South Ireland

[RCN]

The wife wants to go for a week to Ireland. Anyone have any tips, or suggestions about whre to go/stay/visit
etc? I don't mean the regualr campsites and such, but more of the little gems that people have discovered from their travels.
BTW, does any one know if you can stay at a pub overnight? That would have my interest peaked, if I could go to a pub, drink the local beer and listin to celic music until the wee hours and not have to worry about driving
cheers

[g60steve]

Lacken Bay & Kilcummin Bay in County Mayo.
You can possibly park in the car park at Bessies on Lacken Pier if you ask Noel (the landlord) nicely....oh and the pub stays open until late/early morning.
If not there's a couple of places on the cliff tops which are only a few minutes stroll from the pub.







http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=72456" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/Mayo/Towns/Lacken/Lacken.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RCN]

Wow, that looks amazing . That's on the list for sure. Thanks

[xriss]

give metalmicky a pm hes an expert in all things southern ireland

[dearjohn]

If you get as far as Mayo, you should head on to Achill Island. Stayed there a few years ago with the Type2Ireland crew, ad it was great. big campsite across from the pub. Lavelles golden strand, I think its called.
If you are crossing to Larne or belfast, then you can do the entire Antrim coast road, and on round the Donegal coast. Fantastic scenery, and the official "sexiest accent in Ireland"!

[Louey]

I could go on for ever listing places to go in the Motherland. My family are from the north west but love to travel the breadth of Ireland. We took our camper there about 8 years ago for 4 weeks.

We only used a campsite for 2 nights out of the 2 and 1/2 weeks we camped, Wild Camping is OK.

Try out the following

Swimming at Forty Footin Dún Laoghaire - don't forget to bring your togs
Glendalough and the surrounding countryside including Sally Gap
Head West to Achill Island, Kerry and Galway. If you love your surf then the West Coast will give you some of the best rides of your life (though your wife might argue that one ) Strandhill has a great spot for surfing, Bundoran is meant to be Ireland's surfing mecca but the resort is a sh*thole IMO and the surf is on a very rocky/craggy reef too. Surf resorts/spots details here
Donegal is my favourite County in Ireland. Try the town of Culdaff - have a drink at McGrorys and maybe catch some live music. The nbeach is beautiful and usually peaceful too. Go to Malin Head and visit the Glenveagh National Park.
Don't forget the North, see it as part of the same land, some great sights and landscapes there too:
On the border there is one of my best memories of that trip. Wild camping in sleepy spots in the Lough Navar Forest - check on restrictions this summer as the G8 summit will be held near there, they can't let you get to a good vantage point to fire off some RPGs
If we are talking border towns, then you have to visit Derry (also known as Stroke City), walk the City Walls, visit the tunnels at the Tower Museum and visit my folks . There are a few 'Living' museums such as the Ulster American Folk Park. Other obvious sites not to be missed are Portrush & Port Stewart, the Giants Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the forest parks in Co. Antrim.

Bit of a ramble but some great places to visit.

[OXI]

All great advice from Louey there and I think I've been to them all.

If you can be a wee bit more precise about where you want to go/ how far you want to drive, I'm sure I can give you a few tips. I've been campervanning all over Ireland since the mid 80s so I've got a few camping gems.

Frank.

[lefty67]

stayed at Kinara nr Galway a few years back, lovely place especially if the tall ships festival is on. Ballyvaughan and the Slieve Aughty mountains, beautiful part of the world.

[Louey]

All great advice from Louey there and I think I've been to them all.

Being honest, the place is so laid back that a week is not long enough, if you can do two weeks it would be better, especially as the ferry prices to Ireland aren't cheap compared to channel crossings.

One other thing, don't spend too much time in Dublin. Lovely people and some interesting sights but it is just a big and VERY expensive city.

[g60steve]

Being honest, the place is so laid back that a week is not long enough, if you can do two weeks it would be better, especially as the ferry prices to Ireland aren't cheap compared to channel crossings.

One other thing, don't spend too much time in Dublin. Lovely people and some interesting sights but it is just a big and VERY expensive city.

I agree on all those points.

I'm going in August for a week/a month....hopefully longer.

I've been to quite a few places around the world and there's only a couple I feel reluctant to leave....and Southern Ireland is one of those!

[RCN]

WOW! That's loads of great ideas and i'm looking forward to the trip now more then ever. I really don't have any plans-just kinda go where the wind and road take me kinda thing. But i will go to Galway. We went there about 8 years ago for 1 day and night and loved it. Wished i could have seen more of that town then.
Diffenitly thanks for the pub ideas too, I will do my best to help the local economy with the help of the lanlords

[dearjohn]

Have a look at http://www.type2ireland.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Join if you like, as members can access a list of members in each county who have put their name forward as contacts in case of breakdown. Some people have mechanical knowledge, or tools and parts, and some just have a cup of tea to offer, but all will try and help if you get into bother. Nigel in Ireland.

PS, if you like a bit of kayaking, we have a great network of lakes here in cavan, probably a thousand miles of shoireline to explore, streaching into Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, and a local kayak/canoe centre, have a look on Facebook, "Cavan canoe centre". If you get this far, drop me a Pm!

[Martynor]

If your heading down to Galway go out to Conamarra particularly Roundstone, great beach campsite near town fab pubs and restaurants avoid Salthill its a bit crappy,also Kinsale in cork is a must you can pitch up beside along the harbour or there is a site a couple of K outside the town just avoid cork city is a great place but it will take you at least 500 years to navigate.you could also head over to Kerry to meet their friendly dolphin Fungi. If your bus can make it up the hills the Gortin Glens in Tyrone are kinda cool. Either way bring plenty of beer tokens and hangover cures and don't say top o the mornin or to be sure to be sure.Enjoy.

[Plasticman]

hmm , i get excited about now as we go over for a month in late august , if time then we do a spring run as well ,
ferrys suck and always have done, we drive up north and do the belfast crossing. and work our way to the west, got loads of friends there to visit and never bother with dublin, city is a city.
http://www.nutttravel.com/ferry-crossin ... outes.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
do the best deals ive found , when you ring them its even cheaper than the web price.
G60 , may bump into you
mm