I am trying to plan a trip to Ireland and Scotland this April, but I have no idea where to start. I love the water and also the country side so Im pretty much open to any suggestion. I would like to try and visit Northern Ireland as well. Can anyone please help me?
Hi Blackfoot,
Im Irish so I could help u with that part of it. I dont know where u r starting ur trip from but if u want to see Northern Ireland u can get a boat from Belfast to Scotland or vice versa which only takes about two hours and is quite cheap aswell.
In scotland, Edinburugh is a lovely city to visit and if u want to see the countryside aswell u should head up to the highlands.
In Ireland, Dublin is a nice city but a couple of days should be enough. Galway would be the other major nice city to visit. The west and south west of Ireland would be the best places to go for nice countryside places like connemara, west cork, ring of kerry.
Around the coastline we have loads of beaches but they r not great and the weather is never really good enough to use them anyway.
If u want to do some water activities i would suggest renting a boat on the River Shannon.
U rent the boat from a town called Carrick-on-Shannon and thats in the county of Leitrim.
Thats in the centre of the country. U can rent all sizes of boats and for as many days as u want, they r not too expensive either. U basically live on the boat, so u can travel down the river during the day while swimming/fishing etc.. Then when u come to a town u like just dock ur boat there for the night then start moving again in the morning.
I hope this was of some help to u.
If u need any more help just let me know.
Kier
Wow, thank you soo much! Your reply has been very helpful. But if I can ask one more question. I really love history and am very interested in Ireland and Scotlands history. Do you know of any historical sites that would be nice to go to?
In Dublin, you must go see Kilmainham Gaol if you want some history with heart (and heartache). The tour is haunting, but fantastic! Also the National (Archaeology) museum on Kildare street...they had the 'bog bodies' on display when i was there March 2010! Dublin castle tour was decent, and did show excavations of the original moat, etc... (stayed @ Hotel Harding, central and affordable)
If it's countryside you want, you MUST visit the Dingle Peninsula (An Daingean) in County Kerry . It is BEAUTIFUL and has the most picturesque countryside you can want...it will make you want to move there! (The Lantern Townhouse B&B-highly recommended). I took a tour (Sciúird Archaeological Tours) around Slea Head (Gallarus oratory, etc) and the tour guide was very informative on local history.
(Can you tell I was an anthropology major in college?)
BTW, I went to Ireland for 2 weeks in mid March, fully prepared for it to rain every day. It rained ONE day, and that was a bus travel day from Cork to Dingle. Otherwise the weather was terrific---cool but sunny!
Have FUN!!!
OH, and if you hear that Irish folk-rockster Damien Dempsey (singer/songwriter) is playing in whatever city youre in/near in Ireland, spend the $$ and go see him. He is beyond amazing!
[ 17-Jan-2011, at 19:12 by laoutlaw ]
Thank you very much. I truely love history and now have some places to look into. Thank you so much laoutlaw!
As far as history is concerned in Scotland. Edinburugh castle is the only peice of history i can recommend in Scotland. that i would know of.
As far as Ireland is concerned the above recommendations are good. Also in Dublin you could visit Trinity College, one of the oldest colleges in the world and home to the book of Kells. Newgrange in County Meath is also a major historical tourist attraction. You also must visit the Blarney Stone in Co. Cork. Its some old stone at blarney castle where if u kiss the stone u get the irish gift of the gab ( ability to talk shit) ha ha. In Northern Ireland the Giants Causeway in Co. Antrim would be your main historical site to visit.
Any other questions I would be happy to help
Kier
Thank you soo much kier. Youve have been a very big help. I will definately go to Giant's Causeway. Im really looking forward to seeing that. I completely forgot about the blarney stone! Again thank you soo much for all your help. At the moment i cant think of anything else to ask but if I do I will certainly let you know. Also if you think of anything else will you please let me know?
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