Tell us all about Ireland/ Northern Ireland?...now we can tell you about Ireland!!!!

Discussion in 'Ireland' started by fugly76, Feb 5, 2017.

  1. The @The Bobdogs and myself are planning a trip over in the Summer, which will include Northern Ireland. First time for us. Tell us all about it...best places to visit, best campsites and wild camping spots, best pubs and so on...

    Please :thumbsup:
     
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  2. @areksilverfish another interested party to hear about your trip to Ireland please (when you've done it)
    @Lasty has been a few time, so please share your Ireland experiences when you have chance
     
  3. vinnyboy

    vinnyboy Supporter

    I want to do this in the future. My mother goes every year with an old motorbike club and love it. North and south. Lots of friendly people and very laid back. Can't do enough to help you out.
     
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  4. vinnyboy

    vinnyboy Supporter

    I've been to Dublin on st. Patrick's day. Fantastic.
     
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  5. vinnyboy

    vinnyboy Supporter

    ive been at another time and it was still fantastic, just not as busy.:beer::beer::beer::beer:
     
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  6. So how long are you going for? where are you arriving ? and what sort of trip do you like? Wild camping is easier in a bay that a motorhome especially if you're under the dreaded 2 metres, you'll find a lot of places will have height barriers, even rest areas. We'll be doing the Eirball again this year, which covers a lot of the country in a week, but you need a liver made of steel (non rusty preferably):burp:
     
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  7. Aye been there once or twice :D

    * Follow the coastline wherever possible - it`s awesome !
    * Campsites were few and far between when i was last there , lots were sold off to developers :(
    * Have a `rough` schedule , it`s inevitable you`ll lose a day or two to the craic ...
    * Always respect the speed limit , especially in town / villages , the polis are laidback on most things but speeding is a
    big no-no ..
    * Talk to as many strangers as possible , ask questions . The Irish love a chat but best avoid the politics ...

    Etc etc ...

    Just go and enjoy the country , the people and the craic - it`s a lovely part of the world .

    This area is grand :- http://www.garnishisland.com/ .... If heading down that way be sure to go over Healy pass :thumbsup:

    :hattip:
     
  8. We have been many times to the republic but last summer was first time in camper.

    The whole west coast has been rebranded the "Wild Atlantic Way" and has some breathtaking scenery. Basically the more northerly you are the crapper the weather is....sound familiar?!

    Should be opportunity for wild camping but remember the further south you get the more difficult it may be.
    Donegal/sligo has some great beaches and scenery.
    Westport is a nice little town. If you are into hills nearby is Crough Patrick which apparently St Patrick climbed for no apparent reason......maybe because the views of Clew Bay are fantastic. Good for scree surfing on the way down too.

    Definitely drive from Lenane to Galway across Connemara if you get the chance-stunning if the cloud and rain doesnt obscure everything.

    If you like fishing around Cong there are many lakes to try out.

    Clare along the coast ..lovely. Surfing, water sports, even golf!

    Cliffs of Moher used to be good 20 years ago but now is just for tourist hordes. Used to be able to just pull up and jump out.

    Doolin has a reputation for music and drinking. You can also get a ferry to check out the Arran Islands from there which is all very elemental.

    If you dont want to go to Limerick then the Tarbert-Killimer car ferry saves some driving.

    Dingle Peninsula is beautiful. Inch beach is fantastic and you can park on it- my son learnt to surf there. Nearby there is an award winning veggie restaurant(The Phoenix) - not cheap but better quality than the usual veggie pap. Also a few miles away in Annascaul there is the South Pole Inn which was owned by Tom Crean who is a legend of the South Pole- he went with Scott and Shackleton and rowed to South Georgia on the Endurance rescue journey......totally epic!

    Some of the campsites were a bit pants and unfriendly(mostly in the touristy areas) but ones we liked were:
    Mannix Point on Ring of Kerry. Really laid back, next to the water and nightly music sessions- people just get out their instruments :rolleyes:
    Tralee- we stayed at a big C&C site close to town. It was a big commercial site, but on a bank holiday weekend was actually well run, very nice people and the Cinema was just down the road- great to keep the kids quiet.
    Salt Hill Galway site was horrible although we love the promenade from Salt Hill to Galway City.

