Travelling to Ireland

[MillyMoHo]

Do try and travel the Antrim Coast road from Larne to the Giant’s Causeway with the Glens of Antrim on the left as you travel North and the sea on the right. Reckoned to be one of the best coastal routes in the world. Bushmills Whiskey Distillery is at the top of Northern Ireland. Donegal is worth visiting and the Sleive Leighe cliffs, the highest in Europe. The Lake District of Ireland is in County Fermanagh and the Mourne Mountains are also in the North. If anyone in the family is a knitter, there is a mill in the village of Kilcar for real Irish Aran wool. In the South, the Lakes of Killarney, the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry are beautiful. Wicklow and Glendalough is on the East Coast. Enjoy your trip.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

You may already be familiar with this channel. The couple are driving around the world in their van. They spent 12 weeks in Ireland. This video is a summary of their stay in Ireland but I'm sure if you check out their channel you may find more. This video is 4 years old but I'm sure much of it is still relevant

 

[PaulOH]

Thon vid is relevant and sensible. I'd add that Ireland is a smidge expensive. Maybe it's a northern thing, but the prices I saw in Belfast last weekend put (even more) hair on my chest. Ireland has always been a bit pricey and nothing is getting any cheaper - it really pays to shop around and also recognise quality. There is the very best of the best to be found all over. Look away from the supermarket for the local produce that is normal for the area - basic things like honey, butter, meat, bread, cheese etc., - it tends to vary depending where you are - and you'll get taste like you never had. Good example - we had had packaged potato bread from the supermarket but then the local bakery's home made stuff the next day was streets ahead. Ask the locals - as you can see they don't mind talking to you - and you'll get a treat that's not available to most people who visit! I wish other things were cheaper - like the diesel and the crossing!

 

[Jane NotRog]

Our 2021 trip to Northern Ireland starts here in our blog.

Services to Car Park via the North Channel

With only the delights of a service station to delay us, we were off bright and early. We stopped briefly in Penrith and bought dog food, and then found ourselves so early that we could make the 15…

denby.home.blog

 

[StephB]

On our latest trip to Ireland in 2022 It was suggested we should complete the Atlantic Way.

A planned route is far too organised for us although we did keep finding we was on the Atlantic way but it does cover the whole of the West coast for 1600 miles.

Many routes in Ireland can get pretty narrow and naggery and that is the charm, the people are so patient and courteous it’s never an issue. Our Motorhome is just 7mts but was never a problem - except when a stonewall disguised as grass bank got me

There is some fabulous scenery and very unusual landscapes

Basically we meandered between visits to towns on the way to overnight stops on the coast. There is hundreds of harbour's piers and dock all over the west coast and even on the lakes. We searched out a local one near too us every night on Park4Nght especially if we needed water or the cassette needed emptying. We had absolutely no reason to book onto a campsite.

The roads are mostly quiet bur do not drive in Dublin, the traffic is horrendous, catch a commuter train in to the city. Any of the other bigger towns are also worth a visit but they are all very busy. There is a short stretch of Toll motorway around Dublin. It is very cheap but we avoided it because of the need to find how to pay

Killarney was lovely. Tipperary even though ‘it’s a long way' was a disappointment.

We only went into the north for one day and without any bother but did find an English Tesco and an LPG supplier in Enniskillen.

The cost of living and fuel are about the same --- except for any booze, which almost double UK prices - stock up!

We tended to stop at Lidl almost daily as the have huge selection of fresh bread products. We would buy a baguette (0.69E) and have a French type lunch of meat and cheese.

Be aware though that there are very few laybys on Irish roads so stopping on the road for lunch was always a task.

The Irish are crazy for whippy ice creams - with a flake 2E. We had to have one almost everyday

The Irish people are so lovely, chatty and so laid back - nothing is a problem.

We spent almost three weeks aimlessly touring and you can tell we totally enjoyed it. Even the P&O ferry from Liverpool turned out to be a good choice

Thank you for your detailed reply. It has been really helpful.

We are touring in May for a full month, crossing from Fishguard to Rosslare. We are relatively new to motorhoming. It's the first time we have done a long trip and outside England.

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[Nanniemate]

Thank you for your detailed reply. It has been really helpful.

We are touring in May for a full month, crossing from Fishguard to Rosslare. We are relatively new to motorhoming. It's the first time we have done a long trip and outside England.

You will have a ball and of course no language barrier if you visit ring of kerry travel anti clockwise as most lager vehicles travel anti clockwise so they do not meet each other coming the other way .
I'm rather envious was going to do it last year but something came up
Please send pics and keep us updated

 

[StephB]

We are wanting to visit Ireland but don’t really know where to start, north or southern. has anyone been and could you recommend any particular area worth a visit. Ideally we would like to set up our MH then travel around by bus or train ( as long as dogs are allowed) so we can maybe visit towns/ villages / cities but return to country setting. Any advice would be really welcome. Thanks in advance.

We're in a similar situation. Going for a full month in May, but decided to start in the south as it's closest to home. Booked ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare for under £350 with a flexi return (just in case).

No route planned as yet and likely to wing some of it, looking for hints and tips with regard to travelling and recommendations for areas to spend some time in.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Nanniemate]

We're in a similar situation. Going for a full month in May, but decided to start in the south as it's closest to home. Booked ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare for under £350 with a flexi return (just in case).

No route planned as yet and likely to wing some of it, looking for hints and tips with regard to travelling and recommendations for areas to spend some time in.

Enjoy your trip.

Do you want off the beaten track or tourist route drive off boat and turn left take the.old road not the new and head around the coast

 

[StephB]

Do you want off the beaten track or tourist route drive off boat and turn left take the.old road not the new and head around the coast

We probably would like a bit of both, but have been warned that off the beaten track for a 7m motorhome might get a bit tricky.

We are still relative newbies to driving such a large vehicle.

 

[Nanniemate]

If the front goes through the back will follow
I have suggested this before on another thread
Go on line /travel agents and pick up coach tours of Ireland if a 15m bus can get there so can you
Have a look at the ones that catering for extended tours rather than the flyers .
Consort USA, insight, trafalgar even the 18s to 30s like contiki as they are slightly different.
It will give you a start then you can add extra exploring as they usually do a circuit

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[KevinTuplin]

Thanks for the info unfortunately I requested to join TMI then requested to join the Facebook page so have to pay to join TMI, a tip if you are going to join, join the Facebook page first then when requesting to join TMI it asks if you are a Facebook member, put yes as you can’t go back and change, it’s only £5 per year to join but still worth considering

Are you sure it was the Total Motorhomes Ireland (TMI ) Motorhome group you were trying to join as this group doesn't have a joining fee as far as I am aware. There are other Irish motorhome groups that do charge to use their apps.