British Isles Itinerary

3 Comments / July 10, 2012

A Good Starting Point for Planning Your British Isles Itinerary

This summary of the itinerary for my recent 18 day trip through the British Isles will, hopefully, help jumpstart your own trip planning process. I’ve just completed a detailed series of postings featuring each city I visited, including where I stayed, how I got there and what I saw at each stop along the way. If you decide to follow this itinerary you’ll get a good overview of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, while keeping the travel times each day to a minimum. For me, getting there is half the fun, so I love riding the trains and buses through the countryside from one town to the next. This is often a great way to meet people and it’s wonderful to be able to leave the driving to someone else when you’re on vacation. If you’re traveling in a group of two or more, however, it may be more economical to rent a car, but remember, driving a car with manual transmission on the opposite side of those narrow roads is not for the faint of heart!

Customize to Fit Your Own Schedule

A word of caution…as a solo, budget traveler, I like to squeeze as much as I can into my trips, so this pace may be a bit fast for some. If that’s the case or if you don’t have three weeks, you can use any portion of this schedule and tailor it to fit your own timetable. One possibility, for example, would be to separate it into two trips, the first just concentrating on England, Wales and Scotland and the second just on Ireland. Another suggestion would be to do England and Wales in one trip and Scotland and Ireland in another. By dividing the trip in this manner you would have time to spend two nights in some of the major cities like London, Edinburgh and Dublin and at major scenic destinations like the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry in Ireland.

City by City Itinerary

As you can see from a quick look at the list below, you will be traveling to some of the most famous and interesting destinations in the world…and getting from one place to the next will take you through some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. Here goes!

1) London, England

-arrived by plane from SFO

2) Bath, England

-by train, 1 hour 45 minutes

3) Cardiff, Wales

-by train, 1 hour

4) Shrewsbury, England

-by train via Swansea, 8 hours

-scenic Heart of Wales train journey

5) Conwy, Wales

-by train, 2 hours 30 minutes

6) York, England

-by train, 5 hours

7) Edinburgh, Scotland

-by train, 2 hours 30 minutes

8) Inverness, Scotland

-by train, 4 hours

-scenic Highlands train journey through Cairngorm Mountains

-LochNess

9) Glasgow, Scotland

-by train, 4 hours

10) Belfast, Northern Ireland

-by train and ferry, 6 hours

11) Londonderry, Northern Ireland

-by train, 2 hours

12) Sligo, Ireland

-by bus, 2 hours 30 minutes

13) Galway, Ireland

-by bus, 2 hours 30 minutes

-Clifden and Connemara

14) Limerick, Ireland

-by train, 2 hours

-Cliffs of Moher

15) Tralee, Ireland

-by bus, 2 hours

-Dingle Town

16) Killarney, Ireland

-by bus, 1 hour

-Ring of Kerry

17) Cork, Ireland

-by bus, 1 hour 30 minutes

-Blarney Castle

18) Dublin, Ireland

-by bus, 4 hours 15 minutes

Summary of Expenses

Airfare: (San Francisco to London and Dublin to San Francisco) $807.00

Land Transportation: (trains and buses) $613.00

Lodging: $1,327.00 (average $74.00 per night)

Food: $144.00 (doesn’t include breakfast which came with most hotels)

Incidentals (including entrance fees): $73.00

Total Expenses: $2,964.00

Las Vegas or Europe?

Depending on what part of the country you’re coming from, a round trip plane ticket to Las Vegas can cost anywhere from $200 to $500. For just a few hundred more you could fly to the British Isles and see something new and exciting. Remember, either way you still have to eat and sleep, so the expenses once you get to either destination will be similar. The choice was a no-brainer for me! Considering all the fantastic things I saw, the wonderful people I met and the awesome accommodations I had on my nearly three week trek through England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, doing all this for less than $3,000 was a great value for this budget traveler. Be sure to check out the other articles in this series for more details on planning your trip to the British Isles. Tally Ho and Cherrio!

