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Comparing scenic areas on Atlantic coast in Ireland

Posted by (Easley, SC, USA) on

My wife and I want to see rural, not urban Ireland when we're there in July. We have no interest at all in city tours, pub crawls, etc. We are much more interested in getting out and about and walking around places like the Burren than in hop on-hop off bus tours of Dublin; no offense intended; that's just who we are.

I will NOT rent a car! I can't watch the scenery and watch the road at the same time.

I like the idea of making our way to Galway and taking some day tours around Connemara and the Burren.

If we do tour those areas, I'm curious whether also touring some place like the Dingle peninsula (which I strongly prefer over the Ring of Kerry) would just be too much of the same sort of scenery. True, it'd all be beautiful, but are there other rural scenic areas elsewhere that we should prefer, if we start with Connemara and Burren and then have 2-3 more days before we have to head onward?

Thanks.

Tom

Posted by
317 posts

Hi Tom, greetings from the Dingle peninsula.
The scenery in our peninsula, the Burren and Connemara are all different enough to warrant you visit all 3.
I have visited all three sites every two weeks in summer for almost 20 years leading Rick Steves Tours, so my opinion is quite expert at this stage! :)
Doolin or Lisdoonvarna would be a good overnight to explore the Burren, but if its countryside you like you'd be be utter off in Clifton or maybe Cong, there'd be no point in staying in Galway. Its a great city but from your description of the things you aren't looking for, it might not be the right choice for you.
You'll find the topography of the Dingle peninsula to be very rich in dramatic coastal drops and lovely hikes along medium sized hills and mountains interlaced with a genres amount of archeological sites.
I know some great hill-walking and archeological guides locally if you wished to have a local expert accompany you both on some of the walks. Always a great investment. I have guests who come to my Dingle B&B with no car, and who spend the entire week going off on hikes and trails, on bikes I provide and sometimes on tours I arrange for them. I keep a few copies of 'easy walks west of Dingle' and it proves a great resource.
I understand your reluctance to rent a car, but of course this will put a little squeeze on your flexibility as you'll be reliant on public transport and local tours, but with prior planning that will work out fine.
let me know if you have any questions.
le meas/with respect
Stephen McPhilemy
Rick Steves Ireland Tour-Guide
Dingle & Derry

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