hi all has anyone toured ireland in the last few years im looking for info on campsites im thinking of touring from north east to monaghan/sligo/rosscommon/mullingar then back to north east .the more i look for info on this all im getting is commercial company's looking for a small fortune for there services .im not commited to that route just that i live near dublin so any help greatly appreciated
touring ireland
- Thread starter jags
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
The couple of times I've camped in Sligo, it was in Strandhill. I can't really compare it to anything else however, I don't camp much. Happy Paddy's day BTW
It's very restricting deciding in advance where you're going to camp.
When I did a tour from Dublin - down through Kells, across to the SW, up the coast to Galway, then back to Dublin - I just rolled up where I wanted to camp and asked the farmer if he minded. Usually they didn't and if they did they were always able to suggest somewhere else. That way I was able to do long days or short days as the weather and my mood allowed and I pitched my tent in lots of stunning places that I would never have found if I had had to get to a particular destination. When I wanted a shower I hauled in at a commercial campsite, although Ireland is hardly short of streams, rivers and loughs.
When I did a tour from Dublin - down through Kells, across to the SW, up the coast to Galway, then back to Dublin - I just rolled up where I wanted to camp and asked the farmer if he minded. Usually they didn't and if they did they were always able to suggest somewhere else. That way I was able to do long days or short days as the weather and my mood allowed and I pitched my tent in lots of stunning places that I would never have found if I had had to get to a particular destination. When I wanted a shower I hauled in at a commercial campsite, although Ireland is hardly short of streams, rivers and loughs.
Well, it worked for me Jags. I hardly ever use campsites although I am very careful about where I do camp and I'm very low-impact when I do; no radio, no fires, up early etc.
A lot of the time up the west coast I was able to camp on sea-grass close to the shore. No-one to ask but the sheep anyway.
A lot of the time up the west coast I was able to camp on sea-grass close to the shore. No-one to ask but the sheep anyway.
asc1951 tell me this did you enjoy the trip ,i might just do something simular i dont want to go b/b or hotel's i just want to see if im cut out for this (first tour) camping either wild or campsites ,the cycling end is not a problem im cycling all my life well near enough,if it work's out i'll hit the sun next year fully loaded that's the plan..
Yes, I did enjoy it Jags. It would be a good place to start when you have done loads of cycling but not a lot of touring - lots of scenery but no huge hills, plenty of food and water around, no extremes of weather and close enough to home that if it goes horribly wrong you can always stick it all on a train.
Many people on this forum have much more experience than me of cycle-touring in very foreign parts. I've only done it in Europe apart from a fortnight in Turkey. There will be lots of advice on the FAQs. My personal experience of doing it with a tent and cooking gear:-
- plan the start and finish points but not too much in between. Take a map and decide as you go along.
- make sure you, your bike and your equipment are well fettled before you set off.
- don't take too much kit. Stick with what you absolutely must have, not spares for everything. Things go wrong, but this is Europe not Ulan Bator. We do have shops and you can buy stuff if you have to, rather than flogging yourself along the road with more stuff than a Spanish peasant would put on a pair of donkeys.
- it's about the journey. I see people touring with multiple cameras, radios, iPods, mini-TVs, folding chairs, even laptops. You might as well be at home.
Many people on this forum have much more experience than me of cycle-touring in very foreign parts. I've only done it in Europe apart from a fortnight in Turkey. There will be lots of advice on the FAQs. My personal experience of doing it with a tent and cooking gear:-
- plan the start and finish points but not too much in between. Take a map and decide as you go along.
- make sure you, your bike and your equipment are well fettled before you set off.
- don't take too much kit. Stick with what you absolutely must have, not spares for everything. Things go wrong, but this is Europe not Ulan Bator. We do have shops and you can buy stuff if you have to, rather than flogging yourself along the road with more stuff than a Spanish peasant would put on a pair of donkeys.
- it's about the journey. I see people touring with multiple cameras, radios, iPods, mini-TVs, folding chairs, even laptops. You might as well be at home.
mrpattersonsir
New Member
you'll have a lot of fun, and i'm dead jealous!
we toured round donegal two years ago, and we only struggled once with finding campsites - it was near buncrana and we had to sleep in the sand dunes. frankly it was the best night of the trip.
we brought minimal kit with us, two bags each including cooking gear. but if you're going to plan for anything, just plan to camp near a pub with a good reputation for food and drink. nothing beats a big portion of garlic fries and a couple of pints after a day cycling up those hills!
we toured round donegal two years ago, and we only struggled once with finding campsites - it was near buncrana and we had to sleep in the sand dunes. frankly it was the best night of the trip.
we brought minimal kit with us, two bags each including cooking gear. but if you're going to plan for anything, just plan to camp near a pub with a good reputation for food and drink. nothing beats a big portion of garlic fries and a couple of pints after a day cycling up those hills!
Gerry Attrick
Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
Mrs A and I go to Ireland a couple of times a year and we know it better than England. We don't tour by bike though, but that's our choice. If ever there was a land designed for cycling, Ireland is it. Fantastic scenery, very friendly and helpful people especially in the rural areas, food and Guinness to die for. The only word of caution, take waterproofs........good ones!
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