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Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

May 8, 2012

A Warm Welcome

Leen’s Bed and Breakfast in Killarney, Ireland was one of the nicest places I stayed during my trip through the British Isles. I arrived there at 9:30 AM by bus from Tralee in order to catch the 10 AM Ring of Kerry tour bus and the proprietors could not have been more accommodating. They gave me a warm welcome and allowed me to check in early so that I could freshen up and leave my main pack before setting out on the tour. I had arranged both the room and the tour bus the day before at the Tralee Tourist Office for a $7 booking fee. My accommodations at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast included a nice room with private bath and a wonderful full Irish Breakfast, all for $54, an excellent value for the price.

Leen's Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland — Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

A Great Location

Leen’s Bed and Breakfast is located in a nice, quiet residential area within easy walking distance of most of the major attractions in Killarney. There are four bedrooms available, including single, twin, double and triple accommodations and each room has an en suite bathroom. Each room also has television, wireless internet connectivity and tea and coffee tray. Leen’s can also accommodate groups at a reduced rate and as an added benefit for those traveling by rental car, private parking is available.

Bedroom at Leen's Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland — Bedroom at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast, Killarney, Ireland

All the Comforts of Home

My bedroom at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast was bright, clean, comfortable and modern and had all the comforts of home. It also had a nice window that looked out on the pleasant, peaceful surrounding neighborhood. The proprietor, Siobhan Leen, prepared a wonderful full Irish breakfast which I thoroughly enjoyed in the cheery breakfast room before heading off to catch the bus to Cork the next morning. Leen’s Bed and Breakfast had all the qualities I look for and more when considering a place to stay. It was clean, comfortable, safe, well located and operated by a friendly, helpful staff in addition to being a good value. I’m quite sure you will enjoy Leen’s Bed and Breakfast as much as I did on your next visit to Killarney, Ireland.

Breakfast Room at Leen's Bed and Breakfast — Breakfast Room at Leen’s Bed and Breakfast

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Killarney and the Ring of Kerry

May 2, 2012

The Ring of Kerry

A tour of the Ring of Kerry, located on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, has become an almost mandatory pilgrimage for every visitor to Ireland. A bus tour is a great way to see the many beautiful sights on this heavily trafficked trail and usually takes about six hours to complete. Because of the difficulty buses have passing one another on some of the narrow roads, they all travel in a counterclockwise direction along the coast. I had a great experience with O’Connor Auto Tours which provided an entertaining (and very skilled) bus driver who regaled us with his gift of Irish gab and gave us plenty of time at each stop. The tour cost about $32, not including lunch, and I’m quite sure you’ll be glad you left the driving to them rather than trying to navigate the narrow, winding roads in a rental car.

There was an additional fee for several special points of interest along the way, one of the most interesting of which was the sheepdog herding demonstration. The tour took us through Killorglin, Caherciveen, Waterville, Sneem, Molls Gap and Ladies’ View in addition to a visit to the Kerry Bog Village Museum in Glenbeigh before returning to Killarney. One of the most enjoyable things about traveling is the people you meet along the way, like the nice folks who were on the tour bus with me. So, here’s a ‘hello’ to Luca and Elena from Italy, Brian from Philadelphia and the two lovely young ladies from Victoria, British Columbia.

Killarney

Located in southwestern Ireland, Killarney has an ancient history and the castles, abbeys and cathedrals to prove it. With its trout filled lakes, mountain crags and oak studded woodlands, it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Ireland. Killarney is not just a great jumping off place for the Ring of Kerry, but a worthy destination in its own right! After returning from the Ring of Kerry tour I walked around the old town with its colorful shops, pubs and restaurants, visited the famous St. Mary’s Cathedral and enjoyed seeing some of the beautifully manicured gardens that surround many of the lovely homes that line the streets.

