We are trying to figure out the last week of our 19 day trip in Ireland/Northern Ireland using buses and trains this September. We're using Galway as our Atlantic Coast base, spending a day on the Aran Islands, a day hiking the Cliffs of Moher and then possibly doing a tour (or bus?) in the Cannemara region, after which we're heading to Donegal, Derry, the Antrim Coast and Belfast. I'm currently thinking of breaking up the long bus ride to Derry with a stop in Donegal for lunch (because, why not?), staying in Derry for 2-3 nights, from which we'd see Derry and the Antrim Coast before taking the train to Belfast for 2 days. Any suggestions to alter this? We're trying to avoid any one-nighters, if possible, and are trying to use tours strategically-- they're not our preference but sometimes the best option.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
On our 2018 trip, we stayed in Connemara in Clifden, after two nights on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. We had a rental car, and did our own touring. One amazing activity we did, but I’m not sure how to get there without your own car or a hired driver, is the Ashford Castle Hawk Walk. With a falconer guide, you fly your own Harris Hawk, very cool.
We also visited the Connemara National Park. If you were interested in more hiking, you could stay in Letterfrack and get to the Park by Bus Éireann coach bus.
We passed through Sligo and stayed in a B&B outside of Donegal for two nights. It was a great visit, but was hairy driving on extremely narrow roads outside of the city.
We visited Derry for an afternoon (a festival was happening in town), but visited (and hiked) the Antrim Coast with a 2-night stay at a B&B in Bushmills.
We did eventually have a guide for two days (we still drove to meet him), but that was for the Neolithic sights closer to Dublin. A unique experience we did closer to Belfast was The Gobbins - here’s the Website: https://thegobbinscliffpath.com/
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8876 posts
I've done the bus ride between Derry and Galway and it does make for a long day. It does give you an opportunity to see the center areas of several Irish towns and cities and travel with locals. I like the idea of stopping in Donegal for lunch and a bathroom break!
I stayed in Port Ballintrae at the Bayview Hotel which was a great hotel and very convenient for the sites on the Antrim Coast. We walked to Portrush, Dunluce Castle, Bushmills and the Giants Causeway. We also could have taken the local bus which stops right outside the hotel to all of these sites. The view is fabulous and the restaurant was wonderful when we were there.
Think, if most of your sights are near Port Ballintrae, it doesn't make a lot of sense to stay in Derry.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
Thanks for the great suggestions and ideas about Connemara State Park and the Antrim coast. You are completely right that staying in Derry for more than one night doesn’t make much sense so we might need to break our one night rule and shift over to Port Ballentrea. Also, I did find a tour in Cannemara that focuses on hiking in the park so that fits our interests. Thanks again!