Take the Slow Road: Ireland: Inspirational Journeys Round Ireland by Camper Van and Motorhome

By Martin Dorey

Forget hurrying. Forget putting your foot down and racing through sweeping bends. Forget the understeer (whatever that is). Forget the blur of a life lived too fast. This is a look at taking life slowly. It's about taking the time to enjoy journeys and places for their own sake. It's about stopping and putting the kettle on. Stopping to take a picture. Stopping to enjoy stopping.

How are you going to do it? In a camper van or a motorhome, of course.

In this book we define the best driving routes around Ireland for camper vans and motorhomes. We show you the coolest places to stay, what to see, what to do and explain why it's special. We meander around Ireland on the most breathtaking roads, chugging up mountain passes and pootling along the coast. We show you stuff that's fun; often free. We include the best drives for different kinds of drivers; for surfers, wildlife watchers, climbers and walkers. We include the steepest, the bendiest, the scariest and most interesting. And you don't even have to own a camper van or motorhome – we'll tell you the many places you can rent one to take you on the journey.

All of this is interspersed with beautiful photos, handy maps and quirky travel writing from the king of camper vans and motorhomes, Martin Dorey. So if all you want to do is flick through it on a cold day and plan your next outing, you'll be transported (albeit slowly) to pastures, beaches, mountains and highways that make you want to turn the key and go, go, go!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: May 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781844865864

Martin Dorey

Martin Dorey is a writer, surfer and serial camper van owner. In 2011 he presented the BBC2 television programme 'One Man and his Camper Van'. He is the author of The Camper Van Cookbook (2010), The Camper Van Coast (2012), The Camper Van Bible (2016), Take the Slow Road: Scotland (2018), Take the Slow Road: England and Wales (2019), Take the Slow Road: Ireland (2020), Take the Slow Road: France (2021) and Take the Slow Road: Spain and Portugal (2023), amongst several others. @campervanliving; www.martindorey.com

Book preview

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

Irish Blessing

CONTENTS

About this book

How to use this book

Why Ireland?

Your essential and non-essential kit list

Where to stay in Ireland

How to get to Ireland

The Wild Atlantic Way and waymarked routes

Driving in Ireland

Land, access and ownership

Dos and don’ts in Ireland

A word about the Irish weather

Things you might find perplexing about Ireland

Notes on Irish architecture

My top ten Irish beaches

My top ten Irish campsites

Keeping you shipshape with a seaweed bath

Eating in Ireland

LEINSTER

COUNTIES: Carlow, Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Louth, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Longford

01 THE BOYNE VALLEY DRIVE

02 HOWTH TO ARKLOW

03 THE OLD MILITARY ROAD, WICKLOW: DUBLIN TO ARKLOW

04 ROSSLARE TO HELVICK HEAD

MUNSTER

COUNTIES: Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford

05 YOUGHAL TO DUNGARVAN

06 THE BEARA

07 THE LEE VALLEY

08 THE RING OF KERRY 1

09 THE RING OF KERRY 2

10 THE DINGLE PENINSULA

11 LIMERICK TO KINVARRA

12 THE BURREN

CONNACHT

COUNTIES: Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo

13 GALWAY TO CLIFDEN (AND THE SKY ROAD LOOP)

14 CLIFDEN TO WESTPORT

15 ACHILL BELMULLET

16 BELMULLET TO BALLINA

17 THE SURF COAST: ENNISCRONE TO BUNDORAN

18 SLIGO TO ENNISKILLEN

MEATH: THE FIFTH PROVINCE

19 THE SHANNON: FROM SHANNON POT TO KILLALOE

ULSTER

COUNTIES: Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Derry, Fermanagh, Tyrone

20 DONEGAL TO MALIN BEG

21 CARRICK TO LETTERKENNY

22 LIMAVADY TO BELFAST

23 ANTRIM GLENS

24 BELFAST TO NEWRY

CAMPER VAN AND MOTORHOME HIRE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

‘Offsetting’ your trip

While travel by camper van produces fewer greenhouse gases and is a far less damaging way to take a holiday than flying long haul to the other side of the world, it still has an impact. Given what we now know about the climate emergency, it strikes me that it should be an essential part of any journey to ‘offset’ trips by contributing to tree planting in the places you visit. Think of it as a thank you.

