[nuxvomica]

I think wherever you go the important thing is to appreciate the pace, which is hard to do if you're constantly on the move.

yeah, we were. unfortunately, we often end up moving a lot in a short period of time and the unpack-pack again bit starts to get on my nerves after oh, about 3 days (at about 4 hotels for a week-long trip. total insanity - 3 nights in barcelona, each in a different hotel. we had our reasons but guess who's doing the packing). one day, i'd love to stay in one place (ok, tops 2) and just take trips around the area.

[Slapsie Maxie]

Have not read the whole thread, so someone may have mentioned making sure you visit the six counties. I had a great time there recently and the drive from Belfast up to The Devil's Causeway is stunning.

The food in Belfast is a bit hit and miss ( Rankin's Cayenne, one of the worst meals of last year) but it is worth going to the bar at the Merchant Hotel which is ranked number one in the world right now for its cocktails.

Slapsie

[Blondie]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

IanT's itinerary sounds like a plan.

We'd thought of renting a cottage somewhere but they're all for a minimum of a week and we'd like to move around to see a few more places.

I don't blame you for wanting to see more places. My idea might be better suited to a returning visitor. It's basically the holiday I hope to have later this year

[ghostrider]

Some thoughts:


Clare - Much more like it (though, to confess bias, its my part of the world) I'd strongly recommend the Burren. A large tract of limestone covered land with a strange beauty unlike anywhere else (other than perhaps the surface of the moon). Great for long walks followed by creamy pints and bowls of chowder in Ballyvaughan.

As something of a day hiker, I've been intrigued by the Burren for years. Not that I expect to get there any time soon, but it's nice to be reminded of these things.

[Blondie]

I think wherever you go the important thing is to appreciate the pace, which is hard to do if you're constantly on the move.

yeah, we were. unfortunately, we often end up moving a lot in a short period of time and the unpack-pack again bit starts to get on my nerves after oh, about 3 days (at about 4 hotels for a week-long trip. total insanity - 3 nights in barcelona, each in a different hotel. we had our reasons but guess who's doing the packing). one day, i'd love to stay in one place (ok, tops 2) and just take trips around the area.

I don't think cities suffer as much when you're keeping a fast pace, and I totally understand why you do it. That's my usual MO

[Rail Paul]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

IanT's itinerary sounds like a plan.

We'd thought of renting a cottage somewhere but they're all for a minimum of a week and we'd like to move around to see a few more places.

We did the bed and breakfast route, with a few nights in Dublin to begin, and two nights at Adare to end.

I think we spent two nights on the Dingle of Inch, two at Kinsale, etc. We'd call ahead to make the next night's plans or ask if we could stay another night where we were. We were there in mid-September, so crowds were much less noticeable in the countryside.

Here's one directory

[yvonne johnson]

The Fishy Fishy Cafe was very good in Kinsale. Don't follow the guidebooks that point to the FFC up the road away from the docks; they appear to have a tiny fish and chip shop with some seating there. You need to go to the one by the piers. Makes the setting sound dingy, it's not what with palm trees and all. Huge oysters (not my fave type; I tend to go for the one swoop ones), followed by plainly broiled hake I think it was with leeks.

[tsquare]

Oh you are there now? Hope the vacation is going well.
I missed this - last time I was in Ireland was 1978, so I don't have anything much to add. The Kennedy Arboretum was just getting started and I recall thinking it would be lovely in 20 years. New Ross, County Rexford. We cycled up the Wicklow Mountains (better health days) and enjoyed our visit at Powerscourt. We stayed pretty much on the south and eastern side of the country, sad to say.

[yvonne johnson]

tsquare, on 15 August 2010 - 07:34 PM, said:

Oh you are there now? Hope the vacation is going well.

Thanks, we were there last month. Just catching up.

[Wilfrid]

Very belatedly, I had a lot of fun in Kinsale some years ago. Arguably too much fun. I surpassed SethG's advice above to drink as much Guinness as I could, and drank as much as I couldn't, which is rather more.

[IanT]

yvonne johnson, on 15 August 2010 - 10:43 PM, said:

The Fishy Fishy Cafe was very good in Kinsale. Don't follow the guidebooks that point to the FFC up the road away from the docks; they appear to have a tiny fish and chip shop with some seating there. You need to go to the one by the piers. Makes the setting sound dingy, it's not what with palm trees and all. Huge oysters (not my fave type; I tend to go for the one swoop ones), followed by plainly broiled hake I think it was with leeks.

Glad you enjoyed it, I had a pretty good meal at FFC last year. Kinsale is that very rare thing - an Irish town with a number of good restaurants.