There is nothing quite like strolling through the forest on a clear day, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, and turning a corner in the path to be greeted with a breathtaking mountain vista or sweeping green valley. Moments such as these can be found on a hiking holiday in the rugged wilderness of Ireland.
The picturesque countryside of Ireland is made up of a patchwork of many different types of landscapes, from majestic mountains to rolling green hills, granting the intrepid hiker with a lifetime of views to enjoy. If you love hiking, hop on a flight to Ireland, including direct routes to Dublin, and you’ll be sure to fall in love with the Emerald Isle.
The Wicklow Way
This long distance walking trail was one of the first trails to be formally established in Ireland and connects a wide variety of scenic landscapes throughout Ireland. It is an easy accessible path which will take you past lakes, glacial valleys, mountain streams, farmlands, forests, and more. The trail will also reveal to you many extensive remains of early Christian monasteries in the Glendalough Valley.
The Wicklow Way begins in the southern suburb of Rathfarnham, right outside of Dublin. It stretches towards the south-west across to County Wicklow. The end of the trail is in the village of Clonegal in County Carlow, and the total length of this hiking path is 127 kilometres. To trek the entire trail would take approximately eight to ten days for the experiences hiker of average fitness. More casual hikers might enjoy choosing a section of the trail to complete within one day.
The Dingle Way
Located in south-west Ireland, this hiking trail begins and finishes in Tralee. If you are interested in the ancient history of Ireland, The Dingle Way will take you to some of the best archaeological sites in the country, such as standing stones, beehive huts, and ogham stones. There is also a great deal of spectacular scenery to reward you along your journey, from the view of the Atlantic at Slea Head, the golden beaches on the Maharess, and the gentle foothills of Slieve Mish.
This 179km trail will take the average fit hiker approximately 8-9 days to walk. The many small villages along the trail are not usually more than a couple hours apart, so food and water can be purchased along the way. Keep in mind that the section of trail around the foot of Mount Brandon should be avoided if the weather conditions are bad.
The Causeway Coast Way
If you are inspired by views of the ocean from Ireland’s beautiful beaches, this will be the perfect trail for you. The Causeway Coast Way is an easy walk along the north-east coast of Northern Ireland, which will take the average hiker only 2-3 days to complete. The trail traverses between the popular tourist towns of Portstewart and Ballycastle and will take you past some of the most popular tourist attractions in the area such as the Dunluce Bridge, the Giant’s Causeway, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The scenery is truly amazing, with cliff sections, beach walking, seafront promenades, and more. This trail is easy to navigate and is suitable for a novice walker.
These are just a few of the best hiking routes in scenic Ireland, so why not strap on your hiking boots and hit the trail!
Tags: Hiking in Ireland, Hiking Trails in Ireland, Ireland, Ireland Hiking, Ireland Things to Do, Ireland Tourism, Ireland Travel, Outdoor Ireland
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport has the distinction of being Irelands busiest airport, as well as one of Europe’s top ten destinations. Staff look after over 60,000 passengers every day and as many as 80,000 during peak periods. Dublin Airport services and maintains over 600 planes daily for 63 different airlines and offers 190 routes from its runways.
The airport was opened in 1940 and is located some 6.2 miles north of Dublin City and built on the site of an old abandoned First World War aerodrome. During its early years Dublin Airport did not see much use due to WWII with the occasional flights between Liverpool and Manchester but the 1950’s saw a complete turn around with a new award winning terminal building and increased traffic.
New terminals and wider runways also saw an increase in passenger numbers through Dublin Airport in the 70’s and 80’s while the growth of business opportunities in the 90’s and 2000’s saw even more visitors using the airport. This was especially true of migrant workers from Eastern Europe and business travellers from the US.
Dublin and Shannon airport are the only two airports outside of North America that have pre-screening facilities, enabling passengers to clear customs quicker upon arrival in the US by having paperwork checked in Ireland first.
Location
The airport is just off the main M1 and M50 motorways providing quick and efficient road links into Dublin City. The public service buses operate a regular and cheap service into town and coach services on to Belfast, Cork, Wexford, Sligo etc all operate from the airport. There is also a bus service to the two nearest railway stations at Connolly and Heuston with plans for a new metro service to link the airport to the town centre with an 18-minute trip.
Car Parking at Dublin Airport
There are more than 22,000 car parking spaces at the airport offering both long and short stay provision and a fleet of shuttle buses operate to transfer passengers from their vehicles to and from the main terminals.
Airport Facilities
The main shopping facilities at Dublin Airport are contained in The Loop where there is an extensive range of high street outlets and designer stores. There are also a wide range of bars and restaurants where travellers can eat or drink. VIP passengers can make use of the executive lounges in both terminals for up to three hours before departure.
