Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland Itinerary Review

Hi Sara- draw a line between Dublin and Galway, and we drove that northern part of Ireland/Northern Ireland this past September, for 3 weeks. Years ago, we biked south from Galway to Dingle. Past trips to Scotland were yet at other times.

Traveling solo, you won’t have a person on the left passenger side to remind you to not drift too far to the left, so keep reminding yourself, so you don’t encounter stone walls or rough shoulder drop-offs.

Between Dingle and Galway, are you already considering visiting The Burren area? It’s a harsh environment at first glance, but the hardy plant life, backdrop of stunning hillsides, and a couple of Neolithic tomb sites make it worth a stop, if time and interest allow.

A bit northeast of Belfast, we took a guided walk on the unique Gobbins Path the day after we'd hiked along the Antrim Coast. The Gobbins includes steel reinforced steps and walkways attached to the cliffs, an artifact from over 100 years ago that have been renovated, upgraded, and reopened after decades of closure.

You’ll appreciate at least 1 or 2 more days on Skye, if you can fit them in. The roads there are narrower, twistier, and more full of sheep than the other roads you’ll drive in Ireland and Scotland, but the scenery is awesome. Prepare for driving in the rain, by the way.

With Edinburgh at the end, appears you may be deliberately avoiding being there during the Edinburgh Festival and the Festival Fringe. True, it draws a big crowd to the city, but everyone’s there for a very good reason! If you turned your itinerary from back to front, that might allow Festival time in Edinburgh.

Public transport to Antrim coast is excellent. I would spend fewer days in Belfast and more up on the Antrim Coast.

I think it looks wonderful. The only thing I would do would be to take one night from Edinburgh and add it to Isle of Skye. We stayed 2 nights on Skye and I would have like one more night at least.

Cyn, thank you for your response! I rented a camper van in New Zealand earlier this year and drove on the left side of the road. I am a little nervous about it but it won't be my first time! As far as The Burren, I am thinking of taking a full-day trip from Galway to visit Cliffs of Mohr and drive through The Burren. Think that will be okay? Thanks for the tip about the Gobbins Path! That sound fun! I will definitely consider an extra day in Skye since its been mentioned more than once! And I was unaware of the Edinburgh festival. I already booked my flight to arrive in Dublin so I don't think I'll be able to flip my itinerary around. Thanks though!

Carol, I was considering making Belfast "home" for 4 nights and taking at least 1 day trip to the Antrim coast, maybe 2. Would you consider staying at least one night on the Antrim coast instead?

Nancy, thank you for your suggestion! Cyn suggested the same so I will look into adding an extra night in Skye!

Sara, a day driving south of Galway will let you explore the Burren and the Cliffs. The town of Lisdoonvarna, with a tremendous salmon smokehouse run by a Norwegian woman who relocated there years ago, is in the area, too. Breakfast with eggs and that salmon was a highlight!

We had a car last September, and had been in a B&B just outside Bushmills, for our time near the Antrim Coast. Towns along the coast itself might work, if you didn’t want to shuttle to and from Belfast each day. Rick Steves suggests Portrush, although we never wound up even passing thru that town ourselves.