# Planning advice



## EMHunt

We are planning a 3ish week motorhome trip to Ireland staring mid July 2015. We will be crossing from Pembroke to Rosslare and travelling clockwise, to the cross over to Scotland. I would welcome some advice please :-

How easy is it to turn up on sites without a booking at this time of year?

Is free parking acceptable and easy to find?

Does anyone have any experience of turning up at Larne without a booking and getting into a ferry easily?

Thanks in anticipation.


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## erneboy

The whole west coast is great for wild camping. The Shannon/Erne Waterway like wise, it has many boat stop overs which you can use. More so as you go north, those at the southern end tend to have No Overnight signs.

Don't know about camp sites, sorry. Don't use them.

Ferries are usually no problem, though can be difficult and more expensive at holiday times especially around the 12th of July. NI is bet avoided around the 12th, even if only because the parades result in road closures and traffic disruption. You can just turn up but will probably pay more if you do, and it's already expensive. I suggest you book through Nutt Travel http://nutttravel.com you can do it on the phone and they are often a good deal cheaper than booking direct.

Ask away if you have more questions, Alan.


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## Pudsey_Bear

Liz found a website with perhaps Joyce in the title or in there somewhere, but search appears to be down via mobile, and we want to ring to book a cheaper return back home in the next few days to cairnryan.

Need help to find it please.


Know it's an old thread but should get attention.

We had it all written down but fear it got thrown out and of course it was me so the doghouse looms.


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## Gretchibald

Probably Cong Camping. Where roundabouts The Quiet Man starring John Wayne was filmed- they have shown that film everynight for at least the last 15years in the Cong Campsite ha ha .

Joyce Country
To the west of the Lough Mask, beyond the isthmus, extends Joyce's Country, a hilly region traversed by green valleys and lonely roads which takes its name from a Welsh family who settled here in the 13th C.

It is an area of great scenic beauty with rivers, mountains and valleys lying between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, adjoining Connemara and Iar Chonnacht.

The Joyce Country Mountain and Lake District incorporates the communities of Maam, Corr na Mona, Clonbur, Cloghbrack, Finney, Tourmakeady, Cong, Cross and The Neale.

The area is called "Joyce Country" after the colony of Joyce who came to live in the barony of Ross. Thomas Joyce emigrated to Ireland from Wales at the beginning of the 14th century and settled here. His son married an O’Flaherty and thus the Joyce clan took control of the whole barony of Ross.

Excellence appears to be the great challenge to the Joyces. The Joyce motto exhibits this life long desire: "Mors aut honorabilis vita"-"Death before dishonour".

The family name Joyce has both ancient Irish and Norman antecedents. It comes from a Brehon penal name. The Brehon name Iodoc is a diminutive of iudh, which means lord. It was adopted by the Normans in the form Josse. The first Norman bearer of the name in Ireland was Thomas de Joise, a Welsh Norman who settled in Connacht on the borders of counties Galway and Mayo toward the end of the 12th century. The name may also have been derived from the Norman personal name Joie, which means joy.

The continuation of the Joyce name in the west of Ireland can be seen to this day in the area of Connemara known as Joyce's Country. Many people with the name still live there, and Renvyle House, now a luxury hotel, was once a Joyce stronghold. The most famous Joyce is, of course, James Joyce, born in Dublin in 1882, who died in Zurich in 1941. He is widely acclaimed as the leading writer in the English language in the 20th century.

The Joyce name has been deeply embedded in Connacht since they arrived there by sea in the wake of the Norman invaders. Joyce comes from the French personal name Joy. They quickly intermarried with strong local families like the O'Briens, Princes of Thomond.

A huge clan, they owned vast territory in the Barony of Ross (County Galway), known today as Joyce's Country, and were admitted into the '14 Tribes of Galway'. There were Joyce bishops and crusaders to the Holy Land. One who was captured en route was shown buried treasure by an eagle. When he escaped with this wealth he used it to build the walls of Galway city.


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## ChrisandJohn

I love Joyce country and have booked a lakeside cottage on the bank of Lough Mask a couple of times from a man named Mr Joyce.

But I wonder if Kev was meaning he wanted a ferry booking?


Chris


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## Gretchibald

No problem just turning up at Larne for a booking, 6 or 7 sailings a day although the lorry men tend to fill up the evening slots. Only other short times is when an event is on /over , like a football match or the Ulster Grand Prix motorbike race.


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## Pudsey_Bear

Gretchibald said:


> No problem just turning up at Larne for a booking, 6 or 7 sailings a day although the lorry men tend to fill up the evening slots. Only other short times is when an event is on /over , like a football match or the Ulster Grand Prix motorbike race.


Ta mate, it Was sypppsex to bd fhd nsmd of s ferrh agent I think. Lost the nimber. Www crap on thid phone.

We didnt want to just turn up hence nred fo a number


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## Pudsey_Bear

Fat fingers makex s ba typist.


FFS


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## jiwawa

P&O, Larne to Cairnryan

If you need a little help with your booking or have a question you can contact our Call Centre on*0800 130 0030
Republic of Ireland: +353 1 686 9467
To amend or query your booking please call:*+44 1304 44 88 88

Opening times:

07:30 ? 21:00 Monday to Sunday.

http://www.poferries.com/en/farefinder

Stena line Belfast Cairnryan 
02890 747747
There are other numbers but difficult to copy. Let me know if you need.


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## Gretchibald

http://www.poferries.com/en/cairnryan-larne

ps . No pressure , but if you are about in my neck of the woods and want to say a quick hello ......


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## erneboy

We often book through Nutt Travel, they seem to be able to beat the prices we get when we book direct with the ferry operators: https://nutttravel.com

Tel: 028 7035 1199


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## Pudsey_Bear

Thanks, we'll get a it tomorrow and report back.


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## Pudsey_Bear

Apologies, I had a crap connection, only just got back home, we did use Nutt travel, booked over the phone, received a text, boarded and crossed no problems at all, thanks.

This is what MHF ought to be doing and less of the other crap.


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