Floating a trip idea.....?

[SIII]

Might be interested! Would travel over to Belfast tho' and meet up.

Been over to N.Ireland couple of times and coast road from Larne to Portrush is brilliant! Not done South.

Bunkhouses in Scotland are not much dearer than Camping, £12 a night camping and got £15 in a bunkhouse! Much easier than lugging wet tents around for £15 more! Needs looking in to tho'.

Alps and Ireland defo doable. 5 days would be ideal, defo camping to keep costs down. My preference would be a complete loop of the south also. Early in the year is better for me, as I need to talk a Euro trip over with Phil at some point.
Irish Carange. Top of the carange to ya!

Originally Posted by specialone

I would but it would depend on...

How long for?
Cost?
Location, ie, where in Ireland ?
Weather is quite crap in Ireland, especially the north, would party poop it for me if it was rubbish weather.

Weathers quite crap where ever we fecking go. If we did a ride out in the South of Spain i bet it would pi55 down lol

Originally Posted by danf1234

Weathers quite crap where ever we fecking go. If we did a ride out in the South of Spain i bet it would pi55 down lol

Lmao it does seem that way, Sahara trip Dan next year?

[MisterTommyH]

I'm guessing as the first two replies were from Yorkshiremen and I'm a Wolves fan we can't really get away without going to the Dingle Peninsula either.....

Prices from Holyhead - Dublin = £51 each way fast ferry, £61 each way standard ferry.

The other alternative if people are coming from all over would be to get a Ferry from Birkenhead but it's an 8 hour crossing (and more expensive) and I know how bored I was on the crossing back from Le Havre..... Personally I'd rather spend the extra time on the bike.

I`ve been wanting to get over to Ireland for a few years now and would be up for this but in honesty I seriously wouldn`t want to put up a tent every night to take it down the next morning. Personally I`d favour cheap hotels or bunkhouse and maybe try and have a central location somewhere?

[MisterTommyH]

I think where we end up staying will probably depend on the final group that signs up (Or whether I end up doing it on my own)... Honestly I'd probably look at a CHEAP bunkhouse instead of camping because it allows for longer days, but I'm happy either way.... it's something that can be sorted later.

I'm just trying to put together a very initial route so I can get an idea of the area I want to be in each night but the softwares not playing ball ATM.

I'll post it up here once I've got something.

I'm wanting to get to the Alps this year/next year so not quite sure, would be cool to go to Ireland though.

[MisterTommyH]

Right, initial plan

Day 1:
Home to Holyhead (early start to get the 11:45 ferry)
Get into Dublin about 1:30, down the coast to Rosslare
Camp / stay here.

Day 2:
Across to Waterford
Head south on some twisties off the main road before rejoining at Abbeyside
Head west to Cork, then south to Ballinacurra
Follow the coast road before turning north to camp / stay near Dromkeal
(There is an optional 35 mile loop that is supposed to be excellent, but the mileage for this day is already quite high)

Day 3:
Head west to Colgherane before turning back Killarney National Park.
Then west again all the way to the end of the Dingle peninsula to the most western tip of the British Isles.
Head north through Tralee (couple of detours for roads that are supposed to be good).
Catch the Shannon ferry, then again north heading to Corofin for camping or similar. (again a few detours for toads that are supposed to be good).

Day 4:
Head north through Galway before turning west again onto what are supposed to be excellent roads.
Coast road through Teachmoor west, Lettermuckoo, Murvey & Cliften before heading back on the N59. Heading north at Maam Cross.
pick up the N48 and head for Belcarra.

Day 5:
Basically heading east, but avoiding the motorway.
One detour for a good road in the area of Devlin, east to Bettystown before heading back to Dublin.

Not sure at this point if it will be too late to get a ferry back. So may either stay on the Irish side and get the morning one, or get a late one and stop on the Welsh side (or if I'm feeling good, push on home).

Anyway, thats my first crack at it. Probably over ambitious, but there are loops that can be cut out if necessary.

[Littlepeahead]

I had a mate in Tralee who I used to visit regularly and I spent 2 weeks travelling round Ireland one summer, and it rained every day. Good thing I was in a car. The Ring Of Kerry has some great roads with stunning views. Go up to Clare and through the Burren which is like driving across the moon. Cliffs of Moher well worth a visit, you can re enact that video by Westlife. Dingle has a few superb little bars if you like whiskey and Tralee is a buzzing little town.

Sahara, pah, went there on a stinky camel and it rained. Not for long but rain is rain.