I always like to immerse myself in local events when I travel and it just happened that there was an international gathering of bikers taking place at the Gleneagle Hotel while I was in Killarney. I had fun mingling with the crowds, enjoying the free entertainment and drooling over the beautiful Harley-Davidson motorcycles that had come from all over the world. My walk skirted the Killarney National Park where I got a glimpse of Muckross Abbey, but unfortunately I missed some of the most well known sites in Killarney, including Ross Castle, Muckross House and the nearby Torc Waterfall, which will have to wait until my next trip to Ireland. There just was not enough time to see everything, giving me a good excuse to return to Killarney some day.

Trek through Ireland Drawing to a Close

With my trek through Ireland winding down to the last few days before I would have to fly home, I couldn’t imagine that there would still be so much more waiting for me to see! It seemed that each place I visited outdid the ones that came before and the town of Killarney and the nearby Ring of Kerry were no exception! Fortunately, I’d made reservations before I left Tralee for a room at a bed and breakfast as well as a seat on the tour bus to the Ring of Kerry. The 40 minute bus ride from Tralee to Killarney cost about $12 and the driver was kind enough to make a special stop near Leen’s Bed and Breakfast where I was given a warm welcome. I was able to check into my room early so that I could leave my pack and be ready for the tour bus that picked me up out front at 10 AM. Be sure to return for our full report on Leen’s Bed and Breakfast in Killarney, Ireland…a wonderful place to stay!

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St. John's Catholic Church from the Town Park Rose Gardens

Tralee, Ireland and the Dingle Peninsula

April 19, 2012

The Rose of Tralee

Written in the nineteenth century, ‘The Rose of Tralee’ is a famous Irish ballad about a woman who was ‘lovely and fair’, a description that has come to embody the features of all the beautiful young colleens in Ireland. Every year young ladies from Irish communities throughout the world compete for the distinction of being selected ‘The Rose’, culminating in the crowning of the winner at the Rose of Tralee Festival held here in August. Because of its familiar name, Tralee was one of the places I was anxious to visit on my trek through Ireland. For a $25 ticket I took the two hour ride from Limerick on my favorite Bus Eireann, arriving in Tralee around noon on a Saturday in early June. But once again, the town would have to wait, so that I could catch the bus out to see the Dingle Peninsula first.

The Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Town

As a popular tourist destination the Dingle Peninsula is catching up with the Iveragh Peninsula, its next door neighbor to the south, which boasts the famous Ring of Kerry. Also located in County Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula is named for Dingle Town which is a picturesque little village on the Dingle River where it flows into a sheltered harbor on the Atlantic Coast. While Dingle Town has a long history as a fishing port and still has traces of the town walls that once surrounded it, today’s visitors will be particularly impressed with the narrow, hilly streets lined with brightly painted shops, pubs and houses. A short walk up the hill behind the town will reward you with a great view of the surrounding countryside and the harbor below which is teeming with fishing boats. You can take a boat ride out to the mouth of the Dingle Harbor where Fungie the world famous bottlenose dolphin has greeted visitors since 1984 and perhaps even take a swim with him. If time permits you can also take the scenic drive out towards Dunmore Head, the western most point in Ireland. The round trip bus fare from Tralee to Dingle Town cost about $22 and took an hour each way. But you’ll be wishing it took longer so you’d have more time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery along the way.

Colorful Streets of Dingle Town, Ireland

Tralee

The weather was somewhat dreary when I got back to Tralee in the early evening to set out on my walking tour of this pretty little town. In addition to being a great jumping off place for the Dingle Peninsula (and the Ring of Kerry, as well), Tralee was full of friendly people and interesting things to see. It was quite pleasant to walk along the wide streets lined with Georgian edifices and to go window shopping on The Mall and to stroll through the Town Square filled with the Irish music flowing from the nearby pubs. Along the way I visited St. John’s Catholic Church and the Pikeman Memorial which commemorates the 1798 Irish Rebellion. Rounding out the evening I took the long walk along the ship canal to check out the locks and to see the Blennerville Windmill, the oldest one in Ireland still in operation. One of the most beautiful spots in Tralee is the town park which is filled with the town’s namesake roses and many other colorful flowers. Right across from the town park is the Kerry County Museum which has the Tralee Tourist Office in the basement. I knew that timing would be critical on the next day of my trip so the helpful staff there booked my accommodations in Killarney and got me a seat on the Ring of Kerry tour bus a day in advance.

