# Touring Southern Ireland



## 98197

We are proposing to take a 3 week holiday in Eire in July in our 7 metre MH. As this is our first trip to Southern Ireland we would welcome any suggestions/advice about:
- Areas to visit (not just the Ring of Kerry) starting from Rosslare.
- Recommended campsites.
- Small sites (CL types if available). Is wild camping allowed?
- Road conditions for our size of van. 
- Any general tips.
We are aware that the FICC Rally will bring an influx of vans/caravans/tenters to the south west area and we would like to avoid areas adjacent to Millstreet.


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## chapter

allow a lot more time for travel the roads are poor from waterford to cork 
you can buy a small book of campsites from the eire tourist offices


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## JockandRita

Hi Philemon,

You might find something >>Here<<

or >>Here<<

We had to cut our trip short, so didn't get to the west coast.

We are hoping to go again in July. Our MH is 8 meters.

J & R


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## 96088

Dear Mods

Would it be possible to move this thread to the 'touring Ireland' section as the links in it are good and the links within the links are quite good as well.


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## wobby

Hi Philemon. 
As far as wild camping is concerned the Guards (police) won't bother you provided you choose a safe place car parks over night or other quiet spot and there is plenty of those in the country. In fact my wife will happily wild camp here but wont on the Continent. 
A place we love to Visit is Westport in Co. Mayo smashing town near the sea 
and 3ml from St Patricks Mountain, which overlooks Clew bay the nearest place to heaven you'll get. but then my Wife is from Co Mayo. 
Seriously though the scenery on the west coast is beautiful. Take a look at 
WWW.failteireland.ie/ 
Cead mile failte (a hundred thousand welcomes)


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## Nora+Neil

West Cork is lovely also Clare and Galway. {Connamara}
Ireland is great if you get the weather.
Hope you have a great time.

http://www.camping-ireland.ie/ Camping book out in January.


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## geraldandannie

Oldskool said:


> Dear Mods
> Would it be possible to move this thread to the 'touring Ireland' section as the links in it are good and the links within the links are quite good as well.


What a polite request!  How can we refuse? Of course it's possible.

Done. And I agree.

Gerald


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## LPDrifter

Hi Philemon
Although I live in Rep of Ireland I have never motorhomed in it; being a recent convert to motorhoming. Many years ago we camped in a tent, although we started a love affair with camping in France.

Some general observations which might help you

July is peak holiday time. Most natives who stay in Ireland are likely to be holidaying sometime during July and August. Add to that there will usually be a goodly number of visitors to the country during that time. This means that restaurants, hotels and general holiday amenities will be fairly well booked and busy. If you have flexability in your timing, I would suggest June. The weather is usally good, the days are long, and because peak school holiday time doesn't start until end of June, it is less crowded.

If you can't change I would say it would be advisable to book any of the key sites you want to visit.

Wild camping would be possible if you used common sense. Many carparks have height restrictor barrier. I think these barriers are mainly there to prevent unauthorised camping by gypsies.

Personally I would strongly suggest the west coast. Counties, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Clare and Kerry which span the west coast. 
Although you should be pleased generally with any part.

Recent good performance of the Irish economy means that Ireland has changed greatly in last 15 years. With progress are some down sides... heavy traffic, crowding etc. Nonetheless it is still possible to find secluded and quiet locations.

Don't forget Northern Ireland as a possibilty. The North Antrim coast is particularly scenic.

The links you that have been given to you are good and I would add to it the website www.ireland.ie (for general) and 
http://www.coillte.ie/tourism_and_recreation/index.htm (for forest parks)

Best regards

Drifter


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## sallytrafic

Our last trip to the republic was in 2004 and at that time we had our Romahome so needed sites with full facilties, next time we will definately wild camp 50% of the time.

We liked Doolin in County Clare - three pubs, two camp sites all within walking distance and close to the Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Aran islands Blackhead, Allwee caves and for us one highlight was Lisdoonvarna not for the famous matchmaking event but the local butchers. A mix of tourist spots and wide open places.

We also liked Achill island and The Killaya Bay area in County Mayo. County Mayo was very quiet, deserted beaches empty roads (1st week in July). We stayed in the CC site at Knock and wouldn't repeat the experience.

