We are going to Ireland in September. We start in Dublin and will fly out of Shannon 2 weeks later. We arrive around 5am and are staying in Dun Laoghaire 3 nights. I have a question about 3 options for our first day. 1st. Take a walking/coach tour of Glendalough and Wicklow, they will pick us up at or near our B & B. 2nd. Drive north along the coast and tour Newgrange when it opens and linger in the general area to take in the annual Layton Horse race on the Beach! before driving to our B & B. 3rd. Make it to Dun Laoghaire and then go into Dublin for the day. Are we asking too much for the first day with number 2. Option 1 lets someone else take us around and the length of the tour gets us back by 5ish pm. I think this will help us stave off the Jet lag a little. The novelty of the Horse race is alluring though. Thanks in advance for your collective guidance. Mark
Posted by
Great Falls, MT, USA
44 posts
I like your option #2. It gets you out of the city and into the fresh air with an exciting horse race to look forward to. Enjoy the day, get some fresh air, eat a nice dinner, and retire to your B&B a little early.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I like option two much better. After a long, perhaps sleepless, flight, riding on a bus might put you right to sleep. Getting outside is the best thing you can do. And going to Newgrange first thing means you won't have a problem getting in. There is a lot to see in the Newgrange area, too - Slane, Monasterboice, Hill of Tara.
Posted by
OP
Colorado Springs, CO, US
24 posts
Thanks Nancy and Steve, The Gendalough tour does have a 2-3 hr hike on the trails around the lakes incorporatd into the day. But the horse race really intrigues me.