The Canal Walk and the Blennerville Windmill

Finnegan’s Hostel

After checking several hotels on my short walk from the bus station into town (and finding them either full or too expensive!) I happened upon Finnegan’s Hostel right in the heart of Tralee. With a name like Finnegan’s it couldn’t get much more Irish and this was without a doubt the best bargain on my trip to Ireland! For $35 I got a great room with private bath and breakfast included! While it is more like a budget bed and breakfast it does have dormitory rooms in addition to twin and double rooms. There are 40 beds in all and each room has an en suite bathroom. Located right across from the rose gardens in the town park this Georgian town house was completed in 1826 and each room is named after a famous Irish author. Finnegan’s Hostel was clean, safe, comfortable, a good value and conveniently located…all criteria that must be met to make it onto our list of Awesome Accommodations. The friendly staff provided a lot of good information about what to see in Tralee and how to get out to Dingle Town. The facility also features bike rental, laundry service and an elegant restaurant in the cellar. This would be a great place for group accommodations, but regardless of your travel needs, this is where you will want to stay during your visit to Tralee.

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Dingle Town on the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland

Intro to Ireland

February 7, 2012

A Whirlwind Tour of the Emerald Isle

In the next series of articles to be published on Blue Orb Travel we will explore the Emerald Isle, traveling from Belfast and Londonderry in the north down to Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Tralee, Killarney, Cork and Dublin in the south. We’ll see the picturesque seaside towns of Clifden and Dingle Town, walk along the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, take a bus tour of the Ring of Kerry, and kiss the Blarney Stone. There will be plenty of photos, lots of helpful information about what to see and some great suggestions on where to stay. Come on along…you won’t want to miss it.

Getting There and Getting Around

Air: There are a number of ways to get to Ireland, all fairly straightforward if not downright easy. Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, is the main gateway city and many visitors fly directly into Dublin Airport and then travel west and north by land. Others fly into the Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland and travel south by land.

Sea: Irish Ferries operate on a number of routes between Great Britain and Ireland. Some of the most popular connections are from Fishguard, Wales to Rosslare, Ireland and from Holyhead, Wales to Dublin. In a previous post on Irish Ferries I describe how I took the ferry from Stranraer, Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland and found it to be an easy and pleasant way to get to the Emerald Isle.

Land: Once in Ireland, most visitors get around by either rental car or bus and to a lesser extent by train. I found Ireland’s national bus service, Bus Eireann, to be the best way to get from town to town. The buses were clean, safe, comfortable, reasonably priced and on time. And all the drivers were friendly and helpful!

Bus Eireann, Ireland's National Bus Service — Bus Eireann, Ireland’s National Bus Service

Geography and Terminology

Understanding the difference between the terms England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom or Ireland can be confusing even for the inhabitants of these various geographic areas, so here’s a quick run down. Great Britain refers to the three countries that comprise the main island of the British Isles, which are England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom consists of these three countries plus the fourth one across the Irish Sea, which is Northern Ireland, and these four countries together are also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland.

Generally the term ‘Ireland’ refers to the entire island which includes Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland, an independent country in the south. Ireland was originally divided into four provinces, one of which was Ulster in the north. Northern Ireland today is composed of six of the nine counties of the original Irish province of Ulster. The term ‘Ulster’ is still often used to refer to Northern Ireland, particularly by ‘Unionists’ who favor the continued union with the United Kingdom.

Fasten Your Seatbelts

Now that you know how to get to Ireland and have a basic understanding of the geopolitical terminology, I think we’re ready to go! In the first article in our series on Ireland we’ll visit Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. In addition to seeing the sights and scenes of this beautiful city we’ll do a quick review of the complicated recent history of Ireland. An understanding of this aspect of the two countries that share one island is essential for visitors who want the full Ireland experience. All aboard!

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Ring Of Kerry