Home from our first big trip

We arrived home at 10:00 pm from Wales. We had travelled 2100 in Ireland and another 525 miles in England and Wales to and from the ports. We stayed at 25 sites many of which were wild. An excellent holiday with exceptional weather for Ireland and some magical locations.

Dublin crossing

There was a bit of a panic catching the ferry as I initially went to the wrong port but managed to get to the City Terminal just in time. After a rough crossing with pots flying everywhere and injured crew, we arrived at Holyhead in one piece. Rosemary insisted on having a greasy breakfast but then she does not get seasick. Made our way to a CL, Hendre Glyfedd Farm, near Barmouth for the night. We have now covered 2370 miles of which 2100 were going around island with our fridge.

Arrived home at 10:00pm the next day with 2625 miles on the clock.

Wicklow and PowersCourt

We left our free night in the car park and drove over the Sally Gap to Roundwood where we had our last lunch in Ireland and walked around PowersCourt house and gardens. The house has been burnt down but the gardens are in very beautiful setting and interesting with a pets cemetery that has a cow buried there!

The Shanklin campsite that was to be our last stop was closed down so we had to find an alternative and stayed at another expensive site called Camas Valley near Dublin where we had a rather late BBQ on our last night.

Ballykiss Angel (Avoca)

We had a drive round to nearby Avoca which is the film set for Ballykissangel TV series. Almost going home now so we bought some presents and then went to the GlendaLough Heritage centre which is an old monastery near the Wicklow Gap  scenic drive. We did a circuit of the Wicklow Mountains, very nice scenery and much used by film industry from Westerns to Game of Thrones, then back to the monastery. We had a free night in car park with a number of other motor homes, its a favorite spot with foreign tourist apparently, where we met some folks from Kirby Muxlow, near our home village.

Dublin Day

We carried on to Dublin and parked right by St Stephens Green in the centre of the city. It all seemed very busy and crowded after our days in the country and we did not want to stop long. We took a short open top bus tour and had some lunch by the river, a few bottles floated by. As soon as we had found and photographed the statue of Molly Malone we departed for the most expensive site of the holiday €22 at Roundwood
. Just supply and demand  - nothing special!

Round the Mountains

Its independance day. We drove round the mountains but could not find anywhere nice to park so continued down towards Dublin. We had an Irish roast Sunday dinner at the Clyde Inn, Arrascarron then stayed overnight at North Beach, Rush. Greece won the European cup, Diesel was 84p/litre in NI.

Mountains of Mourne

We walked down the river to Tesco before leaving Antrim and Rosemary bought a new top for £2 from a Hospice shop. Then we set off for the Mountains of Mourne which really do appear sweep down to the sea. We visited the NT place at Musselburgh nr Newcastle and found a site recommended earlier at The Rock amenity centre. The owner of the CCC CS was very friendly, only charged £8 per night including nice views of the mountains. We were on own our again.

Glenariff Visitor centre

We stopped off at Glenariff forest park on the way towards Belfast. We walked the 3 mile round trip down the waterfall trail to the tea rooms where we had tea and then the shorter route back to the car park. The tea rooms is a favorite haunt of Joe Dunlop, a famous(?) TT rider. We went through Carne on the way to Antrim and stopped in a site on the banks of Loch Neagh, the biggest loch in Ireland. More like an inland sea with the waves rolling in!
We had a visit from an army patrol walking round the site fully armed with machine guns, looking for goodness knows what. Then we spotted the army HQ fence within mortar distance of our site and it all made sense. There are a lot of flies here despite the wind and rain. It was £12 per night including corrugated iron toilet block.

Giants Causeway

We checked out the River Roe where there were a couple of fly fishermen perched on the rocks. The Antrim coast and its seaside resorts were very run down compared to Southern Island. We stopped at one for fish and chips and the owners were very envious of the investment that has been put in by the EU. They were really pleased to hear that we had traveled all the way round the coast and were bothering to stop there. It was not much further to the Giants Causeway, at least there were plenty of tourists here, to look at the amazing rock formations that make up the causeway. It looks like very old giant size block paving.  Its only about 20 miles from here to Scotland and the temperature shows it. Been getting noticeable cooler particularly at night. We walked up the cliffs for a better view then back down to the NT car park where we started to read about it in the visitor centre.   We have covered 1855 miles to get here.

We also visited Musselden Temple and stopped overnight at a Watertop Farm The owner, Paddy McBride,  has written a small booklet about the history of the farm which we bought for a couple of pounds.

