Planning on doing four countries in seven days on the Panigale first week in July, any advice on doing Ireland would be appreciated Cheers Rich
I've not been to Ireland for a few years now but I recall the roads in eire can be sometimes rough, often wet and usually quiet. Make sure you take in the a2 coast road from larne to portrush and beyond, one of the best roads in the uk. Don't expect the motorways in eire to remind you of the m6.... Think more like wide A road rather than multi lane motorway. Great riding over there though, try to tie in one of the smaller road races, skerries on around the time your there... That'll open your eyes.
Highly recommendable is the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast, on your way south don’t forget to call in to Schull, Cork where Mr P. Phillips will be eagerly waiting pint in hand. Oh and pack ya waterproofs!
I can’t speak for the province of Ulster, @evoarrow should be able to help there but as @Carr01 says check out the Wild Atlantic Way. 2500km of it. Not all of it is coast roads however as many of the better viewpoint roads are spurs off the main route. If you can wait until early next week when I’m back from holiday I’ll set out a suggested route but you’ll be pelting along to get the whole lot done in a week, it’s a big ask. Mucho time in the saddle and not mucho time enjoying the scenery & craic.
When asking Irish locals for directions,...if they say "...well, I wouldn't of started here.." Walk away quickly.
It will take you longer than you think, as can be slow in places, so make sure you plan accordingly. I second the point about the road from Portrush to Larne, which is fabulous and also takes in the Giant's causeway and Bushmills distillery. Ring of Kerry & Bearra recommended for scenery, plus take your time to do Galway and/or Donegal slowly. Don't do the main road (A75?) back from Cairnryan to Dumfries, as this is dull, busy and can be heavily policed. Take some time to go round Galloway national Park, Loch Ken or the coast road.
@panigale66 I'm back home now and have been looking at this for you. My first thought is, it's too much. You're looking to travel c.2000km in a week, 250-300km a day and the roads here, and for almost all your route in Ireland, there's no motorway (who wants to ride them anyway other than a quick A to B?) so your average speed will be <60kmh and doesn't leave much time to take in the sights etc. I believe you'd be better off taking in the north coast of N.Ireland, then head for Derry, cross the border and take the road for Letterkenny in Donegal. Pick up the N56 and do an anti-clockwise circuit of Donegal until you get to Donegal town itself. Then take the N15 to Sligo. South of Sligo take the N59 to Ballina and there stay on the N59 around Ballycroy National Park. Remain on the N59 and when you get to Achill Island (great roads with good surfaces to/from and on Achill) take the road out onto the island, do a circuit, then return via Newport and then Westport. From Westport head for Kylemore Abbey (still on the N59), through the Connemara National Park (an amazing road, runs past Ireland's only Fjord and usually quiet even in summer), past Kylemore Abbey and into Clifden. Make sure you take in the SkyDrive in Clifden - amazing views. Still on the N59, head for Galway, then take the M6 from Galway back to Dublin for the ferry home. Even that is an awful lot. As you plan to go in July I would avoid the Ring of Kerry at all costs. The roads will be full of coaches full of Americans and Dutch caravaners. The coaches have a one way system in summer around the Ring, the caravans don't. The roads are, in places no more than 5m wide - cue chaos and gridlock. Although beautiful it won't be an enjoyable ride. BTW, you'll get in 5 countries (England, Scotland, N.Ireland, Rep. of Ireland & Wales). Don't let certain people in the North hear you lump N.Ireland and Rep of Ireland as one country because some hard core Unionists won't take kindly to it. If you'd rather do the southern half and miss out NI let me know and I'll do another route. Hope this helps and if I can help any further just ask.
