Best Van Route to Eire for Tour? (1 Viewer)

[Augusta08]

Hi folks,

What's the best way to get the van to Eire for tour ? Thinking Holyhead Dublin, but is that the most expensive? Should I consider the route via Larne?

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Go via Scotland to Northern Ireland if you have dogs ,much ,much cheaper

 

[AlunandFelicie]

If you do have dogs be aware that you need no medical treatment for them from Uk mainland /N Ireland/eire.and back

 

[Augusta08]

If you do have dogs be aware that you need no medical treatment for them from Uk mainland /N Ireland/eire.and back

No Dogs...

 

[PaulC70]

Go Cairnryan to the north, route's gonna depend on what you like and how much time you have and if you like sites / "aires" or wilding. BUT, head north outta Belfast, follow the coast, head into Donegal, there's nowhere better! Then south, Sligo is meh, head through Connemara and admire all the different types of rocks there are everywhere, avoid Galway City, it's unbelievably motorhome unfriendly.

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[PaulC70]

Oh, also, I think one of the ferry operators on the scotland / NI route do "motorhome same price as a car" on certain days only, so could save even more if you can be flexible. THINK its a Tuesday/Wednesday? Google is your friend here.

 

[Puddleduck]

I'm not sure if CLdN (previously SeaTruck) have started to take motorhomes again?

 

[PaulC70]

I'm not sure if CLdN (previously SeaTruck) have started to take motorhomes again?

Is that Liverpool / Belfast? Never ever seen the appeal of that route I have to admit.

 

[dunnah01]

Holyhead Dublin worked out cheapest for us to N Ireland from East of England once totting up fuel, ferry, cabins, tolls etc..

 

[Augusta08]

Booked P&O outta Cairnryan both ways at sensible time of day £400 for the 8mtr Augusta. Holyhead was £150 more expensive.

We've got plenty of time the MH is in storage in Chester so either route was Ok, the Scottish route is quicker cheaper and I can overnight the day before and after FOC in Scotland. So going June for 16 days/nights.

I'm be in France until 15th May, then racing Thruxton on 18-19th , best friend 80th Birthday on 1st June. So it all fits together nicely.

Then the NH goes back in Chester storage, and back to France the week after, for the summer...... What a tangled web we weave.

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[Puddleduck]

Is that Liverpool / Belfast? Never ever seen the appeal of that route I have to admit.

No Heysham to either Dublin or Belfast. We did Heysham to Dublin and return a few years ago and it was a great start and end to the holiday, overnight with meals included and the driver's lounge was comfortable. Plenty of soft drinks.

Heysham is easier for us to get to than Cairnryan.

Not suitable for people with mobility issues or pets due to steep stairs from the vehicle deck to the passenger deck.

 

[PaulC70]

No Heysham to either Dublin or Belfast. We did Heysham to Dublin and return a few years ago and it was a great start and end to the holiday, overnight with meals included and the driver's lounge was comfortable. Plenty of soft drinks.

Heysham is easier for us to get to than Cairnryan.

Not suitable for people with mobility issues or pets due to steep stairs from the vehicle deck to the passenger deck.

Ah right, similar i think to the liverpool / belfast one. Im assuming the ferry is about 8 hours?

 

[John Russell]

South West Scotland, Galloway, is well worth a visit on your way over if you enjoy nature. And plenty of places to stopover.

 

[meanders]

We use both the Rosslare and Dun Laoghaire routes. Sometime we go out one way and return the other. Once used the Swansea - Cork route but I don't think that runs any more and was a terrible crossing.

Years ago did Liverpool - Dublin but saw no benefit to driving the extra to Holyhead given the higher cost of an overnight cabin.

 

[Augusta08]

We're keen to keep the crossing time down, spend enough time on Brittany Ferries. We come over from St Malo to get to Chester to pick up the MoHo.

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[Augusta08]

We've planned out the main route

 

[meanders]

If you do all that in 7 days you will be driving right past all the best bits IMHO. 100 miles a day in Ireland takes a lot of doing. Pace of life over there is very relaxed, there is very little dual carriageway and some of the roads are winding and narrow.

