extending a tour

Hi

there's potentially loads of 'road hours' in each half of your two-week plan - so I am assuming that you are comfortable with that; it won't be relaxing (unless you nod off in the coach)!

With regard to your Wild Atlantic Way Drive, I would strongly recommend considering how much of it you really want to drive - each section (per the official itinerary. listed on the official website) represents about 8 to 10 hours driving time, non-stop (assuming an average 40mph - you won't do much better than that on the roads that form the route). You may find it far more enjoyable covering less total distance, but stopping more often.

You also don't state what month you are touring - if the summer months (say May through September) you will have 12 hours daylight (give or take); other months will be considerably less. If the point of the tour is to take in some of the West Coast's magnificent sites, then I'd suggest perhaps doing less of the route, and loitering longer.

With regard to Donegal specifically - you didn't state whether you are booking two nights in County Donegal, or Donegal town specifically. I ask this because Donegal (town) doesn't really need two nights' stay, unless you are going to use it as a base for day excursions (particularly to the Slieve League / Glencolumbkille area, in the west). However the first (or last!) entire section of the WAW covers all County Donegal coast and is in itself a 300mile + adventure drive; you could easily spend 2 nights covering the whole section. Much of the most beautiful scenery is in North Donegal, and Donegal town is in the south of the county - and it is a 1 to 2 hour drive to get across the county.

Lastly, the drive from Dublin to Donegal Town is about 4 hours, so ensure you factor that in..

Happy planning!

The hotel I booked in on Lough Eske. I still have time to change it if I need to. We figured we'd use that as a base to do wander the coast.

We aren't doing the whole WAW, just Donegal to Dingle.

Much of it is lots of beautiful scenery, it seems to me. We do like to drive.

We do have to make our way to the Shannon airport, the flights can't be changed.

That's why I'm wondering which areas we might want to spend more time in & which we can just drive through. If we were to cut out anything, which would you suggest? We are going the end of March/beg of Apr, so we won't be looking to swim & we don't play golf. Nor do we have kids.

You state your last night is in Dingle before your flight home from Shannon. What time is your flight from Shannon and where are you flying home to? If US you need to be in Shannon three hours before flight as you go through customs in Shannon. I can't remember how long the drive is from Dimgle to Shannon as we did it the opposite way but it is I believe maybe two hours. If your flight is anytime in the morning, you would have to leave Dingle in the very wee hours of the morning and start your drive in the dark, something to think about.

3 hours before the flight???? Isn't that a bit excessive! 2 hours has always been what I've been told & what I've done, anytime I've flown

Is there some specific reason? I mean, it's not even that huge an airport, from what I understand

Anyone else want to weigh in on this?

One night in Dingle is not enough. I need three night just to sample a little of the music

Actually, we changed our reservation & are spending our last 2 nights in Tralee. It's closer to the airport. We figured we would daytrip to Dingle.

Unfortunately, there's just not enough time to do everything we want!