Cheers for that, just watching wild bad tour to see how they got on I think they did over 10 days but will see after watching them all on you tube, a route around the south would be much appreciated. Rich
Southern half. Assuming a ferry into Dublin, leave the port and head west, take the M6 to Galway. Spend a night in Galway city, it’s a great place. Leave Galway heading east on the N6, take the N18 for Limerick and head south. South of Clarinbridge leave the N18 and take the N67, probably signposted ‘The Burren’. Stay on the N67 through Ballyvaughan, Ennistymon, Lahinch (stop and watch the surfers, one of the top spots in the world for surf dudes), Milltown Malbay, Doonbeg (Where Trump has one of his golf resorts), Killkee and then Kilrush. Take the ferry across the Shannon to Tarbert. Don’t bother with Limerick City. Take the N69 through Listowel and into Tralee, then take the N86 out on the Dingle peninsula. At Camp, turn of the N86 onto the R560 and take the scenic route into Dingle town. Spend a night in Dingle - another great place. When leaving Dingle take the N86 east, turn off just before Anascaul onto the R561 and take the coast road back in-land to Castlemaine then join the N70 south. Again, as it’s July when you intend to go I’m going to miss out the full Ring of Kerry, so at Milltown take the R563 to Killarney. When you get into Killarney take the N71 for Muckross (don’t bother stopping in Killarney for the night - too touristy and americanised. The N71 will take you over part of the Ring of Kerry, probably the most beautiful part but be prepared for traffic and especially big coaches in the middle of the road. Stay on the N71 to Kenmare, it’ll take you up over the mountains, through Moll’s Gap, and into Kenmare. Kenmare’s OK, still touristy but not lost it’s charm like Killarney, you can stop for the night there if needs be. Leave Kenmare, heading south on the N71 - signposted Bantry, when you over the iron bridge turn right onto the R571 for Castletownbere. Stay on the R571 through Lauragh and Eyeries where you take the R575 to Allihies. The R575 becomes the R572 and runs back into Castletownbere. If you’ve time, stop at the Buddhist retreat at Dozgchen Beara, it’s worth going into the grounds and taking in the view. Amazing. From Castletownbere stay on the R572 to Gengarriff then pick up the N71 to Bantry. Outside Bantry, by the Westlodge Hotel take the turning on the right marked ‘Sheep’s Head Way’ or Kilcrohane. Follow this road along the coast as it climbs up the mountains, keep following signs for Kilcrohane. You’ll drop down the mountain onto the south side of the peninsula via a series of hairpin bends. Fitzpatrick’s pub (or Eileen’s as it’s known locally) is a good place to stop, as is Arundel’s by the pier in Ahakista about 10mins further on. Arundel’s is better for food, Fitzpatricks is just for a drink. From Kilcrohane follow the signs for Ahakista and Durrus. In Durrus, take the R591 out on the Mizen peninsula. At the T junction where it meets the R592 turn left for Schull (where I live). From Schull continue to Ballydehob then pick up the N71 for Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Bandon and Inishannon. At Inishannon, take the R605 for Kinsale. Kinsale’s a good stop off point as well and the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way. From Kinsale head north to Cork city and then either head NE via the M8 to Dublin or E via the N25 to Rosslare for a ferry back. That’s still a lot of riding!. Hope this helps
Or take a small diversion via Dalveen Pass. Then the B719 to A701 in to Moffat, then pick up A74(M). You wont regret it Dumfries can be snarled up with traffic for miles either side. Btw, be careful if you do go via A75, mate managed 6 point contribution on there last year...going much steadier than usual!
I've riden all the Wild Atlantic Way. Well recommended. Paul has done up 2 good routes. I would advise the southern one although it would be against the four countries idea. It took me two days to complete Donegal town to Derry. 1200km. I live in Athlone so probably 950km of that on the WAW. As has been already said some of the route are small local roads, boreens as we'd call them. Grass down the middle of the road is common. In the main though the roads are good and varied, scenery amazing and Donegal doesn't get the hordes of tourists the South does so their more welcoming and open imho. Definitely don't attempt the whole of the trip in seven days, you will need to split it somehow. Enjoy and welcome to Ireland!
@panigale66 much as it pains me to say this as you’d be missing out on the beautiful west coast, you could still do 5 countries but with less saddle time. Home (England) to Scotland, ferry to NI, ride south along the east coast through the ROI to Rosslare, ferry back to Pembroke (Wales) then home. You could still do a loop around the coast in NI by heading north before turning south again. You could take in Dublin with more time (if not visited already) and there are some beautiful places and roads south of Dublin, through Wicklow and Wexford. Just an idea.
The plan is to head to Holyhead and meet up with my mate get the ferry across to Dublin and head south before heading north up the Atlantic way, I think we are going to Knockout Northern Ireland in one day stopping off at the Giants Causeway and then get the ferry across to Scotland. One place I wouldn’t mind going to if you know where it is, its a rally stage called Halls or maybe hells gap if you know where it is and is it worth going to? Cheers Rich
I have to agree 7 days is too little time, 20 years ago I tried a tour and didn't even reach Galway! Book the ferries and see where you get in the time you have between drying out your gear
