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Ireland in 11 days . . .
| Erin Bishop checks out some of the sights of Ireland.
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Want to see the world on a limited budget and in a small timeframe? It sounds impossible, but it’s not. Erin Bishop reports on how to see all of the beauty Ireland has got to offer in just a few short days.
Ask an Irish person and they’ll tell you that driving the distance from Dublin to Belfast in one day is a big ask.
But for a New Zealander, it’s nothing.
Unlike the drive from Ashburton to Nelson for example, where time is chewed up as you battle hill, after hill, after hill, driving from place to place in Ireland takes no time at all.
With a speed limit of 120km/h on the motorways and clear signposting to all of the main centres, navigating your way around Ireland isn’t as scary as it might sound. That is until you actually get into the towns and find that street signs are few and far between, and when they are there, they’re hidden on the side of a building somewhere.
After taking the scenic route through some beautiful Irish countryside and finding the rural roads aren’t in nearly as good a shape as the motorways, the last thing you want to do is drive around narrow, unfamiliar streets for a couple of hours looking for a cheap hostel which appears to be non-existent.
But once you get there, you’re well rewarded for your persistence.
With just 11 days in Ireland to visit friends, do a day trip to Northern Ireland, and complete a planned road trip of four days to see the rest of the country, you’ve got to be organised.
Most people flying in to Ireland will fly or sail into Dublin and the capital city can be a good place to base yourself for the start of a trip. With a bustling city centre with no shortage of shopping opportunities for every kind of shopper, and a selection of open top city bus tour operators to take you around the main sights from Trinity College and Christchurch Cathedral, to Phoenix Park and of course, the world famous Guinness factory, Dublin could easily occupy a couple of days on a whirlwind trip.
Northern Ireland’s capital, Belfast, is just a couple of hours up the road and if you’re keen for another couple of hours in the car, the Giants Causeway at the very top of the country, on the coast of County Antrim, is well worth a visit.
A world heritage site, the Giants Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking columns which are the result of ancient volcanic activity, and as long as you don’t mind the walk down to the natural wonder you’ll probably find yourself reminded of the Pancake Rocks on New Zealand’s West Coast. If you’re visiting in winter though, be sure to go prepared for the conditions as you’re nearly at the top of the world, at the coldest time of the year and that should say it all really.
That easily fills up the morning and gives you plenty of time to finish off your day trip with a stop off in Belfast where signs of past conflict can still be seen (and visited in a taxi tour), although the North’s capital is a much calmer place these days.
To see the rest of the country, you could either go west or south, but perhaps start off by travelling cross country to visit Galway, a favourite with many young travellers.
Galway is where the lack of street signs may start to test the patience of driver and navigator, but once you’ve found your way you’ll find it was worth the effort.
Taking a walk down to the coast at sunset is a great way to farewell another cool Irish day when you’ve been deceived by the weather which looked nice and sunny, but turned out to be colder than the days it rains.
A short drive from Galway you’ll find the Cliffs of Moher, which again, if you’re going to visit remember to wrap up warm because the winds in Father Ted country can be biting. But it’s worth the pain of the icy breeze when you get up close and personal with the picturesque cliffs which rise 120 metres up above the Atlantic Ocean, with the tallest point being 214 metres.
If you pick a clear day to visit the 8km stretch of cliffs, you’ll get a good view of the Arran Islands. If time allows, jump on a ferry and visit the intriguing islands with their wild scenery and few inhabitants. The locals will tell you, it’s well worth the trip.
If you keep heading south from Galway a good place to base yourself for a day or two is Killarney.
Killarney National Park provides some of the best scenery you will see on your trip and you’ll often bump into locals out for a walk or run, making the most of their beautiful back doorstep.
Adding to the majestic appeal of the southwest corner of Ireland is the Ring of Kerry, which is easily accessible from Killarney.
A winding road around the bottom corner of the country, the Ring of Kerry is dotted with many small villages and stunning views out over the ocean and the countryside and can be completed in a couple of hours, or a day, depending on what time you’ve got.
From there, Cork is just a short drive and it’s surprisingly easy to find your way around and spend a relaxing time exploring the city.
Just a short drive away is the town of Blarney, the home of Blarney Castle and of course, the Blarney Stone.
Even if you don’t believe the old stories about what kissing the Blarney Stone will do for your life, it’s worth giving it a go, although it’s not as easy as it sounds. Just be sure to make use of the antiseptic spray they have on hand.
You’ll find plenty of nice small towns along the way offering Irish hospitality and if you know the odd person along the way, stop and have a good look around.
For me, my base town was Navan – about an hours drive from Dublin.
You may be surprised just how many gems there are wherever you stay.
Navan for example had Slane Castle (an old castle which is now more known for holding concerts like a well-known one by U2) just down the road, and Newgrange, one of the passage tombs of the Bru Na Boinne complex in County Meath.
It’s one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world and the most famous of all in Ireland.
Newgrange was built so that at dawn on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, a narrow beam of sunlight for a very short time illuminates the floor of the chamber at the end of the long passageway.
Ireland is full of little gems and given the relative ease of getting around the entire country, they’re all pretty easy to find.
Just watch out for potholes in the road – don’t be like me and hit one on your first day driving around in your rental car.
Mind you, fixing it was one of the cheapest expenses in an otherwise pricey country in the current climate.
January 24 2009
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Ireland in 11 days . . .
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