Malin Head

The most northerly point in Ireland so we had to check it out. There was a really interesting famine village museum, Droach Bay, nearby owned and run by the owners of the really old cottage. The guide/owner had lots of interesting facts and explained a lot of the old sayings (eg he has snuffed it - dead). The small bays and inlets were pristine white sand and deserted. We bypassed Londonderry and went on too spend a wild night Garrick Rook in the Roe valley.

Climbing at Knocknarea

We stopped in the car park at Knocknarea and hiked/climbed up the peak to where legend has it that Queen Mauve is buried in a stone tomb. It started pissing with rain when we half way and we were drenched, but it was worth the effort - just. The view is supposed to be stunning, if it is a clear day. It wasn't, never mind. We hit the road and stopped for an excellent coffee and cake (coffee cake to die for) at a small craft centre near Donegal. Then north through Londonderry, which is in Northern Island, to Quigley Point which bizarrely is back in Southern Ireland. We had local trout for supper.

Sligo

Put some miles in heading north in a torrential downpour on the N5, had to stop at the side of the road until it eased. We passed through Sligo to nearby Strandhill where there was a site behind the sand dunes. Very welcome as it was overcast and drizzling.

Westport and Kylemore Abbey

It was a bright start as we stopped in Roundstone on route to university town of Westport. The tourist attraction of Kylemore Benedictine Monastery was nearby, run by nuns who certainly know how to rip off the the tourist, of whom there were many. The Kylemore pass was very scenic.

As it was Sunday we treated ourselves to a nice bar lunch, at Leenaun, including  oysters, lobster bisque, prawns in a basket and roast pork. After a stroll round the nice twon of Westport on the river we went on to Castlebar for the night and walked along the loch to see the sunset.

Dogs Bay

Drove to Roundstone via the Skye Drive and visitor centre and went to see a famous bodran (irish drum) makers workshop. Found a camp site at Dogs Bay, overlooking a beautiful deserted beach. The site was only €10 a night, collected by a dubious looking character. Felt a bit uncomfortable surrounded by a large number of permanents/gypsys.

Galway to Clifden

I took the coast road all the way from Galway to Clifden. Its a wild wind swept part of Ireland with lots of lakes and bogs near the Connemara National Park.  We stopped the night near Clifden and it was wild with gales and heavy rain.

Burren and Galway

Wild flowers and erections on the Burren, mussel collecting on the beach at Galway. Fed the mussels with flour to clean them out , but it did not work!

Moher cliffs and Music

It rained all night and by the morning the river was a raging torrent! A robin came into the van for some breakfast crumbs and we drove up to the cliffs. It was almost impossible to stand upright in the wind on the top of the cliffs. The views were amazing, pity the weather was not clearer.

We walked into Doolin to O'Connors bar and experienced the folk music with an excellent folk group. An old 'drunk' from one of the islands played the fiddle for anyone who topped up his glass of Guinness. Amazing!

Rosemary craiced (ie chatted) to an Irish man who explained why the New Zealander we met earlier had such a frosty reception. A deserter!

Limeric to Doolin

After an early start we drove on through Limerick to Doolin which is the home of traditional Irish music and close to the Moher Cliffs the highest in Ireland. We stopped at a Little Chef for coffee on the bypass and Banratty Castle and folk museum  to get out of the driving rail and wind for a while. Found a small site by the river near Doolin, the river bed was dry, but stopped in the van all evening.

There was a lot of security presence on the roads cos US president was flying into nearby Shannon Airport.

Longest day near Shannon

We are off to Tralee via the spectacular narrow Connor Pass where we encountered a convoy of big Italian motorhomes who did not seem to have noticed the 6ft width restriction. We stopped at a tiny fishing harbour and saw them landing boxes of crabs.
We stayed overnight on the sandy shore of the Shannon actually on the edge of the estuary.  A number of race horses appeared to exercise in the sea water, its good for their hooves apparently and did not leave until after sunset. A black Labrador appeared from somewhere and lay down, on guard, outside the van.  There was spectacular deep red sunset, under a back of cloud and it rained all night. We have just clocked up 1000 miles. Memorable day.

Dingle Peninsular

Its fathers day and we spent another sunny day on the Dingle. We walked around the harbour and bought some fish from a small stall. We did the Slea Head drive and stopped briefly at the beach used to film Ryans Daughter and wild camped on the head looking back towards the Ring of Kerry.

We parked on inch beach, miles of flat sand, on the way and shopped at Tesco where diesel was 83c/l.

I took photos of sunset and a pair of seagulls and we saw a dolphin in the bay. It may have been him!

Killarny rest day

We had a rest day shopping in Killarney. Walked into town and bought some good walking shoes for both of us at an outlet centre - a bit late maybe. Rosemarys say she can run through a streas in hers - can't wait to see that! Did some laundry and had a photo free day.

