Club 80-90 Forums

Planning a trip to Ireland next summer. Starting off in Cork. Any suggestions for campsites or spots for wild camping?
Thanks

Also planning a trip south to the emerald island.....at the end of the month. Any good camping spots? apart from campsites?

anywhere really as we'll probably go round the island within a week!

It's not difficult to find suitable spots over there. There's plenty of secluded hills, lakes and beaches and the people are quite laid back about campers (in my experience). Usual rules apply regarding leaving nothing but tyre tracks etc. Beaches are usually sign posted 'Strand' and there's hundreds of little ones. Few bigguns too.

There's a car park and viewing area at the top of 'Connors Pass' a few miles outside Dingle town but you'll be lucky to avoid low cloud....


and 'Brandon Creek' on the Dingle Peninsular too


and 'Inch Beach' once the crowds bugger off home


and there's a very quiet picnic spot just south of Killarney. It's on the Old Kenmare Road - a pretty potholed track these days but used to be the actual road back in the eighties - you may have to ask the locals where the track is though as it doesn't exactly jump up and bite you on the nose


There's oodles of spots dotted around the Ring of Kerry. Don't panic anyway, you'll just stumble over suitable places over there just by driving around

Can recommend Cork prison, very eery!

This was at a campsite in Tramore on one of the two sunny days we had in Ireland...

This is more what it was actually like !!! Don't letthat put you off though. If you are going to Cork there's a campsite about 15min walk from Blarney Castle that is nice and has regular buses down to Cork from Blarney it self although the walk up the hill to the campsite is murder! If you are travelling from Mainland Britain I recommend you buy as much food as you intend to cook as it was hugely expensive when we went in 2009, it maybe cheaper now since the financial issues, I don't know.
It is lovely over there though

Thanks for the photos everyone, looks like a great place to visit.

8673sharp wrote: If you are travelling from Mainland Britain I recommend you buy as much food as you intend to cook as it was hugely expensive when we went in 2009, it maybe cheaper now since the financial issues, I don't know.

Thanks for the tip. We'll bring our own tatties and whisky.

1664 wrote:It's not difficult to find suitable spots over there. There's plenty of secluded hills, lakes and beaches and the people are quite laid back about campers (in my experience).

Thanks for the feedback....Not much has changed since my last visit in 79 then.

So how much are you paying for the crossing ? I've looked and can't get it any cheaper than £360 , 2 adults 1 kid and the LT , return around April

I found that the AA camping guide book provided excellent sites the last time I went over. I plan to go over there in early June as it usually gets a lot wetter in July and August (it is not green for nothing). September can be a good time to go weather wise as well.

Patrick

Go twice a year usually, cairnryan -larne .stenna or po, in may its £240 return van and 2 of us, hi speed xing 1 hour and a touch, much dearer from hollyhead etc and the drive up to the nth is nice and then through donegal on the way down, allways wild bar one site a mate owns
mike

MacWilliam wrote:we'll probably go round the island within a week!

not much point going then as you need loads of time to chill and see stuff
mm

Cheers Mike , its around £300 via the cairnryan crossing , hay ho , looks like France or good olde UK for Easter

Has anyone done the Eire Ball? It looks like a great way to tour the country, with routes planned by those with local knowledge. I'm not sure exactly how challenging the routes actually are but tempting all the same.

Silky

MacWilliam wrote:Also planning a trip south to the emerald island.....at the end of the month. Any good camping spots? apart from campsites?

anywhere really as we'll probably go round the island within a week!

Many of the roads over there are very scenic but generally appalling so slow driving is essential. You won't have any fillings left if you are not careful. The cost of living is always much higher than here and if you like wine take it with you. It costs at least twice as much over there. However the draught guiness is special and the pace of life is more mediteranian than our northern european. Therefore I agree you should chill - do not rush. You can always go again another time.

Patrick

I live in the north and the north coast has some of the best scenery about, and Donegal is quite special too.