I drove around 10,000 miles in the course of writing this book. 100 native Irish trees were planted on my behalf as a result.

If you can, please do the same. Go to www.hometree.ie for more details.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Dia dhuit.

Welcome to Take the Slow Road, Ireland.

If you’re looking for somewhere where you can explore deserted beaches, ancient sites, majestic rivers, awe-inspiring cliffs, beautiful countryside, high mountain passes and empty uplands then Ireland is the place for you. And if you yearn to camp under clear skies, high in the mountains, beside the ocean and in campsites in stunning locations then Ireland is for you, too.

Taking the slow road is all about meandering, taking your time and travelling at a pace that enables you to immerse yourself in the place, its people and its customs. This means stopping for a chat, to pop the kettle on, have a pint or just admire the view.

Let’s face it: Ireland has views – from incredible geological features, such as the Giant’s Causeway or the Cliffs of Moher, to beautiful mountain passes, like Ballaghisheen Pass or the Healy Pass. It also boasts some of the world’s best beaches, amazing local food, friendly people and jaw-dropping ancient sites like Newgrange or the Hill of Tara. Add to that a strong sense of pride, history, legend and mystery and you’ve got a combination that’s hard to beat.

I have been exploring Ireland for more than 25 years and have loved every moment of it. Reconnoitring it – and falling in love with it again – for this book was a pleasure I won’t forget in a hurry.

I sincerely hope you enjoy finding it for yourself.

Have fun.

‘May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.’ (Irish Blessing)

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

It’s easy, trust me.

After I’ve set the scene for your Irish adventure in the opening sections, you’ll see that there are a number of routes. These are my suggestions of great roads and routes to explore. Some are coastal, some inland, some follow rivers and some will take you through the mountains. Some may also be great for surfing, cycling, swimming or exploring ancient sites. They’ve been grouped into five regions: Leinster, Munster, Connacht, Ulster and Meath, the fifth province, though a couple start in one province and end in another.

Each route is separated into two sections. The first is my account of things that happened when I was there and decribes what the route meant to me. While unique to my experience, it is these snippets that I hope will inspire you to write your own story in Ireland. I rarely plan any of these encounters – unless I need to book a guide or trip – so they are just about what it can be like to travel in Ireland. It’s the bit that, I hope, will inspire you to turn on the laptop and book that ticket.

The second part of each route is the practical stuff, the A to B. It’s designed to help you to follow the route and will give you an idea of what to expect along the way. By all means use it as a starting point if you want to meander and follow your nose or heart. There are no rules.

The maps, of course, will help you to find your way, but I would also encourage you to use your own, more detailed OS maps and seek out the things that sound interesting to you, perhaps from the lists of information I have included at the end of each route. These are ideas of things to do and see as well as places to stay, all based on my experience. Of course, though, they are not the only things to do or see in Ireland, by a long way.

Finally, if you don’t have your own van, I have included details of local hire companies where you can rent a vehicle for yourself. So there’s no excuse, right?

See you on the road.

WHY IRELAND?

Now that the Take the Slow Road series has covered Scotland in one book, and England and Wales in another, it seemed natural to turn to Ireland for this, the third book in the series. Ireland is a wonderful country to visit in a motorhome or camper van. In many ways it is set up for travelling, with a reasonable network of campsites and infrastructure and an often-tolerant attitude towards free camping.

If you don’t believe me, then may I tell you about a trip I made in 2011 to explore Donegal? While setting up at a remote beach to camp, a local resident came to see us. At first we were worried that he had come to ask us to leave, but then he presented us with a bag of turf for our beach fire and a four-pack of Guinness and we realised he was just extending a warm welcome. It was a great night.