Killarney via Molls Gap

Visited Muckross house on the way to Killarney for a two day break. We spent a few days B&B here when we first came to Ireland in the car. It was miserable and wet, but this year the locals are complaining about the lack of rain. Most villages have a well that supplies their water and they are all running dry with some places having no rain for two months. That's almost unprecedented for Ireland.

Beara Way and Healy Pass

Next peninsular - Beara.  On the way we stopped in the craft centre at Glengariff which had lots of expensive sporty gear for American golfers and fishermen. Then we took part of the Beara Way and over the historic Healey Pass which divides County Cork and Kerry.
Spectacular drive and views from the cafe at the top. We descended the north side and round to Sneem on the Dingle Peninsular for the night. I had a Guinness at a famous bar Dan Murphys a very colourful place.

Sheeps Head to Bantry Bay

We got up early to do the Sheeps Head, a tricky drive to the end of the head. Not suitable for vehicles! We spent a breezy night on the shore of Bantry Bay at Eagle point camping site, nice views. Bantry Bay is famous for some French skirmish or other.

Mizen Head

We drove down the first of several peninsulas which characterise this part of southern Ireland to Mizen Head lighthouse.  This is the most southwesterly point in Ireland and is approached by an iron bridge to the visitor centre and signal station high up on the cliffs.



Glorious weather, still no rain, we wild camped half a mile from the lighthouse. The sea is usually wild here but it was an idyllic spot to overnight.

Rosemary had a Shirley Valentine moment sitting on a deserted white sandy beach, at Crookhaven, gazing out over a deep blue sea and dreaming of ........ Perhaps it was the seafood lunch we had at Toormore. It could have been the Caribbean.

Baltimore and Skibereen

It was a lovely hot, sunny morning and we had a superb view out to see and down to Kinsale. We paddled at the nearby beach and drove to the pretty fishing village of Union Hall before our furthest destination on the mainland. Baltimore is about as far south and west as you can go as a holiday destination in mainland Ireland. We did just that and walked to the beacon on the headland which looks back down over the popular sailing estuary and Sherkin Island.

Then we retraced our journey as far as Skibereen on the river Ilen, where stopped the night and visited another heritage centre.

Cork and Kinsale

We went into Cork town and wandered around, including M&S, before going on to Blarney castle in the afternoon. Big queue the kiss the Blarney stone at the top of the castle so we did not bother.
We went to Kinsale but it was heaving with Sunday diners and we could not park anywhere near the quayside so we did not stop long and found a nice grassy site at Garretstown where we used the George Forman to cook a steak (from M&S). Rosemary was blessed going to the showers, but its a long story.

Cork or Cobh

Continued along the coast road to Cork via Waterford and visited the Cobh Heritage Centre on the old quay where families would have emigrated to  the US or Australia to escape the famines.

The Titanic stopped here on its one and only voyage. An occasional cruise boat visits now but has moor in the harbour.

We stopped overnight at Jasmine Valley campsite where we heard about the experiences of a New Zealander in his 70's who came back to trace his roots and had a very frosty reception! It was sunny and warm and we had another barbeque.

Tramore - first day in Ireland

It was sunny but cool and we had travelled 337 miles from home. We walked into the village to shop via the coast road, a 3 mile round trip. We are staying two nights for €19/night.

Passed an interesting cove where there was a men only beach.

Irish Ferry to Rosslare

We had breakfast with Jean etc before stopping at a Tesco for shopping. The 14:30 ferry left on schedule and we arrived in time to find our first site at Newtown Cove near Tranmore. This was a really nice site for our first stop, near the coast and not too from Tranmore.

Ireland with a Fridge

We set off on our first Motor Home adventure overseas inspired by an amusing book about going all the way round Ireland with a fridge.

We are going in the opposite direction with the intention of going all the way round the coast from Rosslare and County Cork, exploring many peninsulas in the southern corner, the wild west coast around Galway with its folk music roots, the Connemara wetlands and all the way to Northern Island with its Giants Causeway and Mountains of Mourne near Belfast, returning from Dublin after a detour to County Wicklow.

The ferry is sailing from Pembroke so we have an overnight in Wales, near Llanelli , so that we can call and see Jean, Alan and young  Adam.

Departing for Ireland

Set off from Leicester to overnight near LLanelli on the way to catch the ferry.

Around Ireland in the Twurp

Have you read 'Round Ireland with a Fridge' by Tony Hawks? Well, we had a fridge, among other things, so we decided we would like to "do" Ireland too and enjoyed an excellent holiday circumnavigating the Irish coast, but in the opposite direction to Tony. Thoroughly recommended.