Accommodation at Dublin Airport
One of the most luxurious accommodations available at the Airport is the Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport. They have a great departure lounge all of their own and are only minutes away from the main terminals. The hotel has 229 stunning rooms available, all fully internet connected and ideal for business travellers who can visit the popular O’Dea’s Irish Bar or Breakfast Room and pick up a sumptuous lunch or quick snack while you wait to board your flight.
Radisson Blu currently have three hotels in Dublin. In addition to the Airport hotel they operate the newly built Royal Hotel in the heart of the city and the AA 5 star St Helens Hotel, Dublin, built in 1750 and is one of the finest hotels in Dublin & was formerly one of Ireland’s most important historic houses. Set in formal gardens, the hotel has been meticulously restored & adapted to provide luxury accommodation for business & leisure guests.
Flights
Dublin Airport is an international airport with its top destinations being London’s five airports, the two airports of Paris and two in New York. Manchester and Birmingham are also favoured destinations, with Frankfurt, Malaga and Amsterdam all proving to be popular European flights. The top ten favourite places to travel from Dublin are completed with journeys to and from Edinburgh and Madrid.
The UK is the commonest destination with over 70 flights daily crossing the Irish Sea to the cities of England, Scotland and Wales. As well as New York, Dublin also serves Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Tags: Dublin
For those of us that don’t want to travel too far, holidays to France are perfect as it only requires a short ferry/Eurotunnel crossing till you arrive at your destination, making it accessible by car and coaching holidays packages. Not only are holidays to France perfect in terms of short travelling times but they can also be easy on the purse-strings too. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of the places within France that you might not consider visiting when on holiday. Take a look at our mini list and let us know what you think…
Paris
Known to many as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris has all but exhausted the superlatives that can reasonably be applied to any city. We all know about the beauty of the Notre Dame and the Eifel Tower at sunrise, sunset and at night as well as the delights that can be offered via a cruise along the River Seine, but is there anything else we can do when holidaying in France? Encapsulate the village atmosphere by visiting the street markets. Not only do these offer an alternative shopping experience compared to the city boutiques but, they are also great for social gatherings as well as picking up some great culinary tips. Head off the beaten track and visit the Moorish mosque, you have to be modestly dressed to be able to wander through the colonnaded courtyards, listen to the incredible acoustics during the ‘Call To Prayer’ and leaf through ancient Arabic texts in the library. Here’s something a little different, why not escape the hustle & bustle of city life and explore the tiny streets of Île St-Louis? Here you’ll find quaint shops dotted around the island, you can listen to buskers on the riverbanks whilst watching the riverboats glide by. Doesn’t this bring a welcome relief to the usual city breaks to Paris?
Normandy
Think it’s fair to say that Normandy can be summed up in just three words – camembert, cider and cows! This is where you’ll find the lush green countryside of France smashing into the rolling waves of La Manche (the English Channel). Perhaps discover your ‘inner impressionist’ with a visit to Monet’s Garden in Giverny, be bowled over by the magnificent Bayeux Tapestry, sample the seafood delights of Trouville and Honfleur or slip into an architectural bubble and soak up the half-timbered houses and Gothic churches in Rouen. Make a pilgrimage to the D-Day Landing Beaches where the largest military operation in history, code-named ‘Operation Overlord’, was carried out in June 1944 that was followed by the Battle of Normandy which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi Occupation. Should you wish to find out more about this greatest military event, make time to visit the Caen Memorial Museum that provides a comprehensive overview of what happened. No holidays to Normandy would be complete without visiting the abbey of Mont St-Michel where legend has it that Aubert, the Bishop of Avranches, was visited by the Archangel Michael in a dream. To this day, a gilded copper statue of Michael slaying a dragon crowns the Abbey symbolising the triumph of good over evil – did you know that?
Provence
Everyone knows that this southern tip of France is one of the most sun and celebrity-riched parts of the country with its glittering coastline, mountain retreats, Roman temples and amazing gastronomic delights that will make your mouth water just thinking about it! Saunter through lush lavender fields, chestnut forests, apple-green vineyards and delectable olive groves. Why not follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh around Arles to the areas where he set up his easel to paint some of his best-known canvases. Hike, bike or drive through the hillsides of Digne-les-Bains. Sip a coffee in a café along the table-lined terrace of 1792 Les Deux Garçons. It’s fair to say that Provence is most definitely an old-fashioned love affair that never ends – in fact, the lure of the region will have you holidaying here more than once, guaranteed!
Tags: cheap, coach, easy, France, holidays, new year, travel