Ireland’s tourist board, Fáilte Ireland, has long been developing initiatives to bring more tourism to the country, the most successful of which is the Wild Atlantic Way, a 2,500km (1,550 mile) waymarked driving route from Muff (for real) to Kinsale near Cork. There are others, too, like the Copper Coast Scenic Drive and Cycle Route (Copper Coast Drive for short), the Causeway Coastal Route and the Boyne Valley Scenic Drive. In recent years, new projects creating Green Ways and Blue Ways, which make it easier to explore Ireland’s green spaces and waterways by bike and kayak, have been launched.

As you can see, Ireland welcomes visitors – of that there is little doubt. So, I implore you to get in the van and explore it. You don’t have to follow the crowd and drive every inch of the Wild Atlantic Way or find your roots at the Guinness factory in Dublin. Of course, if you do then you’ll have a great time, but if you don’t you’ll still have a good time. There is much to see and much to explore, especially if you like outdoors adventure.

Why should I be the one to travel these roads?

I have been travelling regularly in Ireland for 25 years. My first trip in a camper van, in 1994, coincided with the World Cup in the USA, to which Ireland made the finals (my country, England, didn’t). They played Italy in the opening game of the competition at Yankee Stadium in New York and, under the guidance of Jack Charlton, they ‘romped’ home to an astonishing 1–0 victory. I watched the game in a bar somewhere near Waterford and all the subsequent games in bars all over Ireland. It showed me what a passionate, patriotic, wonderful country it is. Everywhere I went, the three colours of the Irish flag – white, green and gold – greeted me and my camper van. Bunting hung from every lamp post, and houses, freshly painted in Ireland’s colours, watched over every move.

Since then, I have been back countless times, visiting friends and family, working or surfing. Each visit has been memorable. In 2001, I married an Irish woman, in Ireland, which meant that all holidays from thereon in became mother-in-law trips to weddings, family events and sometimes Christmas, more often than not in a camper van. On each visit – in order to avoid the inevitable, drawn-out ritual of the ‘popping in’ of the entire local community that having relatives in Ireland involves – I would drag my little tribe across the country, exploring the coast and countryside, looking for surf, views and great pubs. I saw a lot of the place and I am happy to report that my kids first tried scuba diving, indoor climbing, pier jumping and scaling mountains in Ireland. They have had a lot of fun on the Emerald Isle.

For me, a surfer and explorer, Ireland has always been and will always be a Shangri-la. The waves are amazing, the countryside is beautiful and the people are, on the whole, warm and friendly. A lot of the pubs are great, too, which is useful if (when) the weather turns sour.

Even though I am not married to the Irish woman any more, I still travel to Ireland regularly with my partner, Lizzy. She has come to love the landscapes, beaches, people, flora and fauna as much as I do and is now the proud owner of a number of Donegal tweed hats, which tells you something. As an additional bonus, my mother moved to Mullaghmore in Sligo to be with her partner, Nick, some time ago, giving me a new base from which to explore. It’s the opposite end of the country from my ex-in-laws, which means I get to see lots of new places these days. This has enabled me to fall hopelessly in love with the country all over again. Now I see it from a new, fresh perspective. I might not be as misty-eyed as I once was about my freckle-faced Celtic roots (albeit imagined), but Ireland still looks and feels as good as it did on that night in 1994 when Jackie’s boys slipped one past Italy and made their small, fierce, world-beating and stunningly beautiful nation very, very proud indeed.

Book now. You will love it.

YOUR ESSENTIAL AND NON-ESSENTIAL KIT LIST

Your essential kit list

If you are renting a van

Check the kit list as supplied with your vehicle. Make sure you have the absolute essentials: green chemicals for the loo, hoses or a means to fill up with fresh water, gas to cook on. Everything else – chairs, tables, awnings and roof racks – are the extras.

As long as you can stay warm, cook and eat, have fresh water and go to the loo, you’ll be fine. The rest is just details. Just remember that cupboard or storage space may be limited so take only what you are sure you’ll need.

Travelling with your own vehicle

Obviously you’ll need some kit. Bar the obvious, such as phone chargers, cables, Wi-Fi dongles, books, games and music, there are some essentials you have to take care of.

