With limited time we want to leave Dingle early hit the Cliffs of Mohr, lunch in Doolin then drive through Burren to Galway. Know it will be a long day but is it feasible to be in Galway for checking in hotel & dinner? Should we take the Shannon ferry or go around?
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2991 posts
It is further to go via Limerick but a faster drive. Depending on how long you wait for a ferry, there may not be much difference in time.
Which ever way you go, you need to allow 4 hours for the drive.
How long are you planning to spend at the Cliffs? Allowing time to park up, go to the visitor centre and thn the cliffs themselves and back to the car could take an hour... It's a few minutes drive to Doolin. So it could be a late lunch.
Doolin to Galway is going to be just under 2 hour drive (a bit longer if you go round the coast, so you should get toi the hotel in planty of time to check in for dinner.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1153 posts
Without knowing how fixed your schedule is and how long you have, I'd suggest you slow down that leg of the trip, so you can include Conor Pass, Listowel Castle and Kilkee Cliffs if you go via ferry, or Bunratty Castle if you go via Limerick, Moher via afternoon boat, then spend the night in Doolin. The next day you can spend more time in the Burren on you leisurely drive to Galway, maybe visiting Athenry and/or Dunguaire Castle (might be closed). There's lots of "things to do" along both routes.
Posted by
California
35 posts
Yes, but we made the drive from Dingle by reserving a space on the Tarbert-Killmer ferry
We then drove along portions of the WAW. We were able to visit the Cliffs, then Burren. We made it to our downtown Galway hotel, near the old town well before sundown.
However, doing so, Doolin was not in our plans. (no pun)
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you all for your insight. Our time is limited 3 nights 3 days. Flying into Shannon early arrival 5:30 am, so plan on driving down to Dingle via Adare stop, spend night there. Will do part of Slea Head drive on arrival afternoon. Next morning make our way to Galway for 2 nights via Cliffs then Doolin lunch, through Burren to check into Galway hotel. The following day will do Connemara. Sound crazy? Feel like Aran islands will be more of the same with Connemara, so wanted to switch it up with coastal driving by including Dingle.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2991 posts
Sound crazy?
In a word YES.
Are you arriving after a transatlantic flight? If so you will not only be jet lagged but also tired. Even without jet lag, you are going to be tired if landing at 5.30 am. How much sleep will you get before and during the flight?
You are looking at a 3+ hour drive to Dingle and are then wanting to do the Slea Head Drive. Although this isn’t very far it is going to take another hour to drive PLUS time for any stops....
Have you driven on the left side of the road before? Are you familiar with driving in Ireland. Driving is slow. Roads are often narrow, winding and with stone walls...
This is an intensive itinerary at the best of times and you are going to spend a lot of time staring at Ireland through a car windscreen. This is beginning to sound very much like a tick exercise. I know you say you have limited time in Ireland, so how does this fit into the rest of the itinerary. What happens after Galway. Is it as intensive? SLOW DOWN and take the time to enjoy what Ireland has to offer!