This year’s major trip will be the Ireland Two-week Coastal Trek. After spending 4 days working out the campsites and routes, it was time to start the mammoth journey. The first part will be the 5-hour trip to Fishguard.
Day one
The trip to Fishguard would end with us getting there about 7pm. We decided to try and get some sleep before the 2:45am ferry - sounds easy right! The first challenge was to find a place to sleep. The council has decided to make all the local car parks sleep-free zones, thanks local government. In the end, we found a pull in next to a graveyard. The only problem with that is the overhanging trees in the rain, the noise was so bad you just could not get any sleep!
As soon as 1am came along, we headed over to the port (5mins away) to book in. We checked in with the Premier booking, which meant that we got board first and had access to Premier Lounge with free coffee, snacks and Sky TV on tap!
Sounds good but with nowhere to sleep! Using two chairs, I tried to make a bed with not a great deal of success! (I so wish at this point we could use the bed in the dub!) We muddle through the night and docked at 6:45am.
Day two
As soon as we come off the ferry, the rain came lashing down. We then started the long drive to the first campsite (5 hour drive). This was the hardest part of the trip, with sleep deprivation. But we kept on driving until we got there mainly due to the lack of pullovers at the side of the road. This site has a great location, we meet the owner and he couldn’t be more helpful, he even shows us to our pitch. Due to the rain, it’s a little water logged, so we decided not to deploy the awning. We had a quick meal and then bedded down for the rest of the day (36 hours without any real sleep got the better of us).
Day three
Another rainy start but we soldiered on. Deciding to go for a drive, prehaps not realising how long a drive we were embarking on. We left Cahersiveen, heading towards Kenmare on the N71. This is part of the Ring of Kerry, the definitive scenic route. However, today it is not quite so scenic due to the low cloud, we can only imagine what the view is like!
As the day progressed, the weather did get better and the clouds lifted. We found some great little stops along the way, not so obvious - some trial and error needed! Amoung the few were Druids Point and a local pub, where communicating with the locals was interesting.
Oh yes and Clare found an Irish Eddie Stobart!
Day four
By this point, its time to rest and take a day out of the manic trip and review the first three days of the trip. We having a good look around the campsite with its stunning bay inlet and of course checking out the route to the next campsite:
Day five
This was the day we moved to the next campsite, heading north. We awoke to brilliant sunshine, we couldn't believe our eyes after three days of rain!
As it was such a nice day, we decided to complete the last part of the Ring of Kerry as the mist was so bad last time.
So we packed up and said goodbye to the great little site and headed on the road again.
As soon as I started to drive the Ring of Kerry, I had to keep stopping due to the fantasic scenery (Clare was not impressed with my constaint phase "can we stop, just one more picture!"
On the way around, we did find a great little campsite, right on the beach (we will have to try on our next visit!)
Check out the views!
Well. After all the fun of the last road trip in Kerry, it was time to start the 5 hour trip to the next campsite in Doolin. At this point we where wondering if we could match the campsite location and friendliness of the last.
About 4:30 we arived at the new site and checked in without any issues. As it was not the peek season, we could pick any pitch we wanted! So after a couple of minutes working out the best pitch, we set up and got the chairs out (we decided not to deploy the awning and save three euros a night!)
As it was still quite nice, We decided to have a walk around the pier and take some shots of the water bouncing over the rocks.
Day six
Well it's about the middle of the expedition (ok holiday!) and we are just about to hit 1,000 miles. Its about time I said a couple of things about the irish road and its drivers. Firstly, I would like to point out that the country has recently spent a couple of euros on the road network, in the way of relaying a number of roads. But with any large road network that needs updating, they have a long way to go. The standard speed on roads is 100 kmh (60 miles an hour), there is no way in hell you are going to do that on the roads in the current state - we can do a comfortable 75 kmh. The irish driver falls into two camps, the kamikaze driver, happy to overtake on blind bends and drive up the ass of every vehicle on the road. Or the other (the one I hate the most!) is the daydreamer. These drivers, I'm sure buy a car and then remove the rearview mirror and wing mirror, so not to have any chance to see any car behind. This would not be a problem, if the car was traveling at say 75kmh but these drivers like to drive at 45kmh and then speed up at a straight piece of road (there's not many of these here!). Rant over!
So we set off north from the campsite on the coastal road (R479) to complete a north tour of co. Clare. This part of the journey was not to disapoint, with some stunning views:
As we are in co. Clare we just had to have some fun, as my better half is called Clare!:
And yes she does work for the local county council in Dorset!
more Jam anyone!
And what the hell where they thinking!!!!!
But they did have some very well priced jumpers!!!!
Day seven
A rest day!! Before the trip to Northern Ireland, we just had to visit the Doolin caves… they look very cool…. We arrived in the car park and changed into our walking boots (thank god I did!!! more later!) We entered the main shop area and booked in for the next caves tour (only 5 mins wait). The guide was a young man, who knew his stuff, the information he had was right on the button nothing was to much trouble.
When we entered the middle of the caves and had to go back the young chap allowed me to do some pictures with the light down low and off …very cool.