No doubt you’ve got your own list but in case you haven’t, here’s mine:

LPG connector If you run your cooker and heating on LPG then you may need an adaptor for your filler nozzle. UK motorhomes generally use a UK bayonet type. Ireland uses the ACME type. However, if you forget your adaptor it’s worth noting that in the north they still use the bayonet adaptor. Get one at www.lpgshop.co.uk if you are buying from the UK. If you are unsure, check the information at www.mylpg.eu .

Hoses and universal adaptors You may not need hoses to refill with water – you may have a jerrycan to take to the tap. Even so, a length of hose and tap adaptors can sometimes save the day. If you are in a motorhome you’ll need to make sure you can fill up with fresh water, which means checking that you have the right connectors to get from tap to tank. If you have a portable toilet or on-board toilet, a short length of hose – to be kept separately from the freshwater hose – can help you to clean it out. A set of Hoselock tap adaptors and a universal adaptor will make sure you can always fill up.

KIT LIST

10m (33ft) of flexible freshwater fill-up hose

1 x set of universal tap-to-hose adaptors

1m (3.3ft) length of hose for slopping out toilets

Levelling chocks and spirit level After a while you’ll become very good at working out if the van is level. And, if you’re a bit of a princess, you’ll soon work out you can’t sleep on a slope, especially if you use satin sheets. A pair of levelling chocks will see you straight, when used properly. It’s a bit of an art, I admit, but you’ll get the hang of it, eventually, when you’ve had a few too many sleepless nights.

KIT LIST

1 x set of Level Up levelling chocks

1 x spirit level

Electric cables and extensions If you have electric hook-up then you’ll need a C Form or 16 amp cable to go with it. Around 25m (82ft) is usually enough to reach any pitch. It may also be a good idea to carry a 13 amp adaptor plug too, as well as a 13 amp socket if your campsite doesn’t have a 16 amp socket (but it should!).

KIT LIST

25m (82ft) 16 amp cable

13 amp plug adaptor

13 amp socket (to 16 amp)

Maps maps maps I always carry a map for route planning, as well as large-scale maps of the specific areas I am visiting – so I can get into the heart of the landscape.

KIT LIST

OSi offer the Holiday Series Maps at 1cm to 2.5km (⅖ in to 1½ miles) and are useful for route planning.

OSi Discovery Series maps are 1:50,000 scale and contain enough detail to get you down every road on the island.

Toilet kit If you don’t carry a portable toilet then sooner or later you may have to indulge in a nature wee (or worse). Do not urinate within 30m (100ft) of any open waters, rivers or streams. If you do have to defaecate, do it as far as possible from rivers, streams, buildings and animals. Dig a hole and bury it. Carry a trowel or folding spade. If you do have a loo, avoid blue chemicals as they are harmful. Use green stuff without formaldehyde.

KIT LIST

green toilet liquid for the loo

trowel if you don’t have a loo

cheap toilet paper (it tends to break down more easily)

Green-living kit You can easily reduce the waste you produce by taking a few essential bits of green-living kit. Given what we now know about plastic waste and the destruction of the environment, it’s the least we can do. What’s more, it’ll save you looking for bins. Also, it’s rare to find plastic recycling in Ireland.

Wet-weather gear You never know in Ireland. It’s not called the Emerald Isle for nothing.

KIT LIST

Reusable coffee cups – these will often get you a discount as well as save plastic litter.

Refillable bottle – why squander cash on soft drinks and create waste when tap water is great? And free.

Reusable shopping bags – only paper bags are available in Ireland. Save money and avoid waste by taking your own.

Reusable veg bags – these avoid waste when you buy loose veg and are easy to store in the fridge.

Shampoo bars – make no waste, can be kept in tins and last for ages.

Tupperware containers – take these to butchers, grocers and markets if shopping local, to avoid waste.

