My wife and I are planning a Fall trip to Ireland and will be flying Virgin into Knock airport which is not the usual arrival point from the US.
Has anyone explored the Northwest of the Republic much? Is it less "discovered" than the Dingle area? Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Dennis
We are spending the balance of our trip there in August. I will post a trip report then.
Hi Dennis
We spent a week based just west of Donegal. There is a lot to see and it's far less touristy than Ring of Kerry/Dingle area. Here's a few of the day trips we took:
You could also day trip to Derry but we didn't. We stayed in a wonderful restored cottage in the little village of Dunkineely, about 8 miles west of Donegal. This was one our favorite parts of Ireland.
My wife and I consider Donegal and Connemara to be the two prettiest areas in Ireland, and part of their charm is the fact that they're well off the usual tourist track.
From Knock you have some great options. Sligo is a pretty little town, and nearby is the highest concentration of megalithic tombs in Ireland - if not all of Europe. Getting to them requires a bit of hiking however, so be prepared for that.
Clifden would be a good base for exploring Connemara. The Sky Road just west of town is beautiful. There's also a terrific loop drive that connects the National Park with it's scenic hike up Diamond Hill, Kylemore Abbey and the pretty village of Cong. Nearby Ashford Castle has a Hawk Walk that many here rave about, and you don't have to stay there to enjoy it. There are also easy day trips out to Inishmore on the Aran Islands as well as the shorter trip out to Inishbofin.
Donegal is Ireland's Wild West - spectacular sea scapes all the way up the coast. The cliffs at Slieve League are much more dramatic than those at Moher, and with about 2% of the crowds.
To answer your question - the Northwest is much less "discovered" than either Dingle or Kerry, and believe me that's a good thing.
I agree with Robert. NW Ireland is the least visited but with some of the best countryside. If you can, drive to Omagh and visit the Ulster American Folk Park. It has village buildings moved from other parts of Northern Ireland and Donegal as well as town shops. You leave the rural part and enter the “new world” through a sailing ship (the type which took so many immigrants to the US).
