Extending Stay in Ireland - head South or North?

Personally I'd head to Slea Head and the Dingle Pennisula. If you still have your bikes might consider riding through the Gap of Dunloe. In all my travels one of my most memorable excursions was on a November day was thru the Gap of Dunloe via car and on foot. Fall colors, few autos or people.

Stayed in a BnB in Dingle and though some places closed in Dingle I found the solitude and the stunning Slea Head drive a perfect respite.

If you're looking for some organized outdoor activities, these two adventure centers may do the trick:

The Delphi Adventure Center (Leenane, Co. Galway) is actually in Co. Mayo just north of Leenane. We've stopped there for coffee and munchies on some of our many bike trips around Ireland. The setting is remote, rugged and beautiful.

https://www.delphiadventureresort.com/

And just a mile or so west of the village of Leenane is the Killary Adventure Center, which faces Killary Harbor. Leenane sits between three mountain ranges in what we think is the most beautiful region of the country - Connemara. The village has a few B&Bs and one superb restaurant, The Blackberry: http://www.blackberryrestaurant.ie/.

http://killaryadventure.com/en/home-1

You won't find any trad in either location, though Leenane has two small pubs.

As to your two proposed post-bike trip locations, I'd choose the Dingle Peninsula over the Giant's Causeway and the Ring of Kerry. Dingle Town is lovely and worth a night or two. The scenery on the peninsula is spectacular, full of history (e.g, beehive huts and the Gallarus Oratory) and you'll find several villages and B&Bs there. The husband of our hostess at the Killary House B&B in Dingle Town (http://collinskirrary.com) gives history tours of the area.

We were disappointed in the Ring of Kerry since an ocean view is largely obscured by trees and distance, and there's little else to see.

The Giant's Causeway is certainly worth a visit, and the Antrim Coast is good for cycling, with wide open views of the ocean and lots of rolling hills to climb on its eastern edge.

If you'll still have bikes after your week-long trip ends and would like recommendations on other ideal places to cycle (just about anywhere on the coasts), send me a PM.

There’s a lot more to the Antrim Coast besides Giant’s Causeway. You’ve got Mussenden Temple, White Rocks Beach, Dunluce Castle, Dunseverick Castle, Dunseverick Falls, Ballintoy Harbor, Carrick-a-rede, and one of my personal favorites, Kinbane Castle. And all of these are within a stone’s throw of each other.

That said, the Dingle Peninsula is spectacular, and the aforementioned Gap of Dunloe is an absolute wonder, and is pretty much a ‘must see’ if you’re in the Killarney area. One place that a lot of people traveling to the Dingle Peninsula miss is Conor Pass. This is incredibly scenic, and it’s just a short jaunt up Spa Road, which is in the center of the town of Dingle.

As far as the Ring of Kerry, the best sites are NOT along the typical coach tour route (which, unfortunately is the route a lot of drivers and cyclists take). Nope, the best sites (IMO, of course) on the ring are the Geokaun Mountain and Floger Cliffs (the highest point of Valentia Island…it has spectacular 360 degree views of the Skelligs, Dingle, the Blaskets, Kerry mountains, Portmagee, Fogher Cliffs, and the island itself), the Kerry Cliffs (which are actually higher than the Cliffs of Moher), Ballycarbery Castle, the Black Valley (just south of the Gap of Dunloe), the Ballaghbeama Gap and Ballaghisheen Pass (these take you through the middle of the ring instead of circling around south through Waterville and Sneem…..far more dramatic). Most of these places are not on the typical tourist’s radar which, for me, is a major plus.

Keep a few things in mind. From Galway City, heading south to the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry is a lot shorter trip compared to heading north to the Antrim Coast. You’ll no doubt want to break it up over a few days. Also, since you’ll be ending the first part of your trip in Galway, I’d also suggest taking a day to go over to Inishmore.

Hope this helps.

Russ

Thank you for your insight and suggestions. The information on southwest Ireland is very helpful and has been incorporated into our plans. After a 7-day cycle ride from Ennis, Doolin, Aran Island, Galway area, we plan to take train to Dublin for three days. Next, rent car and drive thru southern Ireland toward and into the Dingle-area. End of week puts us back in Shannon where will head to Scotland for four days before flying back to US.

Always appreciate the advise of experienced travelers! Thank ya'll again.