A Visit to Ireland
A visit to Ireland in our red ih van to celebrate its seventh birthday, was something we had looked forward to for a while. The thing that made us hesitate was the cost of the sea crossing. We eventually chose Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, a very smooth trouble free crossing of two hours. Considering it was during the school August holidays £350 was not a bad price and to make it cost effective, a stay of four weeks was decided upon.
The port is handy for turning south and heading for the hills of Wicklow. Redcross River Valley was our first stop. Our first impression was ‘where have all these children come from’ but we were positioned in the Secret Garden away from the masses, heaven. The site was handy for the little village of Redcross with two Irish pubs. Unfortunately very crowded as you would expect and no Irish music until late. This was secondary to us as the area is wonderful with some rewarding drives through the hills of Wicklow. Lots of ideas provided by the reception area and we particularly enjoyed Glendalough, Sally Gap and the gardens at Powerscourt and Mount Usher. The name Avoca occurs often in the south of Ireland and the little village of the same name is a few miles from the site and the setting for Bally kissangel. No wonder the shop fronts looked so clean and neat.
Killkenny Tree Grove was our next stop. There was no bus service into the town so a two mile walk, pleasant enough by the river and the weather was not kind to us. Kilkenny has a wonderful castle and lots of interesting buildings. This is a good place to use as a centre. We passed very quickly down to the south to Blarney Castle and the famous stone. The site was first class but a good two miles from the castle itself. 10 euros admission and a 45 minute wait to kiss the stone! My arthritis had caught up with me and although I made a brave effort I was unable to press my lips to the stone. I had done this 20 years previously, when we had arrived very early in the morning and there was no queue as such. Later in the day is also a good time to do a spot of kissing. There is a good bus service into Cork, the south's second largest city, busy, bustling with a good range of shops.We enjoyed the English market as well as a visit to the gaol, which attracts many visitors. There are several excursions to take in; the more interesting drives being to Kinsale, Cobh, the home of the last port of call of the Titanic, Middleton, for the Jamesons’ whiskey experience and Barryscourt Castle. We found that the first Wednesday of the month admission was free to the public but in addition we could use our English heritage cards to gain free entry to many of the state run historical sites. This was a good saving over the weeks.
Spending more than a week in the South-West was well worth it. Eagle Point was an idyllic site as we pitched right by the water’s edge and the tranquillity and scenery were breathtaking, especially first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Be aware that this is a busy site and your location depends on a little bit of luck and maybe because we did an early booking. We drove round the Berra peninsula, which tends to be overlooked and we were well rewarded with a twisty drive on the road to Kenmare and some wonderful scenery and quiet retreats. The Ring of Kerry is a 100 mile drive so we entrusted this to a local coach company. Excellent day but lots of little stops where you can soon be tempted to part with your euros. Check the weather forecast as it is a beautiful scenic drive. We drove the Dingle Peninsula but make sure you drive the coast road on the southern side, taking in beautiful beaches such as Inch Beach, where Ryan's Daughter was filmed. Dingle town is really difficult to park in, maybe a walk from the outskirts is needed. We went on a drive to Slea Head and it was wonderful. Very narrow in places but well worth the effort. Killarney and the surrounding national park provide wonderful surroundings and we particularly liked the castle and boat trip at Ross and Muckross House. Both our sites in this area were great, Fleming's White Bridge and Glenbeigh.
On our way to Dublin for the return we stayed at the Vale of Aherlow site, where we chilled out in some wonderful surroundings, punctuated by visits to Tipperary town, Cahir Castle and the nearby little gem of Swiss Cottage and the rock of Cashel. Our holiday ended in Dublin, lots of interesting things here but we found time to visit the neolithic tombs at Newgrange and Knowth. Considering these were constructed before the pyramids, it was a wonderful experience. An easy 40 mile drive north, using in part the M50. Be aware that some motorways attract tolls and sometimes there is no pay booth. Your number plates are scanned and you can pay in local garages. The buses into the City centre accepted our UK bus passes; that was very unexpected. Driving is a pleasure in Ireland. The roads, especially the motorways across country are relatively quiet but some of the minor roads can be very narrow. Some drivers amaze you by abandoning their vehicles in villages and small towns in the middle of the road. But, what a lovely country. Hospitable, friendly and helpful people showing in the main cheerful faces. Lovely scenery and a very relaxing pace to life. When we reached the end we wanted to do the whole thing again. Next year it is Ireland again but we think the North and West coasts. If I can help with any additional information please contact me.
Dorothy and Robert
Extract from November 2012 News Letter