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We've been watching a lot of Irish noir on TV and MrsJ has set her heart on a driving trip to Donegal in March (timing constrained by other stuff) !!! We will be driving from Northumberland via (I guess) the Stranraer-Larne ferry. We've never been to that area before so I'd be grateful for any tips about the route, places to see, places to avoid, what are the formalities of crossing to and from Northern Ireland etc etc. What do I need to know? Thanks !!!
formalities of crossing to and from Northern Ireland
it's a borderless border, so the only thing you'll notice is a change in tarmac and the road signs!
gorgeous part of the world but do take in the Causeway Coast en route from/to Larne, there's a great coast road that goes all the way to Coleraine, and from there along the Foyle to Derry--make sure you walk around the walls--then Donegal, which bit? it's quite a varied county, lovely mountains around Glenveagh National Park.
March will be cold and wet 🙂 enjoy!
March will be cold and wet
enjoy!
Thanks. Seems to be our thing. Last February we went to Galicia. It was .. cold and wet. Very wet. 🙂
Seems to be our thing
as folks in Fermanagh say, you're not here for the weather!
from Derry I would head to Inishowen and see Malin Head and then basically work your way along the Donegal coast southwards towards Donegal Town, taking in places like Glencolmcille, so more or less following the Wild Atlantic Way.
from Donegal Town it's easy to then cut back towards Enniskillen (a town worth visiting too, and the Fermanagh lakelands), and then back to Belfast/Larne (on the motorway if needed).
Stena do Cairnryan--Belfast ferries, and P&O do Cairnryan--Larne, the prices will be more or less the same :-/ expect to pay around £400-500 return depending on your vehicle.
it's a fantastic part of the world, whatever the weather 🙂
Was the TV Crá?
As per above. Derry is a great place to start and worth a day doing a walking tour for the history. Artis is a great restaurant.in town. We aimed to do north Donegal, from Derry, last November but the weather was so bad it's on next years list
Places to visit Slieve League and Mt Errigal. Killybegs if you like fishing ports but a good beach at Fintra, Theres a really good fish restaurant there (not Melly's!! for anyone who knows KB) post if you need the new of it.and I'll check with family.
See you there next summer 😎
Re Ferry - while the Scotland -Northern Ireland crossing is of course UK, you will then drive over a European border. You then do need to check you have car insurance, breakdown, travel insurance. And of course appropriate passport. Not that anyone will check it.
In reality the tarmac and signs change... nothing more.
That said, one of the reasons we are going is that we can't get travel insurance. My thought is that even if something goes south health wise I can drive her back over the UK border within a couple of hours...
Was the TV Crá?
That and others. In fact I’m a bit worried about the likelihood of being done in by drug dealers. Still, if Lisa Dwan from Blackshore is on the case it’ll be worth it.
It's great. I'd never been to Ireland at all until a few years ago. Went there for work and now been back many times.
The ferry is easy. It drops you the right side of Belfast to head north along the causeway coast (but Belfast is well worth a visit too). Loads of great places to stop along the coast. Giants Causeway is an obvious stop. Gets quite busy but if you stay at the hotel you can walk down before the crowds. We did a great clifftop walk and still had the causeway too ourselves. The hotel is actually quite nice, a bit of rundown grandeur.
Into co Donegal, more wonderful coastline. Follow the Wild Atlantic Way. Some stunning beaches. Usually empty as they don't do beach weather over there. Donegal city is good too. Fresh fish, live music. Killybegs is nice, too, and the secret waterfall just along the coast.
The ferry is just rock up and drive on/off no customs etc as such. Donegal is…well….like Father Ted.
That said, one of the reasons we are going is that we can't get travel insurance. My thought is that even if something goes south health wise I can drive her back over the UK border within a couple of hours...
Matt have you looked into an EHIC card (formerly E111 pre brexit, think uk may actually be GHIC card now), no need to worry about what side of the border you are on if the worst happens.
Matt have you looked into an EHIC card (formerly E111 pre brexit, think uk may actually be GHIC card now), no need to worry about what side of the border you are on if the worst happens.
Are you talking Ireland or anywhere in Europe?
My understanding was that Ehic isn't complete, and excluded long term issues in many countries. Plus, getting treatment is one thing. Covering cost of extra accomodation and new travel etc should something happen can get very expensive..
I spent a month riding over to Ireland, round the WAW then home this last summer. Donnegal was stunning, particularly Errigal. I was ignorant of its existence and stunned by it when it suddenly popped up round a bend in the road. I'd avoid places like the Giants Causeway as it is absolutely mobbed. Yes it's a phenomenon but not with 10,000 other people...
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Ireland (and some other European countries I believe). It only gets you access to medical treatment and as you say won’t cover accommodation/travel amendments but would save you worrying about what side of the Irish border you were on if the worst happens. It’s better than no insurance, a hospital visit for example would be the €100 we pay here rather than about €400 without the card. We have the Irish version for the family going to the UK as we are back and forth a couple of times a year. Never had to use it though thankfully. Doesn’t cost anything but might save you a lot.
it's a borderless border, so the only thing you'll notice is a change in tarmac and the road signs!
gorgeous part of the world but do take in the Causeway Coast en route from/to Larne, there's a great coast road that goes all the way to Coleraine, and from there along the Foyle to Derry--make sure you walk around the walls--then Donegal, which bit? it's quite a varied county, lovely mountains around Glenveagh National Park.
