One Week in Ireland

[sizbut]

Plans for an Irish end-to-end collapsed due to work leaving no time to plan and now no time to actually do. But schedule still leaves the possibility of a week in their.

So any recommendations for a good area to do a fixed based Irish taster holiday?

[rotavator]

The peninsulas in the SW, Dingle etc, are very scenic and popular with tourists. You could base yourself somewhere like Kenmare. I went there years ago and enjoyed it, especially when it wasn't raining! I don't know how bad the traffic is now but it might be a good idea to avoid the peak holiday periods if you can.

Other possibilities that I haven't been to but may do: Wicklow Mountains which are handy for the ferry at Dublin and Donegal if you prefer wilder places.

[Norman H]

Some of the best scenery in Ireland is in the west, a good couple of days ride from the main ferry ports. This can be a problem if you've only a week to spare. You could fly into Cork or Shannon and there are good rail links from Dublin, not so good from Rosslare. Most coaches will take bikes in the luggage hold if there's space available. Best to enquire before you book.

The alternative is to explore closer to the ferry terminal. The Wicklow mountains are good, as has already been suggested. Also the beaches and coastal resorts around the south east would make a nice tour, and the climate tends to be less wet than in the west. Lastly a ferry to Larne or Belfast gives access to the Antrim coast and The Giants Causeway, which could form part of a week long circular tour.

[mnichols]

I'm doing a 1 week lap in June starting and finishing in Belfast, staying close to the coast but not following it pedantically - it's 1,200 miles whereas doing every coast road would probably be 3 or 4 times that, but we are doing the 4 coasts and the most southerly and northerly points

Happy to share the route

[mjr]

Plans for an Irish end-to-end collapsed due to work leaving no time to plan and now no time to actually do. But schedule still leaves the possibility of a week in their.

So any recommendations for a good area to do a fixed based Irish taster holiday?

Browsing around https://cycling.waymarkedtrails.org/#ro ... 95!-8.7681 it looks like a number of towns have "Cycle Hub" networks of several routes: Birr, Kilmallock, Mullingar, Nenagh and Doolin to name four. From Dublin, the "Old Rail Trail" part of EV2 would get you close to a Nenagh loop, possibly taking in a Mullingar loop along the way if wanted.

I've no idea what these are like because I've not heard of them before, though.

[eileithyia]

Week in Wicklow / Dublin area, or the Antrim coast?

[MrsHJ]

I can't say our route was the best route as I don't know Ireland well enough but we had a fabulous week flying into Shannon and back out from Knock.

Mostly we were on the coast- Doolin, the Burren, Galway, Clifden, Delphi, Louisburgh, Westport, Croagh Patrick, Achill Island, Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, many lovely irish pubs.

[durhambiker]

We took ferry to Dublin,Train to Cork,,then wandered vaguely up west coast,Tralee,up to lisdoonvana etc,then train back from Galway. Sunshine all the way,great scenery etc,,,loved it.Just wandering the Burren etc.

[sizbut]

Cheers All,

Some food for thought. A train assisted week to/from a Cork-Galway dash might be just the thing to rehearse some parts of the potential end-to-end.

Many thank.