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Traveling from Ireland to Wales and back to Ireland

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We are in the early planning stages for our 3 week trip in late April/early May 2018. We want to visit ancestral hometowns in Mid Wales (Welshpool and Newtown) and Cork, Clare, and Kerry areas in Ireland. This is our first visit to both countries and I wanted to ask what people think.

We are flying from Connecticut to Dublin where we will spend a couple days.
Take the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead and make our way to Newtown and Welshpool.
Return to Ireland via the Fishguard ferry to Rosslare.
Return home from the Shannon Airport to Boston.

We will need to rent a car. We like to stay at Bed and Breakfast places, love museums, gardens, exploring towns and cruising the backroads as well as the coastline.

I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Thank you,
Sharon

Posted by
2626 posts

This castle is 1 mile west of Welshpool >https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle-and-garden

Land at Holyhead - hire car & head first for Caernarfon (Castle). Maybe check into a hotel in this NW part of Wales. Drive through Snowdonia National Park (A4085) - visit Portmeirion. Then head down the coast via Harlech (Castle) to Barmouth (stay a night)?
Then go east to Newtown / Welshpool area.

When you wish to go back towards Holyhead - take A483 from Welshpool to Chirk and visit Pontcysyllte Aquaduct at Cefn Mawr. Then - A5 via Llangollen to Betws-Y-Coed > where you may like to check into accommodation for maybe 2 nights? From here visit Bodnant Gardens and Conwy Castle - and Llandudno if time. (You may also like to drive to Llanberis for the Snowdon Mountain Railway - good weather essential - snow might still block the upper section). Anyway, for Holyhead - take A5 towards Bangor and then A55 expressway.
If you wish to extend your stay, consider hiking in the mountains or Anglesey beaches!
https://www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk

On this map - click the areas you may visit > http://www.visitwales.com/explore

Google places mentioned.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you so much for your reply and the information. That's so helpful.

Would we be going out of our way to take the ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare on our return to Ireland.

Thank you,
Sharon

Posted by
403 posts

If Rosslare is where you want to head to Then you won't be wasting your time going to Fishguard as you'll get to go to glorious Pembrokeshire. Plenty of scenery and castles in South Wales too!

Posted by
5489 posts

Make sure you are quite clear on the associated terms of your car rental picked up in the Republic of Ireland. It isn't uncommon for it to be limited to the island of Ireland. Some allow cars to be taken to Great Britain but only by Irish residents arising from a restriction in their insurance or breakdown policies. Others may allow it for a fee.

Posted by
4 posts

Your advice and suggestions are much appreciated! I will research the car rental rules. Does anyone know if renting a car in Holyhead, if it can be returned in Fishguard? That will determine our route back to Ireland.

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