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

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

  1. That's why we didn't see it thenwish we had of know before hand


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  2. Day 6...
    Not a bad view from the bed room window to wake up to...
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    Keel beach didn't looks so bad either first thing..[​IMG][​IMG]
    Achill island reminded me so much of the isle of Skye
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    After breakfast we explored the island and drove down to Keem bay, famous for basking shark fishing back in the day. Just as we got out of the vans the havens opened and it rained for most of the day.
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    Andy had bought this very useful book...[​IMG]
    Which I would recommend anybody who plans to do the WAW to buy, it covers every mile of the route in great detail. We had seen the said book recommended the 'Beach bar' at Aughris, with its own small campsite, so that was the day's target.
    We drove through Ballycroy national park and through the peat bogs, all in the rain till we arrived at the Beach bar...[​IMG]
    Im sure you can guess by now what we were soon drinkingand spent the evening in there with a meal till the storm arrived, and boy did it arrive
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  3. CollyP

    CollyP Moderator

    Great photos and write up. Looks like a good time was had by all!! :)
     
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  4. I'm back there in March. Can't wait.
     
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  5. Day 7...
    As I mentioned previously a storm blew in over night off the Atlantic Ocean. Andy and myself both left our awnings out but fortunately they were well pinned down. We got battered for hours and hours and was half expecting the awning to fly off over the campsite at any moment. Needless to say none of us got a lot of sleep and as it was still raining when we finally got up, we soon packed up and headed out.
    I have not mentioned the dogs much, but we did everything correct, getting them EU passports... At great expense . So today we had booked them both in at a vets in Sligo, to get checked over and the passports stamped ready to return in to the Uk..another 40€. The thing that really finished me was that on the way into Ireland, no checks, in fact we could of took ten dogs in and on the way back, no checks. Nothing, I don't think anyone even knew we had dogs on board. Wonder how things will change when the borders go up?.
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    As it was still raining after sorting the dogs out I also took the opportunity to sort the puncture out that had 5 miles from home...another 80€ for a new tyre.
    We were soon on the road and when the weather started to clear up we stopped for a break and dog walk at Laghey beach or strand as it should be called...[​IMG][​IMG]
    After a look round and lunch in Donegal, we were heading for Portnoo, after a recommendation of a nice wild camping spot earlier in the week.
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    Part of the WAW on single track roads
    We arrived in Portnoo on the promise of a nice wild camping spot, well it was a beach car park with a bog and a pub just up the road
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    None of us fancied it but we had seen a campsite just round the corner...30€ thanks but no thanks.
    We soon found another site about 5 miles away that showed promise, in the dunes and on a beach. So we paid and went looking for a pitch, all the available pitches were over looked by statics so we went back to reception and asked for our money back. To our surprise the lady was more than happy to return the money and even recommended another site and even called them to check availability....such nice people these Irish
    I said to Claire that I could do with a steady night by the vans just chilling with the odd beer... Until we turned up at the recommended site, Sleepy Hollow at Crolly and the lady owner said live music at the pub from 8 .. Oh dear
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    After another fine steak from Andy. We had a long chat with our neighbours, an Irish couple from Dublin and were soon with them in the pub. An interesting place called Leo's Tavern, turns out its owned by the same family as Clannad and Enya. With many family members in there including some very talented kids.
    We had another great/late night with our new friends and even talked drunken politics at one point


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    Last edited: Aug 8, 2017
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  6. Day 8
    And weather is slightly better, it's not raining..
    Last evening I said to Andy that there were a few midges about and this morning I woke to find at least ten bites on my legs and arms I hate the little things, it's a shame they love me.
    We were heading for the Inishowen peninsula and the top of Ireland at Malin head. We drove through the Glenveagh National Park passing mount Errigal..