 

[ontheroadagain]

If you do all that in 7 days you will be driving right past all the best bits IMHO

I think the OP said 16 days but even that wouldn't be long enough to do that route.
In my opinion too much of the route is inland, but if you start to follow the coast (the WAW) it will add many more miles.
For example, I would suggest between A and B you follow the Antrim Coast Road north.
This will take you past The Giants Causeway, Carrick Na Rede Rope Bridge etc.
Also, your route takes you through Donegal but again most people tend to follow the coast.
Same for The Ring of Kerry etc, etc,
Perhaps you could do half now and half at a later date?

 

[meanders]

Achill Island, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle peninsular etc etc

 

[HarryML7]

As previously mentioned - avoid Galway - it is not motorhome friendly but if you must go, there are a few sites bordering the town and socially its a good spot.

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[Insider]

I dropped my youngest guy to Dublin airport early on Good Friday morning and picked him up late Easter Monday evening. In between myself and the better half visited the Giant's Causeway, Derry Walls(well well worth a visit) and started the WAW from Muff to Letterkenny so essenitally just the Inishowen peninsula in 2.5 days. It felt about the right pace as there was lots to see. We cycled bits, walked bits, wild camped and loved every single bit of it. Would recommend visiting Grianan of Aileach on the Inishown peninsula if you do visit. Here's the Failte Ireland WAW map for Google Maps WAW Map. If you open it in your gmail profile you can save it and call it up anytime on your phone. It has Coach routes etc etc as well as the normal WAW. It's well signposted but maps are always handy. Sorry can't help with ferries!!

 

[Augusta08]

I think the OP said 16 days but even that wouldn't be long enough to do that route.
In my opinion too much of the route is inland, but if you start to follow the coast (the WAW) it will add many more miles.
For example, I would suggest between A and B you follow the Antrim Coast Road north.
This will take you past The Giants Causeway, Carrick Na Rede Rope Bridge etc.
Also, your route takes you through Donegal but again most people tend to follow the coast.
Same for The Ring of Kerry etc, etc,
Perhaps you could do half now and half at a later date?

Thanks, I've just used a route planner to get a broad idea of the mileages. I will go over to coast where possible. I've got the GlenColmcille Folk Village marked up for a visit and over to Portmagee. Doing the work on finding which road as passable with a 8Mtr 4.5tonne MoH0

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Does our dog need an Animal Health Certificate if I travel from Wales to the Republic of Ireland?
If so, would entering ROI via Scotland and N Ireland avoid having to get an AHC for the dog?

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Does our dog need an Animal Health Certificate if I travel from Wales to the Republic of Ireland?
If so, would entering ROI via Scotland and N Ireland avoid having to get an AHC for the dog?

Yes it would ,look up the thread I posted earlier ,over from Scotland to Northern Ireland cross the border south ,find a vet to issue an Irish pet passport ,no more AHC for Europe return same way ,don’t bother with the pet lounge just leave dog in van.

 

[ontheroadagain]

don’t bother with the pet lounge just leave dog in van

It really depends on the dog.
We used to leave our dog in the van but he was never that happy.
Used the pet lounge last year and thought it was fantastic.

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[Littlewheels]

Is there ever a good time to visit/tour Ireland weatherwise?

 

[AlunandFelicie]

It really depends on the dog.
We used to leave our dog in the van but he was never that happy.
Used the pet lounge last year and thought it was fantastic.

Fair enough our two went to sleep and woke up when we opened the door

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Is there ever a good time to visit/tour Ireland weatherwise?

23rd August before 2.30pm ........ the day before summer in Scotland

 

[meanders]

Is there ever a good time to visit/tour Ireland weatherwise?

Summer is better than winter. autumn usually not as good as spring, but you are going to get some rain and mist whenever you go. Usually it doesn't have too much effect, and can change very quickly. As they say in Ireland, It only rained twice last week. Once for four days and then for three day!

 

[meanders]

Meant to add, religious or not, Knock is worth a visit. The town is a little tacky but nothing on the scale of Lourdes. The old church and the Basilica are both worth visiting as very different experiences.

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