10-day Northern Ireland with ROK and Aran

Day 4 I can not see working, given the relative infrequency of the Rathlin Island ferry. If it does work I doubt you are going to get to explore the island properly, to get much beyond the village.

This is the timetable- https://www.rathlin-ferry.com/TimeTable

If you can fit it in I strongly recommend an overnight on the island.

Is your vacation continuing in London, or could you not fly into Dublin (for Belfast) then leave for home from Shannon?

Reading through your itinerary I also doubted the feasibility of Days 4, 6 and 11 too. I’d also add in Day 3. You are trying to push a 14 day itinerary into ten days. Don’t underestimate driving times in Ireland. They may not look far on the map but will often take a lot longer to cover than you might expect. If using Gooigle, Via Michelin or AA route planner it is advisable to add 20-25% to their times PLUS time for stops. Just parking up and walking to where you want to be and back to the car can add quite a bit of time to your itinerary.

Day 3

Are you intending to visit Carrickfergus Castle? Are you intending to stop and explore any of the glens? Each of the glens is very different and it would be a shame to drive past without stopping to see something of them. The Waterfall Walk at Glenariff is one of the best short walks and is well worth doing. Some of the villages are very pretty and worth stopping off too. It is also worth doing the drive from Cushendun around the coast to Torr Head and Murlough Bay. This is narrow and quite steep in places and slow to drive but is a stunning drive. Giant’s Causeway - if time allows it is worth climbing up behind the Visitor Centre and walking along the top of the cliffs to look down on the Causeway. The visitors look like ants scurrying around...

You are talking about 3.5-4hours drive time. Doing the loop around Torr Head and Murlough Bay will add 45-60 minutes. Carrickfergus castle - allow 60 minutes to visit the Castle. Waterfalls walk - another 45 minutes. Giant’s Causeway - allow a MINIMUM of 60 minutes - longer would be better, especially if you do the walk along the cliffs.

Day 4

Are you planning to catch a ferry to Rathlin Island, rather than just admiring from teh mainland? If so, general wisdom is to allow a day for the visit. You can’t take a car, although there are plenty of walks you can do there.

Both Dunluce Castle and Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge are open 9-5. (Last admission to Carrick a Rede Car Park is 1.5 hours before site closure. ) You need to allow 45-60 minutes for both visits. PLUS time driving to them etc.

Ideally you could do with another day in here visiting Carrick a Rede, Dunluce and Giant's Causeway - use Day 7 here?

Day 6

We spent nearly a full day at the Ulster American Folk Museum as there is so much to see and do there.The costumed interpreters are very good and it is worth allowing plenty of time to talk to them about the history of the families and their way of life, why they emigrated to North America and the pitfalls of thier new life there.

It is also about an hours drive from Derry. Derry to Slieve League Cliffs is going to be 2.5 hour drive and its the opposite way to the Ulster American Folk Park.

From the Cliffs to Loch Erne is another 90 minute drive. Something needs to give here.

Day 5’

I'm not sure what you mean by the Donegal Loop on Day 5 - is this the loop round the Inishowen Peninsula to Malin Head? If so we were rather disappointed by this drive compared with elsewhere in Donnegal. The scenery wasn’t as dramatic. One suggestion would be to use this day to do a loop out through Glenveagh, Slieve League, Donegal and back to Derry?

Day 11

Kenmare, Ring of Kerry to Shannon Airport is going to be about a five hour drive (and this is missing out the loop round the tip to Ballinskelligs and Portmagee. That will add about another hour. You also miss out the section. between Kenmare and Killarney (Lady’s View etc) which is also very scenic to say nothing about Gap of Dunloe...

Hotel recommendation for Antrim Coast.
Bayview Hotel at Port Ballintrae. You will not be disappointed.

Wow, wasleys, thanks for the great feedback. Let me try and suss this out.

For drive times, I’m just going to use a conversion factor of
Google Maps 1 to 1.6. (1-hour drive takes 1:36.)

Day 3
What if I pare down Day 3 as follows:

10 a.m. Leave Belfast, drive 45 minutes
10:45 a.m. Carrickfergus (2 hours)
1 p.m. Leave Carrickfergus, drive 2 hours
3 p.m. Glenariff Forest Park. Waterfall Walk (1.5 hours).
4:30 p.m. Leave Glenarriff, Drive 1:45 to Ballycastle via Cushendun/Torr Head
6 p.m. Arrive Ballycastle. Overnight.

Day 4
I think I need to let go of Rathlin Island.
Sounds like I could do Carrick-a-Rede, Giant’s Causeway, and Dunlace Castle and make it to Derry by late afternoon or early evening.

Day 5
RE: Donegal Loop. I’m referring to the “County Donegal Drive” in the Rick Steves guidebook. He suggests it’s 5 hours of driving, including the Horn Head Loop. Planning to spend 1-hour at the Ring Fort and 3 hours at Glenveagh Castle and National Park. Plus other sightseeing sights on drive. Whole day excursion.

Day 6
My intention with Day 6 is to do a similar driving loop of the SW part of Donegal County, heading to Slieve League, and looping around encompassing the area south of the Donegal Loop. Perhaps this would just be a repeat of Day 5 with a different flavor. Driving through the countryside on our last visit was my favorite part. No real agenda, just soaking it up.

By my rudimentary math, driving this loop and then going onward to Enniskellen is 8 hours behind the wheel. Ulster American Folk not possible.

Day 7
If I stick with Enniskellen (I love the idea of a lake boat ride), I could backtrack to the Ulster American Folk or head out Mourne Mountains. I haven’t heard much about Mourne, but the OCD in me wants to visit that corner.

Day 11
The guidebook says driving ROK (with the Skellig Ring) is 4.5 hours. Add in the stops and lunch, probably an 11-hour day by the time I reach Killorglin. Grab a bite to eat and press onward 2.5 hours to Shannon. Seems doable to me, especially considering the back side is just heading to the hotel in Shannon.

Ultimately, I guess I could axe either Day 6 or 7 and bump everything up a day, ending the ROK back in Kenmare for a second night. But then all I have on Day 11 is drive to Shannon to get in position for the flight on Day 12. Seems a waste. Dunno.

This was great. Lots for me to ponder and stew over. Thanks a million!

Carol:

Hotel recommendation for Antrim Coast.
Bayview Hotel at Port Ballintrae. You will not be disappointed.

No vacancies showing in July.

That is sounding much better. It is so difficult when you want to see everything!

I must admit I was disappointed by the day we spend driving through the Mountains of Mounre. It didn't live up to the hype... The Ulster America Folk Museum was fasacinating, especially if you have any interest in social history.

Is the Ring Fort mentioned for Day 5 Grianan of Aileach? If so it is wonderful and a real highlight of our visit. (There are also three other ring forts along the Ring of Kerry - Staigue, Cahergal, Leacanabuile although you may not have time to visit them...)