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    Calling in at Letterkenny to get supplies we were soon on the Inishowen peninsula and walking the dogs on buncrana beach
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    Malin head was abit of a disappointment but had to done
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    We originally planned to find a camping spot on the peninsula but as they were in short supply we started to look further afield.
    Claire checked the map out and spotted that there was a car ferry from Greencastle to Northern Ireland. Andy found a site near Portrush only 30 miles drive once over the border. The ferry was 12€ and I reckon it saved us at least 2 hours driving.
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    Northern Ireland.... I'll be honest with you now. I grew up during the 'troubles' and was a little apprehensive about holidaying there, but trying my hardest to go with an open mind...it did feel strange those first few miles, especially as we passed through a village that was decorated was Union jacks, red white and blue lamps posts and kerb stones.
    The site that Andy had found was Maddybenny park, a farm come equestrian centre with lots of animals and birds about...and even a hired bay full of 4 Dutch ladies, thanks for the jam[​IMG]
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    I finally got my first steady night or so I thought


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    Last edited: Aug 11, 2017
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  7. "Last evening I said to Andy that there were a few minges about and this morning I woke to find at least ten" .....That was just a dream mate
    ...and it was the Midges that bit you!
     
  8. If anyone has any helpful tips on how to stop drinking Irish cider I would like to hear them......starting to develop a bit of a problem....
     
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  9. [​IMG]
    You are not the only one



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  10. Day 9
    And the sun is out! After a tipoff from our Dutch friends we tried to get to the tourist trap of the GIants Causeway before the masses got there and the carpark became full. As national trust members, it was free to park for us, but for Andy and Julie it was £10.50 each. Andy had visited before so wasn't fussed but Julie was and the three of us had a walk down with many Japanese and every other nationality under the sun... It was worth the walk though
    Tip of the day.... You don't have to pay, don't park in the visitors centre carpark and don't go in the visitors centre. Walk down the right side of the centre between the carpark and you come to a tunnel. Walk through the tunnel and follow to path to the causeway
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    Portrush was the next stop for a walk round and a ice cream..
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    Having followed the WAW for so many days we were now on the 'Causeway Coastal route', which would eventually take us all the way to Belfast. Unlike the WAW this route took us on mostly A roads making it an easier drive but still extremely scenic.
    Next stop was the Carrick -A-Rede rope bridge, but there was almost a two hour waiting time to cross it, so the ladies had a walk down to look after we had a picnic in the carpark. We parked in the overflow carpark, which so we were told is a scene from 'Games of thrones'...recognise it??[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]




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  11. Day 9 part 2
    While we are talking about 'Games of thrones', next stop was the Dark Hedges, another scene from the series. It was only right we stop for a photo!
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    We were struggling for campsites for the evening until we found a brown sign off the causeway route. It took us into the Glenariff forest park and to a brand new site in the park. There were no staff there when we arrived but fortunately another camper let us in and the warden soon arrived to take us money[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]



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  12. Looks fantastic - thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

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  13. Days 10/11
    Last one you will be pleased to know
    After breakfast in the cafe at Glenariff Forrest park...not a bad start to a Monday morning..[​IMG]
    It was a drive along the Gaints causeway route all the way to Belfast, through Larne, Whitehead and Carrickfergus. Another great drive on a fine sunny day..
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    We were soon in Belfast and heading straight to the tourist trap that is the Titanic quarter, the visitors centre looked interesting, but with only 2 hours before we had to be at the ferry port, it just wasn't worth spending the admission money to get in. The one thing I really wanted to see though was the dry dock where it was built, but you even had to pay to stand at the edge of that But I found a cheeky door and we were soon in and looking over the massive hole where the titanic was built... For free[​IMG]
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    After some lunch we were soon rolling on the ferry for the 2 hour trip to Scotland.
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    Not long out of Belfast the ferry boredom was broken by the Coast guard exercise of landing a man on the ferry from a helicopter, was good to watch...[​IMG][​IMG]




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  14. We rolled off in Cairnryan, Scotland, again no checks for us or the dogs
    Stopped in Newton Stewart for a fish and chip supper then a spot of wild camping in the Galloway Forest . Andy knew of a spot called the otter pools, so off we go down all these forest tracks. I reckon Andy thought he was on the RAC rally as he took off in a cloud of dust! After what seamed like miles and miles we got split up and lost radio contact. We were lost in the middle of a bloody great forest... We turned tail and eventually found our way back to the main road and the forest road to the otter pools. Only to find Andy and Julie sat with beers in hand... It didn't last long though as the midges there were some of the worst I have experienced..more biteslovely place though
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    Morning and time to split and head home, Andy and Julie still had to rest of the week off so we're working their way east.
    We had a steady drive home and were soon locking the van back up in the chicken shed after over 1600 trouble free miles [​IMG]



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