Roadtrip through Ireland Part 1

Me finally in Ireland :)

Today I want to tell you a little bit about a road trip, my boyfriend and I took last June. Originally this was posted in the previous year on my book blog, but I will give away more details here. As I have a lot to tell, this will only be the first half of my travelogue. In a few days, the second one will follow. I hope you may find some inspiration for your own travels. But be warned, reading could lead to serious wanderlust. ;)

Right after we landed at the airport in Dublin on Saturday, we set off for the rental car company. The transfer from the airport to their premises was fast and uncomplicated. The car had already been booked in advance, the Hertz employees were friendly, and everything went smoothly and without a hitch. And then we could start jetting. By the way, here you can take a closer look at our route.

our route through Ireland

Our first destination was the B&B about 45 minutes from the airport. The trip went smoothly and after we had left the Dublin traffic behind us, my friend, who was the driver, relaxed visibly. By the time we finally arrived at Gardeners Cottage, he had already become quite friendly with left-hand traffic.

The Gardeners Cottage was even more beautiful than on the photos and radiated an unbelievable peace at first sight. Immediately we were greeted loudly and joyfully by four dogs, and then Austin, the landlord, came around the corner. And although we arrived two hours too early - some little mishap because I remembered the check-in time wrong - he was very busy showing us our room. Austin also did not miss the opportunity to immediately provide us with coffee, tea and some small delicacies that his wife Mary had baked. And he was not shy to tell us, that his wife was way more perfect in welcoming guest as he is.

Our Bedroom in the Cottage

After that, we made our way to the next bigger village called Kilcock, where we stocked up at the supermarket with enough water and some snacks for the following days. Afterward, we decided to have dinner in the village and quickly found what we were looking for. The Thomas O´Keeffe was still relatively empty because at least it was only 18 o'clock. The staff was amicable and helpful, and within a short time, we already had our delicious food in front of us.

Best Breakfast ever, served by Mary

Full and happy we finally returned to our B&B to take a walk through the lovely neighborhood. Afterward, we finally got to know Mary. We chatted with her for a while before we retired to our room. An absolute highlight should await us the next morning in the form of a delicious, opulent breakfast. Not only that everything from the scones to the Fritatta to the muesli was made by Mary herself, but it was also lovingly served in our room. So, we were almost a bit sad when we packed up our things and made our way to our next destination.

Monastery Kilmacduagh

Our way led us through the middle of Ireland to the west coast. We discovered the former monastery Kilmacduagh and made a detour to Blarney Castle. Actually, we also wanted to see the Cliffs of Moher. But the visitor parking lot there was already closed due to the crowds. But since we want to travel to Ireland again anyway to see the northern half of it, we will be able to admire them at some point for sure.

The lovely Atlantic Way B&B

Finally, we stopped for a snack at the Foynes Inn in Foynes. If you are ever in the vicinity, I can recommend the restaurant to you by the way warmly! My boyfriend had a great, tasty soup and I totally fell in love with the smoked salmon salad. From there we started looking for our next B&B, which we couldn't find so quickly, as the access road is visible from the main street but looks more like that to a private house.

Our Bedroom there

After a short phone call, the owner came to pick us up and then we had already reached the Atlantic Way B&B. This bed and breakfast was also a stroke of luck. The owners were friendly and eager, and the view from the lounge and breakfast room down to the Shannon river was merely fantastic. Sadly I just learned, that this B&B is now permanently closed. But if you want to experience the beauty of Tabert, I´m sure, you will find a fitting room somewhere there. We had dinner at The Swanky Bar. A typical Irish country bar with delicious food and great beer.

just one of many beautiful spots at the Ring of Kerry

After a rather early breakfast, we set off again the next day. The plan this time was to drive the entire coastline of the Ring of Kerry. The view was breathtaking. As we drove from north to south - unlike recommended in the travel guides - we had hardly any cars and no buses in front of us so we could enjoy the trip to the fullest. And those who fear that there might not be enough viewpoints in this direction can relax, as there are still enough places to stop the care and cease the view and often times the parking lots on the other side of the road are easily accessible too.

That's it for now. In a few days, you will find the second part here, where we explore the Copper Coast and finally take a closer look on Dublin.

If you want to go on holiday to Ireland yourself and have questions about something, just leave them in a comment, and I will try to answer them as fast and as detailed as possible.