've thought "don't be effing stupid" and have reversed accordingly. This is not a privilege that'll you'll have with a fat'ish 9m MoHo.

Personally speaking I've not seen any larger motorhomes venture off the beaten track(s) so the main connecting roads is just about what most stick too.

That said, you need to think about where you want to visit. If you see a coastal location which has road sizes that are depicted as below b-road sizes then you need to think twice or be prepared to get stuck along with the potential damage that comes with a decision.

All of the NI/ROI towns are connected by good road routes so if you just intend to bob-between these then you'll have no problems at all.

However, a 9m long, 2.3m wide van is not really designed for real island adventuring so the ultimate risk needs to boil down to your need for adventure.

.....and instead of just following the sat nav make certain that you research your more remote destinations via Google maps first.

All the best,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew,yes sometimes the A roads get a bit scary! I start with,if there is a bus route and a Tesco/Asda supermarket delivery then it's possible. However the Cornwall experience proved that these drivers aren't worried about verges and boulders kerb ing alloys or hedges/ trees scratching a prized possession/ beloved motorhome. I got the Sygic truck App and exaggerated my weight length height and width on the input, still sends you down strange narrow tight single lanes! Went to several sites in coastal west Wales and that was very hairy! My good lady wife insists on a site with a wonderful view of the sea, irrespective of how many pacemakers I have to have fitted on a single journey( I take my own private heart surgeon with me)lol. We always speak to the site owner for the best approach roads, but it makes me think how do they manage to get all the static caravans to many of these sites???
Think I would set up my rig in a motorway service station to prevent such stress!
Happly motorhoming !

 

[WynandJean]

Hello and welcome from West Midlands. We were not prepared for the sheer size of Ireland. Intending to go all the way round but after 3 weeks just managed to go from Rosslare to Dingle and back.

Wyn

 

[Arthur01]

We had a bit of a jaunt over to the Emerald Isle - pre Covid- in our bus 12m 14.5 tons. No real issues with the roads we were using sites & a phone call was always well received. We also hired a car which was brought to one of the sites from the “local” agent that was in fact 40 miles away but again this was not a problem. Received some help & suggestions from an Irish motorhome site “Motorhome Craic” which seems to cover both North & South.
Great place, great people & a great time was had by all.
Regards

Arthur.

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[Armytwowheels]

What a great thread, thanks for asking the question Mick and welcome to the forum.

We have been thinking of visiting Southern Ireland as we have friends in Donegal. Then fancied touring the coast down to Rosslare. From Rosslare we would go over to France for our winter trip down to Spain.

Does anyone know the shortest crossing from England to Ireland? As we have a dog this is a key factor in which route we go for. Initially I was thinking of Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire?

 

[ontheroadagain]

I would go Holyhead to Dublin. We have done it many times with our dog remaining in the motorhome for the crossing.
Depending on where you live in England, also consider Cairnryan to Belfast/Larne as this will be the shortest crossing.

 

[Armytwowheels]

I would go Holyhead to Dublin. We have done it many times with our dog remaining in the motorhome for the crossing.
Depending on where you live in England, also consider Cairnryan to Belfast/Larne as this will be the shortest crossing.

How long is the Holyhead crossing, about 4 hours I seem to remember from going over on a coach years ago?

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[Blue Knight]

If motorhomers wish to drive the Wild Atlantic Way, including the areas from Donegal to Letterkenny to Inishowen, in the north, then a degree of consideration needs to be given to the locals since there are thousands of residents up there who are living in crumbling new houses and crumbling housing estates.

We were up there last week and there's literally thousands of homes which are falling down around people's heads because of the MICA block scandle - Google it.

.....so if you are turning up in your posh MoHo then give some consideration to the locals who live in a state of hell because they can't afford to move and no one will compensate them for a new home.

Very sad indeed - it was an eye opener for me!

 

[ontheroadagain]

How long is the Holyhead crossing, about 4 hours I seem to remember from going over on a coach years ago?

Holyhead to Dublin is 3.5 hours but if you are leaving a dog in your motorhome, it will be in it for approx. 4 hours.
Cairnryan to Belfast crossing is only 2.25 hours.

 

[Downsie]

What a great thread, thanks for asking the question Mick and welcome to the forum.

We have been thinking of visiting Southern Ireland as we have friends in Donegal. Then fancied touring the coast down to Rosslare. From Rosslare we would go over to France for our winter trip down to Spain.

Does anyone know the shortest crossing from England to Ireland? As we have a dog this is a key factor in which route we go for. Initially I was thinking of Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire?

There used to be a fast ferry from Holyhead to Dublin but I can’t see that at the moment. So a long time for the dog to be left. My son and family live in Donegal, on Inishowen in the far north and it is a long trek up from Dublin. Better to go Cairnryan to Belfast or Larne which is by far the shortest crossing and we only have a 2.5hour drive on the other side.
Also bear in mind that you don’t need an AHC to enter Northern Ireland until at least 1st October. There is a whole thread on here about the Northern Ireland protocol.
I think it could be feasible to get an EU passport in Ireland which would cover you then for your trip around mainland Europe.

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