We also liked Galway both the city and the area around Clifden

From earlier trips we found the Dingle penninsula more to our liking than the Kerry one. We have also been to the Wicklow mountains and visited Dublin by leaving our van at Bray and using the DART (railway). I wouldn't like to take a large vehicle into Dublin although I found secure parking there for our romahome once. 

I have been looking at our photos and there is a general absence of large motorhomes on the sites we went to, small VWs abound.

Regards Frank


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## 1302

Get down to a beach and park up the van










Theres nothing finer than a breakfast cooked and eaten next to a view like above...

...or 









an evening BBQ down at the waterside


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## 96088

Paul

Where are the locations?


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## silverwing

*Ireland Touring*

Sligo, the county & town are worth a visit, known as Yeats Country after W.B.Yeats the poet.
My wife is from the town so know it quiet well.


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## Jean-Luc

Don't know how long it is since Chapter visited Southern Ireland bot the main road network here is in fact quite good, especially the single digit main routes eg. the N1 to N9 also many of the 'secondary main routes designated by double digit numbers eg N25 Rosslare-Cork are excellent roads which you can comfortably travel on at the max speed limit (100kph). We have a type of road here in Southern Ireland called 'wide single carriageway' these roads comprise a wide single lane each direction with a motorway type dard shoulder, it is considered courtious practice to temporarily drive on this hard shoulder to allow faster traffic overtake and it is in fact recommender in our 'Rules of The Road'. Compared to Wales, Scotland and a lot of the 'A' roads in England the majority of intercity routs here in Southern Ireland are far superior these days and have a far lower traffic density. Come on over and you will be enchanted by the 'craic, cheol agus bia'


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## LPDrifter

I just discovered that the:

*International Camping and Caravanning Rally*

will be held in Millstreet in Cork in July next year. If you are into Ralles it might be worth looking into.

website is http://www.ficc2007.ie/home.aspx

Even if you are not intersted in the Rally the site is worth a visit as there is some good info and links on it.

Drifter


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## 1302

Oldskool said:


> Paul
> 
> Where are the locations?


Portsalon for the green 68 danbury shot - way up the top end of Eire - slightly higher than Northern Ireland on our way to the very top. Great spot but it did stink a bit from the stuff washed up. We had driven all day and couldnt see the point of carrying on to the campsite we were headed for when we could stop there for nowt 

The second shot is the year before in the 1978 converted microbus just off the N69 at a beach of unknown name. We tootled down a quiet lane, found a disused 'swimming pool (of 30 years) asked a local householder if he thought it would be ok to stay...

...we shared a Guinness - albeit tinned but from my fridge - and we agreed that it would be grand to stay as long as we left it as we found it. We did.

This is why we love Ireland 

We have been back three more times without the camper - as recently as two weekends ago when we went to Derry. A fine city too. Four weeks ago we were in Roscommon in the TT for a quick 'in and out'


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## 1302

The wife and 'small van' at Esky, near Bundoran in Sligo Bay 










Free night AND I caught the next nights meal a 4 pound pollock - didnt need a rod as 'Belfast Gareth' leant me one...

...can anyone who has never been yet see why we love Ireland


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## wobby

If you decide to come to Sligo town then don't bother with going to the camp site at Rosses point, although having said that it is a nice spot by the sea instead take the R286 towards Dromahair this will take you along the edge of Lough Gill where there is a very large viewing point very safe to wild camp, and just 200 metre's from my house. Further round the lake is Parkes castle which has a tea shop and car park again OK to overnight at. You can also take a boat ride and see the lake isle of Inishfree immortalize by the poet W B Yates. About 20 miles from Sligo town is a wonderful campsite run by an english couple on the edge of Lough Arrow. Or just 10 miles further is another camp site in Forest park on the edge of lough Key a fabulous place to stay just outside Boyle town, both of these are just of the N4 Sligo to Dublin road. 
If like eating out then you'll be spoiled for choice as some of Ireland best are on offer in and around Sligo town. 
If anyone requires any more information then feel free to contact me. 
Happy hols Wobby


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## aido

*post subject*



Jean-Luc said:


> Don't know how long it is since Chapter visited Southern Ireland bot the main road network here is in fact quite good, especially the single digit main routes eg. the N1 to N9 also many of the 'secondary main routes designated by double digit numbers eg N25 Rosslare-Cork are excellent roads which you can comfortably travel on at the max speed limit (100kph). We have a type of road here in Southern Ireland called 'wide single carriageway' these roads comprise a wide single lane each direction with a motorway type dard shoulder, it is considered courtious practice to temporarily drive on this hard shoulder to allow faster traffic overtake and it is in fact recommender in our 'Rules of The Road'. Compared to Wales, Scotland and a lot of the 'A' roads in England the majority of intercity routs here in Southern Ireland are far superior these days and have a far lower traffic density. Come on over and you will be enchanted by the 'craic, cheol agus bia'


Driving on the hard shoulder of a Motorway 1Penalty point 80€ 120 € fine in new rules of the road...... aido


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## Jean-Luc

absolutely right aido, but only on motorways, on dual carriageways it's not an offence but also not necessary, on single carriageways. To allow faster moving traffic overtake is actually the right answer in the theory test to get a provisional licence to the question, 'when is it permissable to drive on the hard shoulder'


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## 101701

hi my parents live in ireland so we go alot, some really good wild camping but quite a few height barriers, greystones harbour south of dublin is a good stop, handy for dublin port , it has loos a pub and chippy so you cant go wrong,but if you sleep over to catch a ferry give yourself plenty of time traffic can be bad, roads are really bad in most places,but getting better ,the r675 between tramore and dungarvin has 3,4 good stops one on top of the cliffs ond one on the beach,stayed many times,also the coast road from wicklow head to arklow stayed on a lovely beach .galway city pay and display on the harbour by the spanish arch ,its about 5 euro till 8 in the morning so you can have a drink in town, most pubs will let you stay, best camp sites are flesk in killarney, battle bridge in leitrim nice pub on site and good fishing, go to www.camping-ireland.ie


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## aido

*post subject*



nikkisinny said:


> hi my parents live in ireland so we go alot, some really good wild camping but quite a few height barriers, greystones harbour south of dublin is a good stop, handy for dublin port , it has loos a pub and chippy so you cant go wrong,but if you sleep over to catch a ferry give yourself plenty of time traffic can be bad, roads are really bad in most places,but getting better ,the r675 between tramore and dungarvin has 3,4 good stops one on top of the cliffs ond one on the beach,stayed many times,also the coast road from wicklow head to arklow stayed on a lovely beach .galway city pay and display on the harbour by the spanish arch ,its about 5 euro till 8 in the morning so you can have a drink in town, most pubs will let you stay, best camp sites are flesk in killarney, battle bridge in leitrim nice pub on site and good fishing, go to www.camping-ireland.ie


this is what was posted on www. campsitereview.com about the site in Battlebridge

What a place, beautiful village near by, Bar on site marina on site, childrens play ground on site and only €16.50 for a camper & 2 adults....Perfect.

NOT !!!! What a let down when it came to the shower (singular) room and loos. The smell from the gents was unacceptable and the laidies wasn't much better and you had to pay €1.50 to avail of them.. What a pitty that the whole camp site can be let down by the loo block.

Aaron

-----------------
Tipperary
Before ELVIS there was nothing... Nothing at all...

Message posted by Administrator on 10 September 06 at 5:57pm - IP Logged

aido


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## 102393

Try Sligo/Donegal, beautiful scenery, relatively unspoilt, great pubs etc. 
Recommend Mullaghmore Co Sligo, Beautiful Harbour village, beneath "Yeats Benbulben" 

Most motorhomes park in under used parking spaces parallel to, and over looking the harbour. ( Don't know if this is legal)


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## DubPaul

parking like that is fine!


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## metblue

*touring ireland*

Hi Irishhomer,loved your route advice ! been to the island a few times now last twice toured around on my Goldwing with my wife.At limerick for a bike rally Brill!!! In May we are coming back and bringing my sister in her van too.Arrive Belfast 24th May onto Donegal down the west coast,round the ring of Kerry,Stopping at Baltimore (where our grandparents are from) cork,Wexford,Dublin and then back to Belfast. Any tips re stopover's,sites,rallies that we can attend would be much appreciated.

cheers, Tommy


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