March will be cold and wet 🙂 enjoy!
Cairnryan to Larne Ferry is over and done with in not much more time than the Dover to Calais crossing... Quick and easy, unlike getting to Cairnryan it has to be said!
Causeway coast is stunning... Well worth the drive. And absolutely 100% take in Giants Causeway, you won't be alone for sure but it's spectacular!
Portstewart is funny... A bit like Blackpool in many respects, but then they allow motorcycle racers to race round at 200mph+ on public roads every year... It's also windy AF there most of the time, I was there in March last year ironically and 50mph+ winds when I was trying to do the touristy thing and get some decent photos of vantage points on the NW200 track didn't help!
Derry is an amazing city with so much history... They still despise us English there (for understandable reasons), but they're slowly learning not to hold it against us ALL of the time... Well worth a stopover and a good explore, particularly the city walls and the Derry museum.
Then into Donegal... Which is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! Don't know what to say beyond drive around, and hug the coastline really... Get down to the beach at Malin Beg, at Bunbeg, explore the area around Lough Swilly (it's gorgeous), and enjoy the mountains in the Glenveagh national park... Oh and stay in Donegal town itself, and soak in the local atmosphere in the pubs and bars. Oh and don't forget to get the obligatory photo outside the Muff Barbers and the Muff Diving Club on your way through Muff... 😁😉
Don't be afraid to explore a bit more back into Northern Ireland either... The area around Lough Erne and Enniskillen is stunning, then you've got the Sperrin AONB on the way back to the ferry too... I love Belfast too, and then you've got the Mourne Mountains and Strangford Lough on the East Coast too, but probably best not to spread yourself too thin on the one trip and take time to appreciate those places another time.
I love Ireland... All of it. Both the ROI and NI, would happily move to either. Much nicer pace of life, mostly much better priorities in life, and I've rarely felt so welcomed as I have in most of ROI & NI... The only real exceptions are that parts of Dublin are bloody rough these days and there's a big drug and gang problem there, Limerick city is as rough as arseholes (rougher than the roughest parts of Dublin!) and best avoided (stunning once you get out of it though), and Kerry really is absolutely jam packed full of American tourists pretty much all the time (but it's worth it though). Belfast and Cork are IMO both incredibly welcoming and multicultural cities with a lot going on, and no matter where you are in Ireland, you can't fail to get decent grub... The steaks are incredible!
Enjoy.
They still despise us English there
I've lived in norn iron for twenty five years plus, I'm a blow in, and in all that time I've never had any hostility levelled against me for being English, it's a hugely welcoming and friendly part of the world 👍
They still despise us English there (for understandable reasons), but they're slowly learning not to hold it against us ALL of the time...
We found no animosity towards English accents when we were there and my family in Derry didn't warn us about any potential risks. Tbh that remark "...they're slowly learning not to hold it against us ALL of the time... " is a bit patronising and offensive.
Kerry really is absolutely jam packed full of American tourists pretty much all the time (but it's worth it though)
Kerry tourist board here! It really isn't, the tourist bits are busy in season but there is a wealth of gems just of the tourist tracks to enjoy. For the last month or so the weather between showers has been great and there's no tourists about.
My family are from Donegal and Kerry - I'm living in Kerry!
DrJ when in March? It’s St Patrick’s day on the 17th so you may find ferry’s/hotels etc a bit busier if you a planning a visit that coincides with that. It’s also Celtic vs rangers at the start of the month which can make the ferry very busy on the sat/sun, you will still get on but seats/space may be tight due to coach loads of fans so I suggest booking the Stena plus lounge (about £15 per person) for a bit of peace.
I'd avoid places like the Giants Causeway as it is absolutely mobbed. Yes it's a phenomenon but not with 10,000 other people...
it's not quite that bad in March even on St Patrick's Day, which as @andy4d says is a bit busier around the place as it's a public holiday north and south!
unless you're a NT member the carpark at the Giant's Causeway is expensive. I park at Portballintrae for free and walk up along the old tramway (or around the headland) and then over the top of the Causeway Visitor Centre roof (it's underground!) and then along the cliffs and down the steps to get to the stones, there's a bus if it's too far to walk but there is a charge for that.
as for Donegal, it's scenic rather than lots 'to do', remember there are no designated public rights of way here, so walking tends to be along specific trails, like around Glenveagh or up Errigal.
DrJ when in March? It’s St Patrick’s day on the 17th so you may find ferry’s/hotels etc a bit busier if you a planning a visit that coincides with that.
Thanks to all for the tips - very useful! I hadn't thought of the St Ptrick's Day thing, so maybe we will look at the week after. And then it's school holidays at the end of March so need to avoid that. Life is so complicated 🙂