I'm looking for feedback on driving from Dingle to Galway, stopping to see the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren along the way. Rick's book says it can be done as a day long drive through. It seems like a long way. If we stop overnight mid-way, we'll have to remove something else from our itinerary. Has anyone done this? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
It's a four hour drive. You'll probably stop for a bit less than two hours at the Cliffs and take almost that amount of time poking around the Burren if you go in as far as the portal tomb. Max, it's an eight-hour day depending on what else you do.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Taking the car ferry from Tarbert (or Killimer - one of these days I'll actually look at a map to refresh my memory as to which is on which side of the Shannon) will save you time and distance over going around through Limerick. Plus, you will be a lot less homicidal if you avoid Limerick traffic.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
151 posts
Thank you both! That is exactly what I was looking for. We'll plan on making it in one day and use the ferry.
Posted by
Everett, WA
1299 posts
We did the same drive in 2002 in a day. Get an early start, use the ferry and you should be fine. We didn't have a lot of time in the Burren (it was pouring down rain so...) . We stopped in a couple of other villages along the way, since our time was going to be cut short there. Wonderful day
Posted by
Spring, Texas
635 posts
The roads between Galway and the Cliffs are the narrowest we encountered in Ireland with lots of blind corners and hills. The speed limits are usually 100 kph but I drove like a classic old fart. I'm sure the locals were happy when I was out of there. After the Cliffs the roads became progressively better. We went through the Burren after spending the night in Lisdoonvarna. Quite honestly, after we saw two or three barren hills, looked at some plants and saw a few (what I think) minor sites we really didn't spend as much time as we thought we would. We really enjoyed a 1 hr cruise out of Doolin along the Cliffs. Between the wait and the cruise it cost us about 2 hours. We used the ferry and got into Doolin well before dark. We didn't stop anywhere else on the way and the pass was closed so temptation was avoided.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10601 posts
We did that drive, using the ferry. We didn't leave Dingle until about 11:00 a.m. and we were in Galway before dinner. We stopped at the Cliffs for an hour to two, but not the Burren.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
Have driven lots in Europe but I have to say the Dingle Pass was one of the most 'white knuckled' drives ever. Single lane in some places, blind curves, steep hills and no way out once you started. When we got to the highest point the clouds rolled in! You could not see.. There was a sort of viewing point up there where we had to wait till the clouds went away. Needless to say we could not view anything for about 30 minutes... I was ready to walk down. I'll try most anything, but don't want that drive again. The rest of Ireland was a piece of cake. Oh, and the locals said the Pass was just fine when I voiced concern before I drove it. It's all in what you are used to!