Non-essential

Some things I’ll bet you haven’t thought about…

An OPW card

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the government body responsible for some of Ireland’s monuments. One of their Heritage Cards will allow you free access into any of Ireland’s OPW-managed sites, including Dublin Castle, Newgrange, Derrynane House, Killarney National Park and Muckross House and Gardens. The card is therefore essential if you intend to visit heritage sites. www.heritageireland.ie/en/info/heritagecards

Waterways Ireland Smart Card

If you want to travel along the Shannon or Erne waterways, you can make use of marina facilities with a Waterways Ireland Smart Card. Originally developed for boats using marina facilities, they can also be used by motorhomers (although you cannot stay overnight at marinas, apart from Portumna). Buy at: www.shopwaterwaysireland.org

Swimming hat

All swimming pools in Ireland require swimmers to wear caps. They will lend or sell you one if you haven’t got one but, blimey, they aren’t a good look and I defy anyone to carry off a baggy nylon swim hat atrocity with aplomb. You’re better off taking your own if you know you’ll be going for a dip.

WHERE TO STAY IN IRELAND

Campsites

Ireland doesn’t have a lot of campsites, and certainly not as many as England, Scotland or Wales. Many of them are mixed-use holiday or touring parks with motorhome and camping areas as well as statics, seasonal caravan pitches and lodges. In recent years, glamping has taken off, too, and you’ll often find pods or yurts in the mix at sites, some of which are really excellent.

There are also some really good small and ‘alternative’ campsites. These are my kind of site and I list those that I have visited and loved, both in my top ten sites list (here) and also in each route. If I’ve missed any off it means I’ve not been there so can’t comment. Get hold of The Green Guide – Touring Caravan & Camping Parks or the latest Ireland Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Guide for a list of campsites, or look online (see below).

Useful websites and apps

Motorhome Parking Ireland is your secret weapon when it comes to finding night stops in Ireland. It’s a subscription app but has thousands of overnight spots, LPG stations and campsites on it – very useful.

https://motorhomeparkingireland.com/wp

Safe Nights Ireland is a club that lists more than 350 locations all over Ireland where motorhomers can stay for just €10 a night.

www.safenightsireland.com

Campsited is an Irish-owned and -run campsite portal with a good list of sites. Booking online is possible. www.campsited.com

Forest parks

In Northern Ireland there are a number of forest parks that are government owned and controlled and where it is possible to camp overnight. Some of these include Glenariff and Castlewellan. www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/camping-and-touring-sites-forests

Touring in the trees passes

Every year, the government releases a limited number of Touring in the Trees passes, which allow you to camp on nine forest park sites during the season, with a maximum stay of three nights in any one location. These have limited facilities, so tourers must have a chemical loo. www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/touring-trees-application-and-information

Marinas

Waterways Ireland operate marina facilities throughout Ireland on the navigable waterways system. These marinas often have toilet facilities as well as chemical toilet disposal and fresh water, and sometimes showers. It is possible to access these facilities with a Waterways Ireland Smart Card, available from www.waterwaysireland.org.

Lots of motorhomers stay on marinas regularly, including the dedicated aire at Portumna, with no reports of problems. However, be warned that the car parks attached to marinas may not always be operated by Waterways Ireland, so it’s best to check locally first before bedding down.

Motorhome stopovers and private aires

Due to the lack of campsites, some local entrepreneurs and councils have taken it upon themselves to set up aires for motorhomes. These are great and often well used, and are sometimes in fantastic locations. I have listed as many as I can in this book but you can find most of them on the Motorhome Parking Ireland app.

Wild camping

Wild camping in Ireland is tolerated, on the whole, although many local councils put up ‘no overnight parking’ signs on a regular basis. Height barriers are also in place at a lot of sensitive locations or in places where local councils or beach owners fear that overnight visitors might like to stay a little longer than is welcome. That said, generally, Ireland is a very motorhome-friendly place, especially around the coast, if you are prepared to take the risk. Inland, with land ownership and access being an issue, it can be more of a challenge at times to find places in which to park up.

I have been free camping in Ireland for many years and have only once been moved on – a situation that partly came about as a result of my ignorance but