Southern Ireland

[Ratcatcher]

Hi, thinking of taking my wife on the TA to southern Ireland for a short break around May bank holiday. This will be our 1st trip across on a bike. Any advice on the ferry (we live close to Holyhead)
and bike friendly accomadation, not decided where to go yet.
Cheapest breakdown cover, as I declined it from Bennetts when I got insurance.
Have tried to find threads with no luck.
Cheers

[phil2alp]

I went to Southern Ireland last year for a week on my bike. I had a great time, good scenery and nice people.

As far as the ferry is concerned go on the Fastcat, not the slower ferry. It doesn't cost much more and it's only an hour on the Fastcat but at least 3 hours on the normal ferry. And that 3 hours drags.

The port of Dun Laoghaire, just South of Dublin City port, is a nicer port to sail to and back from Ireland. It's smaller and easier to get your bearings out of the port when you arrive.

There's plenty of accomodation everywhere. Very good b&b's. We just stopped when and where we fancied, although I'm not sure how busier it would be on a bank holiday weekend. All accomodation seemed biker friendly to me and there doesn't seem the bike theft problem in Ireland as there is in the UK. I just looked for somewhere with off road parking.

If you're not sure where to go it's very scenic out towards Kerry on the West coast but this may be a bit far for a weekend.

[brendy]

If you're heading to Dublin for just a weekend, dont waste time crossing to Kerry. Get down to Wicklow, just south of Dublin, especially Glendalough.
Brendy

[Ratcatcher]

Thanks both for the advise

[jasonbc]

Hi, thinking of taking my wife on the TA to southern Ireland for a short break around May bank holiday. This will be our 1st trip across on a bike. Any advice on the ferry (we live close to Holyhead)
and bike friendly accomadation, not decided where to go yet.
Cheapest breakdown cover, as I declined it from Bennetts when I got insurance.
Have tried to find threads with no luck.
Cheers

we did southern ireland 2 years ago on the varadero we sailed from holyhead to dun laoghaire. We used stena line ferries who gave us the best service for the bike as far as loading it and sucuring it that i've had compared to the the other ferry companies. We had the super cat on the way out and the sailing was very quick and smooth once we go there we just cruised around the mountains spent some time in Dublin and then cruised around some more taking in the sites. We then got the ferry back but it was a slow boat but the weather was great we then came down the welsh mountains and back to cornwall. As far as brakdown cover goes i'mwith the aa and that covers me for any vehicle and i only have to notify them to get european cover as ireland is covered. always worth letting your insurance company know where and when your going hen you know you will always be covered. Another think most people don't think of is to let your bank know where you going and when for the reason that credit card companies monitor where you spend money so if they notice your in a different country etc they can refuse it, i know this from experience. hope this has helped a little

[alpslapper]

Dublin - Wicklow - Wexford - Waterford - Kilkenny - Kildare - Dublin is easily doable in a weekend with loads of great scenic roads and places of interest.

AA - Ive no experience of other companies but they've never let me down when I needed them and as said getting cover (for the car) when in mainland europe or Ireland was a doddle and reasonably priced.

[brendy]

I dont think you'll find much specifically biker friendly accomodation in ireland, but most people will welcome you bike or no.
As I said above, if coming for a weekend, confine yourelf to SE corner especially Wicklow. If coming for longer, the whole west coast is good, from Cork and Kerry to Clare, Galway, Sligo and Donegal. The midlands are boring.
Dont know much about recovery services-just get a good service before you come away.
The good news is that fuel is a bit cheaper over here.
Carry rain suits!.

Hope you have a good time.

Brendy

[jpd]

The midlands are boring.

thanks man

[FatFergie]

I've never heard of bike unfriendly accommodation. Just make sure that there's off street parking if you're in a city. Norfolk line does some good deals to Dublin from Liverpool but if you live near Holyhead anyway go that way. Sat nav is useful for getting out of Dun Laoighre/Dublin but if you've got any sense of direction it's no big deal. Have fun.

[FatFergie]

I've never heard of bike unfriendly accommodation. Just make sure that there's off street parking if you're in a city. Norfolk line does some good deals to Dublin from Liverpool but if you live near Holyhead anyway go that way. Sat nav is useful for getting out of Dun Laoighre/Dublin but if you've got any sense of direction it's no big deal. Have fun.

Oh and the midlands aren't that boring.......