I was like a kid in a candy store with lots of cool things to shoot (only using light that was available down in the caves). On the way up, I did miss place my foot totally my fault (clumsy!) and the guide did his best to save me - thanks!
I must say this was the best place to visit in Doolin! Thanks all at Doolin Caves.
Day nine
So, one of the longest days on the road to date. All the way up into Northern Ireland and over to a campsite near Bushmills distillery! This trip should take about 5 hours but I wanted to take it nice and easy we stopped at a liitle seaside town called Mullaghmore (between Sligo and Bundoran) for a coffee and a spot of lunch. It seemed to be the place to go in a camper, as there was over twenty campers at this little town.
We then contuned over the border to Northern Ireland, it was like a home from home - the first thing we saw was a Asda. After about 30mins, I just wanted to turned around and head back south! But it can only get better and the Giant Causeway is calling - but not for a couple of days.
Day Ten
Today we did the washing!!! and it rained and rained !!!! Sorry thats about it! Titanic Belfast tomorrow!!!
Day Eleven
To start the day, we drive over to Belfast to check out the Titanic building. As the main car park for the site was under ground, we found a cheaper and open air space next to the Odyssey Pavillion building. And to tell the truth, we saw more on the walk over with a giant cutout ship in airfix style shape next to the Premier Inn and the SS Nomadic, a tug boat for the Titanic, currently undergoing restoration.
We then trotted off to the main building and marvelled at the outside architecture:
Totally stuning!.
We entered and picked up our prebooked tickets and there was no restriction on taking pictures so here's some from inside:
The ground floor and enterance in.
Looking up at the four floors up!
Cool holograms!
You could even view the ship plans on a touch screen
And a oceanic movie
and some sort of video playing under glass panels for people to walk on!
Next stop Tescos to fuel up and stock up on food! Good old Tesco's.
On the way back, the sun was shining (which was very rare for this hoilday!) so we decided to take the A2 along the coastline back to the campsite and stopping in on the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, to have a look not to go on it as I was not at all happy with heights.
A couple of hours later when we arrived at the location, I decided to give the bridge ago and Clare said she would not laugh, if I got the the bridge and decided to turnaround. I got us two tickets and headed 1km down a trail to the bridge. No one told me that it was over a 100 foot drop into the sea (or I chose to close my ears!) we entered the bridge and all was going fine until halfway across, some bloody yank decide to jump up and down, totally freaking me out! I managed to get to the other side and had some words, which I will not report (if you know me well, you can see the video of me on facebook making the trip. I have not posted it because of the language is at the end to the yank!).
Day Twelve
Today will be my favourite day, it's the day we go to the Giant's Causeway! We were also off to the Bushmill's distillery to sample and buy some of the goods.
First Bushmill's.
As it was only just up the road (5 min walk!), we set off walking and arrived at the distillery about 10am and paid the entry fee. As we started the tour, we were told to turned off our camera's (not a happy bunny!).
So this was the only picture before we started.
I know, not very interesting but there you go!.
The tour was very good, lots of information about the process, then off to the bar! mmm I was starting to drool at the thought of whiskey! We entered the bar and exchanged our tickets for a drink and a sample small bottle to take away due to it being silent season (the site stops production to carryout maintenance). This also meant that we skipped some of the process.
To be honest, I wasn't impressed with the drink and gave my shot to Clare as I was driving later. We quickly entered the shop and bought a couple of bottles to take home to sample when I didn't have to drive.
Next, the Giant Causeway! We walk back to the campsite and jumped in the dub for a 10 min drive to the site (parking was a pain but included in your ticket price!) We entered the visitor centre and have a quick look around!.
We headed out to the stones and stopped to get the audio guide, which was also included in the ticket price (being dyslexic, I so appreciated this type of guide). At the visitor centre/top of the hill, we could take to bus (for the light weights) or walk down listening to the audio guide, which we did.
The audio guide was so so good! It told the many stories associated with the causeway as well as explaining what you are seeing i.e. geology.
And at the bottom, I just couldn't stop taking pictures.
Day Thirteen
Another rest day before the big drive tomorrow
Day Fourteen
The big drive down South to the ferry port, this should be a nice 5 hour trip.
Fast roads for a change! All was going fine, until we got to the M50. I hear you cry, what's wrong with the M50? The toll, this was the only toll in Ireland that did not have a toll booth but lots of signs saying that you had to pay online or by phone (thanks Three I didn't have roaming). So I would have to wait until I got to the campsite and use the wifi connection. We arrived at the site and logged on to pay our toll. But wait, the website does not list campers or motorhomes! So how do I pay if my vehicle is not listed? I email the website asking for direction on this matter but guess what, when you post a query it will take 24 hours to respond (we have 12 hours to pay or we will get a larger fine!) We will wait until tomorrow morning to see if we get a responce it's not like I won't be getting up early!
While I was updating this blog, look what turned up on the campsite but three army lorrys. It was like being in the second world war!
Day Fifteen
Early start for the ferry back home and the army trucks came too!! Better crossing than when we came, or though we weren't in the Premier lounge - we were too tight to do both journeys. On the plus side, they played two films back-to-back in the cafe area. Four hours (ish) later, we're on english soil and starting the five hour drive back to Dorset. Time to clean up Herbie and start on the washing!