Atlantic coast of Ireland
Atlantic coast of Ireland
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CarbonXKR

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

238 months

Monday 27th June 2016
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Anyone done this yet? I'm thinking of planning for this for next year. Looks like you would need at least a week possibly longer. Any do's and don'ts ?? Best crossing etc. would be helpful. Cheers in advance.

vikingaero

11,938 posts

185 months

Monday 27th June 2016
quotequote all
As you are in The Federal Republic of Sturgeonshire then the shortest sea ferry crossing would be Cairnryan to Larne/Belfast and you could start the WAW from the top. We spent a week near Bushmills/Giants Causeway and then a week doing the WAW:

http://www.ireland.com/en-gb/wild-atlantic-way/?gc...

From Belfast/Larne it's a 3 ish hour drive to Derry where you can start. We went to Malin Head and Slieve League - both fantastic places.

The WAW doesn't have much technical driving. It's more about the views (if it isn't raining/low cloud or foggy} and visiting places along the way. One place that I was really disappointed with was the Cliffs of Moher, We came down from the North, over a hill to see a huge car park with hundreds of coaches, so we carried on. It made me glad to see Slieve League and the climb to the top.

There are some fantastic hotels we used large and small, chosen by my daughters because they had WIFI! A quad/family room was around 90-100 Eur

vikingaero

11,938 posts

185 months

Monday 27th June 2016
quotequote all
Crossing: We went Cairnryan to Larne. We paid for Premium which gave access to the lounge with free drinks, snacks and being able to order food to table - expensive but it set you up for the onward trip on disembarkation. Also got priority loading.

If you visit Malin Head then there's a fantastic little cafe called Northern Bites in the Community Centre. Has toilets too, which are probably the closest public toilets near Malin Head/ on the Peninsula.

We went to the Doagh Famine Centre. The girls wanted to girl and I was all grumpy thinking it would be st but I was surprised at how good it was.

golfer19

1,611 posts

149 months

Monday 27th June 2016
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From Belfast/Larne it's a 3 ish hour drive to Derry where you can start. We went to Malin Head and Slieve League - both fantastic places.

Belfast/Larne is more like 90 mins to Derry

vikingaero

11,938 posts

185 months

Monday 27th June 2016
quotequote all
golfer19 said:
From Belfast/Larne it's a 3 ish hour drive to Derry where you can start. We went to Malin Head and Slieve League - both fantastic places.

Belfast/Larne is more like 90 mins to Derry
Yep. Sorry. We went along the coast to kill time before we could check in.

CarbonXKR

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

238 months

Tuesday 28th June 2016
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Thanks for the replies. Will look in to this a bit more. Picking the weather will be difficult wink

Red Devil

13,305 posts

224 months

Tuesday 28th June 2016
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CarbonXKR said:
Anyone done this yet? I'm thinking of planning for this for next year. Looks like you would need at least a week possibly longer. Any do's and don'ts ?? Best crossing etc. would be helpful. Cheers in advance.
If you intend to visit the Giant's Causeway en route, Larne is a much better starting point then Belfast. Take the A2 to Waterfoot, then the A43/B14 loop through Glenariff Forest Park. From Cushendall, the Ballybrack Road/Knocknacarry Road to Cushendun. From there, the coast road via Torr Head back to the A2 at Ballyvoy.

Dingle/Kerry are a bit too 'touristy' for me tbh.

Achill Island in Co. Mayo has some stunning scenery and is well worth a visit.
Mine was in mid September. Stayed at the Achill Sound Hotel.







Keem Bay (the beach can be seen in the top left of photo #3) sandy bit is as far west as you can go.
The only other visitors on the day left shortly after we arrived and we had the whole of it to ourselves.


If you haven't driven in Ireland before be aware they do things a bit differently over there.
This unscheduled interruption was on quite a sharp bend on a NSL main road!


Peanut Gallery

2,597 posts

126 months

Wednesday 29th June 2016
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I have done bits of the this, the views are good, but it mostly stops there.

The roads have hedges right on the edge of the road, so you cannot see round any of the adverse camber corner, to see the large campervan / trailer / caravan / sheep coming the other way, whilst avoiding the potholes.

The motorways for getting around there are big, wide, empty but dull to drive. They do get you from a to b nicely though.

skodaphile

152 posts

173 months

Friday 8th July 2016
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Born and bred in Ireland and have driven most roads...

In no particular order, I recommend Achill Island as mentioned (it really is awesome on a good day), Leenane to Clifden, Bantry to Glengarriff, Dursey Island (on foot, by cable car!) Connor Pass, Valentia Island.

If you want to really enjoy the roads, you'll need to plan to do so in early morning, as they get clogged up with tourists as the day goes on. Then spend the rest of the day enjoying the scenery.

Oh, and the R574 from Adrigole to Lauragh on the Beara Peninsula in West Cork is amazing...

ZDW

60 posts

116 months

Sunday 10th July 2016
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Would recommend May, June or September if you can do any of those. Outside school holidays and prime tourist season so you'll have quoted roads. Coast roars from Larne going north is good and head inland at Cushendall to Ballycastle and follow the coastal route to Giants Causeway, then coast again to Portrush onto Coleraine and on directly to Derry. From there cross the border into RoI and north to Moville and onto Main head to start the West Atlantic coast. Dungs agh is a nice stop. Using sat nav I've often ended up on roads that are no more than tracks with grass growing up the middle in some parts of Donegal.

CarbonXKR

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

238 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
ZDW said:
Would recommend May, June or September if you can do any of those. Outside school holidays and prime tourist season so you'll have quoted roads. Coast roars from Larne going north is good and head inland at Cushendall to Ballycastle and follow the coastal route to Giants Causeway, then coast again to Portrush onto Coleraine and on directly to Derry. From there cross the border into RoI and north to Moville and onto Main head to start the West Atlantic coast. Dungs agh is a nice stop. Using sat nav I've often ended up on roads that are no more than tracks with grass growing up the middle in some parts of Donegal.
Thanks, will have a look on the map to see all the places you mention.

Ian Lancs

1,149 posts

182 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
CarbonXKR said:
ZDW said:
Would recommend May, June or September if you can do any of those. Outside school holidays and prime tourist season so you'll have quoted roads. Coast roars from Larne going north is good and head inland at Cushendall to Ballycastle and follow the coastal route to Giants Causeway, then coast again to Portrush onto Coleraine and on directly to Derry. From there cross the border into RoI and north to Moville and onto Main head to start the West Atlantic coast. Dungs agh is a nice stop. Using sat nav I've often ended up on roads that are no more than tracks with grass growing up the middle in some parts of Donegal.
Thanks, will have a look on the map to see all the places you mention.
If you're childish, don't forget to stop at the Muff service station just after you cross the border ( http://bit.ly/29KlwVc)