Ireland? Several times we had
thought of caravanning there, yet somehow other places always seemed to
win out.
After looking at a number of guides we were drawn
by the beauty of the south and southwest of Ireland and decided
to make our first trip. We crossed from Pembroke to Rosslare, and as
we drove into Pembroke Dock in the early hours of the morning we
were the only caravan in sight. So it remained; we did not come
across another English caravan until the evening before we caught
the ferry back home, two weeks later.
At seven o'clock in the morning we arrived at Rosslare,
reasonably bright after a four-hour crossing and limited sleep. A
site at Blarney was to be our first base and our journey took us
along the coastline through towns like Waterford and Youghal. We
travelled on roads that were much less busy than those at home
but generally narrower and more winding. In places the most
noticeable difference was the surface - bumpy hardly describes
it! It soon became clear that special care needs to be taken to
secure all loose items inside the caravan.
Blarney proved to be a good choice for our first few days in the
country, the site (one of relatively few in Ireland open all
year) well equipped and spacious. The town is famous for the
Blarney Stone, said to be half of the 'Stone of Scone'
over which Scottish kings once were crowned because of its
supposed special powers. Set high into the battlements of the
castle it has, according to Elizabethan legend, the power to
bestow the 'Gift of the Gab' (or eloquence) on those who
kiss it. It was surprising how many visitors queued to try the
magic for themselves - we enjoyed looking around the castle and
its beautiful grounds, but left the kissing (for which you must
hang out over the wall) to others!
We spent a few hours wandering around Cork. At the Church of St
Anne at Shandon, a short walk from the city centre, we climbed
120 feet up the tower on narrow, twisting stone and wooden steps
to be rewarded by panoramic views of the city below us. Visitors
are encouraged to play a tune on the church bells part way up the
tower.
A worthwhile excursion from Blarney is to Cobh (or Cove), a town
that acts as Cork harbour. Here the Titanic made its last call on
that fateful only journey, and it was close to here a few years
later that a German U-boat torpedoed the liner Lusitania. All is
well explained in a Heritage Centre on the waterfront, along with
an outline of the history of emigration from Ireland to the USA
for which Cobh was the principal departure point.
Keen to see the southwestern coast we travelled on to Killarney,
well positioned as a base for touring one of the most attractive
regions of Ireland. Killarney town is full of interesting shops,
restaurants and pubs, many with 'traditional' live
singing performed late into the night. Nearby Muckross House and
Gardens was a fine day out, with beautiful views across lakes to
the hills beyond and the added bonus of a 'Traditional Farm
Experience' illustrating the way of life on Irish farms
before the introduction of electricity, complete with
'actors' and livestock.
From our site just outside the town we were able to look towards
Macgillicuddy's Reeks (Ireland's highest mountain range
at a little over 3,000 feet). Perhaps the most famous trip in
this area is the journey around the Ring of Kerry that, at more
than 100 miles, requires a full day at least to do it justice.
The scenery is spectacular - dramatic views over coastline and
cliffs. One of the highlights was a short ferry crossing across
choppy seas and in strong winds to the island of Valentia,
followed by a drive around the island itself and return to the
mainland by road bridge at Portmagee. The views from the island
back across to the mainland, or out towards the neighbouring
group of islands (the Skelligs), were magnificent.
A few miles outside Killarney at the beginning of the Ring of
Kerry is the Gap of Dunloe, a pass through Macgillicuddy's
Reeks. The two most common ways to enjoy the scenery are either
on foot or by riding in a horse-drawn jaunting car (looking
suspiciously like a pony and trap). We chose to walk - a return
trip of around eight miles that took more than four hours. The
path was steep in places but the views - both on the way up
alongside several small lakes at different heights and from the
top of the pass - worth the effort.
Our favourite trip, though, was a tour of the Dingle Peninsula.
Dingle is a pretty town acting as gateway to the most attractive
part of the peninsula, known as Slea Head. Views from the coast
road look down across wonderful beaches, or onto wide expanses of
creaming waves breaking over rugged cliffs and rocks. At Dunquin,
close to the most westerly point, the film 'Ryans
Daughter' was shot in the late 1960s and although the only
trace of the filming now left is a commemorative stone
overlooking the beach, it was easy to imagine the views as they
had appeared on the screen. A few miles off the coast another
group of islands - the Blaskets - were inhabited until 1953 when
the last families moved to the mainland to escape the isolation,
primitive conditions, and extreme weather.
From Killarney we headed for Tipperary, and a two-night stopover.
With no idea what to expect of the area (although we had heard
that it's a long way there!) we were more than pleasantly
surprised. County Tipperary is the home of the lovely Galty
Mountains, rising almost as high as Macgillicuddy's Reeks.
Many of the local views are stunning.
A bonus here was the Ballinacourty House Camping Site - nestling
in the Glen of Aherlow, overlooked by the rolling green
mountains, it was calm and relaxing. Ballinacourty House was
originally a farm estate covering thousands of acres, and the
aging buildings once were used as a regional headquarters by the
forces of Eamonn de Valera (later President) during the Irish
Civil War in the early 1920s. These days it is altogether more
peaceful, with an excellent restaurant where we had a fine
dinner.
The area is a centre for walking and during our stay we followed
a well-signed route up into the mountains to Lake Curra. At a
height of almost 1900 feet it lies in a near-circular bowl close
to the summit, and is perhaps 100 yards across. The lake is
surrounded almost completely by sloping hillsides, water
trickling out over the rim at just one point to form a small
stream that twists and turns as it drops slowly through hundreds
of feet. We walked for several hours up steep slopes, across
moorland, and amongst some of the whitest sheep we had ever seen
- it was exhausting, but beautiful.
We should have liked to stay in Tipperary for longer but time was
running out. The journey to the ferry at Rosslare was simple and
uneventful with an overnight stop a few miles from the port ready
for an early departure.
Caravanning is less common in Ireland than in the UK and sites
less frequent, but all those we stayed on were well equipped,
both for caravans and tents. Roads in Ireland are improving but
there are fewer 'main' roads and the surface of many -
major and minor routes alike - often bumpy and uneven. We found
it best to tow along the National, or N roads, as much as
possible. To balance this, there is considerably less traffic
overall and we found drivers to be very tolerant of the caravan
in 'difficult' situations.
The Ireland that we saw was a beautiful country, an ideal place
for a caravanning holiday. No doubt its reputation for damp
weather is well justified at some times of the year, but we had
rain on only a few days during our two week stay in April.
Lasting impressions? Spectacular scenery, both in the mountains
and along the coast. Palm trees, emphasising the mildness of the
climate. Plenty of good food, and the warmth of the people -
throughout our stay everyone that we met was most friendly and
welcoming.
Ireland proved to be a great place
to tour by caravan; perhaps we should have been there sooner.
© GDS 2002