    Other places to check out; Clon mac nois which is an very old monastery-ish and sits on a bend of the Shanon near Athlone. Newgrange is great but in the summer might be too busy and you may not be that interested in it! If you are going to head to Dublin and want to avoid the stag parties in the centre then Paddy Cullens pub in Ballsbridge is great. Further south of Dublin Dalkey has some nice pubs and if you head into the Wicklow Mountains the highest pub in Ireland possibly Johnny Foxes.

    Make sure your camper is water tight and everything is fixed down- we had 4 gales in 2weeks!

    Sorry bit of a brain dump.
     
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  9. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    I could go on for a few pages about my homeland (yes, I know the accent is a bit Birminghamish)

    I can't recommend too many campsites as I've rarely used them either side of the imaginary line.
    Those I have used have been okay:
    Tollymore Forest Park is okay (the surrounding area is beautiful, campsite is okay) if you are a Game of Thrones fan, they filmed bits there (there are websites dedicated to tours of the locations) - they also filmed bits in Ballintoy - I can recommend the restaurant/cafe there (relatives run it).
    Strandhill Camping & Caravan Site - striking setting on the west coast, with some of the best surf in Europe on your doorstep.

    As for places to visit:
    Dublin - expensive and a big city. Though seeing Riverdance at the Gaiety Theatre is very 'Irish' :thumbsup:
    Howth - a lovely harbour resort just outside of Dublin. You can park up in the harbour in your camper.
    Derry - my hometown so I could be biased. Great political and historical city. Walk the Walls and the Peace Bridge. See the murals on the walls in the Bogside.
    Belfast -yeah forget it ;-) another big city
    Cork - it rained and was miserable
    Giants Causeway - go in the evening (if in the summer), less crowded. You can stay the night in the main carpark in Bushmills (few mins drive away) for free.
    Bushmills Distillery - one of the oldest distilleries around.
    Antrim Country Park
    Donegal - so much beautiful and amazing scenery both inland and coastal. Culdaff, Malin Head, Glenveagh National Park (a must), climb Eragoal,
    Lower Lough Erne and Lough Navar Forest Drive
    West Coast - pretty much all of the West Atlantic Coast is a must
    -includes the Ring of Kerry (but usually very busy)
    Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains just south of Dublin
    Newgrange for the hippy/megalithic fans

    Finally, don't forget a pint of the black stuff :burp:
     
  10. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    @Cov1987 - we must have been thrashing the keyboard at the same time :D
     
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  11. Spooky or what :) Its that Newgrange vibe lol
     
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  12. You could visit the VW graveyard at Knockrooskey, outside Westport. :cool:
     
    fugly76 likes this.
  13. Thanks for all the very helpful and useful replies:thumbsup:
    Our basic plan so far......ferry from Holyhead to Dublin (the only thing we have booked for now), then drive West to Galway then North along the coast all the way to Belfast, then ferry to Stranraer.
    We have got approx 10 days and are going mid July:)
    Sound OK?
    Regards
    Ian
     
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  14. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    Sounds like I need to steal your tickets and do the trip myself
    You've got plenty of coast, mountains, towns, cities and must sees to choose from.
    Are you needing campsites?

    Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk
     
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  15. only been once, crown liquor saloon is a must.
     
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  16. Sounds like a loose plan - i like it VERY much :thumbsup:
    If you like somewhere stay a while , if you want to move on there's no reason not to - enjoy :D

    :hattip:
     
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  17. Campsites...yes please:thumbsup:
     
  18. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    Best of luck with that

    Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk
     
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  19. Agreed - they`re a bit thin on the ground to be honest .
    Plenty were sold off in the `80s/90`s as they were deemed residential and planning to build housing was a formality . There used to be a Eire campsite guide and i think there was only 20 or so official sites .
    Best way i found was to pop in for a pint and ask around , plenty of farmers will have a basic outside toilet and let you stay for a beer or two ;)

    :hattip:
     
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  20. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    I have relatives and friends scattered all over the isle, so they always are part of any visit, plus my van is quite self sufficient so I parked up in harbours and beach fronts. I mentioned a couple before - there was another one in the Antrim Country Park - it was cheap and cheerful (could be read as grim but it was raining ) another one was a bit quirky, all hard standing and part of a hostel somewhere in Donegal.

    Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk
     
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