Hello! I could use a little help with a route for southern ireland. May-June for two weeks coming from US. In/out of Dublin.
Greystones 1 night
Rosslare 1
Tramore 2
Cobh 3
Skibbereen 2
Killarney 3
Dublin 1 night before flight
Travel light with backpack and public transportation only.
Thank you!
Have you checked the timetables? On public transportation, you're likely to spend most of the day getting to your destination. If you're only there one night, you won't have time to see anything. Also, why Tralee and Limerick? For that matter, why Wicklow and Rosslare? If we had an idea of your interests, it would be easier to help.
Thank you for your reply. In answer, I am looking for places with walks and especially cliff walks. Rosslare has Sli na slainte with two walks and two harbour trails. Wicklow I haven’t finished researching but I have been to Glendalough on a tour as well as Kilkenny. Tralee has a few paths to walk and I wasnt sure which base to best see County Cork by. Limerick is on the way back and it was a bank holiday when I was there so I didn’t see much.
I can skip Waterford but would like to do the Doneraile walk in Tramore.
I really am just guessing at the best bases along the way. Any other suggestions?Thank you!
This is why folks ask what your interests are.
You're wanting out-and-back day or half-day walks, yes? I'd say these are available all over Ireland. I looked up Rosslare, and it definitely has several options. I'd recommend you go there directly, then Tramore (why not just stay there instead of Waterford? It looks lovely), then Cork. Stay at least 2, preferably 3 in Cork, from which you can visit Cobh, Kinsale, Blarney if you want to do that. Then Skibereen. These are all pretty easily done by bus.
The thing to do is to prioritize the walks you most want to do, plot them on the map and determine the most convenient bases that give access to them. A base doesn't have to be a city you've heard of or that has a lot of tourist infrastructure. Unless you're wanting to combine your walks with traditional sightseeing.
What I like about your itinerary is that it takes you off the beaten track, to an extent, which probably gives you better odds of having some of these places to yourself, and isn't that the goal of a walking holiday? I expect you could take the east and southeast coasts at a slower pace and find a lot to occupy yourself without having to spend long days on a bus or train.
There are also several long-distance walking routes that you could do in whole or in part, as a through walk or a series of day trips.
Yes I am looking for loop hikes and day hikes up to 5 hours or so.
So you would recommend skipping the Bray to Greystones walk? Its a short 3.9 miles and locals say it is technically open.
Im still trying to find out in what town some of the walks begin since the county is often given instead.
Debating staying in Killarney (affordable) as my base to see County Kerry and skipping Tralee. I will probably take day tours to see the area. What do you think?
You are right about there being many walks and Im sure I will find more to put on my list.
Thanks for your help!
We liked Killarney. We flew into Dublin, and took a 7:00 AM bus from the airport to Killarney, easy to do. Next morning, we took a Paddywagon Tours tour bus around the Ring of Kerry. It was very nice, but no hiking, just walking around some places. Killarney has the big nature reserve, might be nice walkng.
We liked the McSweeney Arms hotel, and Bombay Palace restaurant. From the hotel, a very short walk to the train and bus stations.
Killarney of course has Killarney National Park with the McGillycuddy’s Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland. Multiple hikes can be found there. https://www.nationalparks.ie/killarney/. One of my favorite cliff hikes is the Bolus Barracks Loop, off the Ring of Kerry. As you walk along the ridge you get views of the Skelligs. https://www.sportireland.ie/outdoors/walking/trails/bolus-barracks-loop. Unfortunately it's at the western tip of the Ring of Kerry so would be hard to get there from Killarney. But if you somehow manage to get that far west in Kerry try to make it out to Ballinskelligs.
Travelerguy, did you like the tour company for the ring of kerry? I will need to do a tour there also. Thanks!
Trotter, thank you for your cliff hike suggestion. It would be great to walk there! I haven’t started planning that area in detail yet. Was hoping to set dates soon so I can book places to stay along the way. Thank you!
I am not familiar with the Bray to Greystones walk, so I can't help with that. Killarney is a good base for day tours with Paddywagon and Rabbies. Your revised itinerary makes sense and should offer you a good mix of experiences. Have a great time!
