Anyone here..

[Cumfy]

.. been to ireland on the bike? Me and Sheps have decided on a last minute trip across to see the NW200 and spend the next week roving across the Emerald Isle.

We are camping and just looking for any pointers, recommendations, the usual kind of stuff.

Cheers

[Quedos]

we done it last year but we were based in a B&B in broughshane and done all the touristy bits. - well worth going to Galway though!! and go and kiss the blarney stone. If its your first time - spend it doing the touristy stuff. Its well worth it. I remember doing it all years ago!

[SuzukiNess]

oooh nice.. we heading over on the Ferry on Friday and back monday. One thing you do have to do is the coast road from Larne to Portrush or vice versa.. brilliant road

the road from Larne to Ballymena is also a great road (watch for the coppers ontop of the hill tho)

when heading from Ballymoney into Portrush via Ballybogey - the coppers like to sit on that road just after you pass ballybogey - its stays at 40/50mph (cant remember which) for what seems a silly amount of time cos the road is open and flat...

try the road to Mcgilligan point - you can also catch the ferry from there into the Northern part of southern ireland :rolleyes: if you like fish chowder apparently on the other side you can get a great bowl of hearty irish chowder (i gave it a miss cos i dont like fish :)

never been down South on the bike so dont know whats that way.

there the obvious tourist spots like giants causeway and just outside Ballintoy is the Swinging bridge.. long walk and short wobble over the bridge - scary stuff if you dont like heights.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Portstewart,+County+Londonderry,+UK&daddr=Limavady+to:Magilligan+Point,+Oughtymoyle,+L ondonderry,+United+Kingdom+to:castlerock&geocode=FbgXSgMdlnaZ_ymr6dfLdyNgSDEocTkCP64Kww%3BF WYCSAMdd_GV_ykBR7IORBFgSDGQFK45tT8PCg%3BFb4WSgMdlN WV_ykNC4RD4RtgSDHbTv29lWNrug%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=55.132577,-6.86354&sspn=0.218253,0.673599&ie=UTF8&ll=55.115692,-6.804657&spn=0.218345,0.673599&z=11


thats a good route too - portstewart too limavady

and when passing thru Ballymoney - stop in the town centre and view the shrine to Joey Dunlop - interesting stuff - just off that next to the station is a massive bikers pub - everybody seems to go there friday night

your ferry into Belfast or Larne?

[STRAMASHER]

there the obvious tourist spots like giants causeway and just outside Ballintoy is the Swinging bridge.. long walk and short wobble over the bridge - scary stuff if you dont like heights

Its a novel experience turning up to these tourist hotspots and find the carparks full of bikes!

Stayed in Ballycastle, east of Portrush/Stewart. Very nice. Cracking hospitality everywhere, locals love a gas. HUGE portions of mash.:chef:

Don't miss the Larne coast road round.

Only bad thing about seeing real road racing is the circuit stuff you watch in the future is dull in comparison. Seek out the fast bits of the course. Mind blowing/scary.

[Stig]

Have done a ten day tour of Ireland. Stopped in a different place every night. Mostly stayed in Hostels. A great way to move around for very little money. Splashed out once and stayed in a nice hotel, but mostly it was cheap and cheerful. Had an awesome time. :)

[Stu]

Fizzwheel's been ;)

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=135569
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=78606

[Milky Bar Kid]

Cumfy, are you getting the boat from Troon, Cairnryan or Stranarer? Let me know if you are getting the Stranraer or Cairnryan boats and I could maybe arrange to meet you? I am off wed, thurs, fri, sat.

[haggis]

You'll certainly have a fine time mate, I would love to go back and probably will in the distant future.

Although it was 10 years ago now, we did Belfast-Dublin-Galway-Sligo and back over to Belfast over 5 days. Roads range from good to shockingly bad which can affect your route planning times, but who's in a rush eh? The locals are laid back and very welcoming.

[Cumfy]

Thanks for all the pointers folks, we will try to cram as much in as we can when there

MBK we are heading out from Stranraer on the 14.30 so will be in there for about 13.00 - if I planned this right, will PM you my mob.:D

Stramasher, will defenitely be seeing about local hospitality, do they serve drink over there???

SuZuKiBaBe - think we'll have to try as many of the roads you suggested, looked them up and looks great! Oh and we're coming into Belfast btw...

Q - will definetly remember to get my kiss in.. on the stone, or if a local offers, lol

Haggis - you know how good it is mate, so join us next time, will give you a proper heads up, aye?!

Stig, will try to have an awesome time cheers

Oh and Stu, you sure Fizzwheel went?.....

Cheers all

[Stu]

Oh and Stu, you sure Fizzwheel went?.....

Cheers all
Did you read the links?
Once on bike, once on push bike. Not to NW200, but to Ireland.

[fizzwheel]

Oh and Stu, you sure Fizzwheel went?.....

I definately did !

In 2006 on the GSXR, Then Last year two weeks in the car ( but I took my pushbike and just cycled around the local area )stayed at Liz's relatives holiday cottage and we went again in March this year, stayed at the cottage again.

We went to Mount Shanon and that area in 2006 and cottage we stay at in is County Sligo.

Beautiful part of the world... but watch the Irish drivers, they arent used to bikes ( you'll notice that you dont see many or we didnt anyway ) so they have a tendancy to mis judge your speed and just pull out in front of you...

[Cumfy]

Only yanking your chain fizzwheel, I read the posts you had put up, then re-read them when Stu added them to this post, really hope I have as great an adventure as you did mate.

Cheers

[JamesMio]

Enjoy Cumf's I'm heading over to the NW200 too (getting a bus over) so might see you there.

[fizzwheel]

Only yanking your chain fizzwheel

:D

You'll love it over there, I have a great time every time we go :cool:

[Cumfy]

Hey James, you've got my mobile, i think but will buzz you a text so if we are near to each other can meet if it suits.

Fizzwheel, am going to enjoy this and will try to get some photies as good as yours and will post up.

Cheers all

[Sally]

All I can say is...

Behave... :D

[Sheps]

All I can say is...

Behave... :D

:salut: :smt098 :smt046

[Philbo]

Try and find decent secure parking, I went over few years ago in the car and lost count of the number of people telling me about sky high bike theft rates over the race period. Enjoy!:p:

[davepreston]

bushmills factory
get the wee train from gaints causeway to the distilery and back, you will finally get some proper whisky in ya
that is all

[Milky Bar Kid]

I've just realised it's Friday and you didn't give me your number!!