Ireland 2016

[AndyCook]

Headed over to Northern Ireland a couple weeks ago with the Hilux for a week long trip.
Took the Tentipi and wood burning stove, the mrs, Jet the lab, and fishing and hiking kit.

Spent a couple days in Antrim - visiting the Giants Causeway and old castles and beaches and pubs. Campsite had a trout fishery so i did some fly fishing.

Then we headed to Donegal, first night there were very strong winds so we stayed in a tiny but excellent campsite, with pub of Clannad and Enya fame in walking distance.
we did some walking and seafood lunch at pub.

Then headed south to County Mayo and spent 3 days on the beautifull Achill Island. There was lots to see and explore. Did plenty of fishing and walking. Nice campsite with Guiness a short walk away

Captions to be added to photos later

Antrim campsite near Ballycastle - with trout fishing

view from hill at Campsite to Rathlin Island

Giants Causeway

columnar jointed basalts and too many people with selfisticks

Jet and columnar basalt

great beach for a walk near Giants Causeway

burn emerges from base of the chalk cliffs

Kinbane Castle nr Ballycastle in NI



And onto Donegal for a couple of days




we were picking brambles, Jet got bored of waiting for throwaways so started picking her own


Achill Island - great weather for first day




caught 7 similar brown trout on fly in a hill loch, all too small to keep

cooking and heating


finally caught fish with my new beach caster rod

 

[AndyCook]

and a few more photos

beach view from dune by campsite - Ravelles campsite

sun behind Seivemore

view other way not so good!

lovely sunset over Seivemore on Achill island

burial chamber

seivemore abandoned village after potato fammine

doune castle in Sirling on way home - "castle leoch" in Outlander and also used in Monty Python

 

[Chris]

Is there only me who keeps thinking just how does he do this? Mate, I wanna be you. Seriously. Another fantastic trip fella.

 

[Ben]

Amazing trip Andy.

 

[AndyCook]

Is there only me who keeps thinking just how does he do this? Mate, I wanna be you. Seriously. Another fantastic trip fella.

Hahha thanks Chris
By being a tight Yorkshireman living in Scotland !

And having no kids helps, and working a 9-day fortnight, so getting 2x 3-day weekend each month

Only ate out once on trip, a pub lunch, so keep costs down - did have a few pints in pubs, the beers in fridge needed more chilling
Had 35 nights camping this year, so the savings compared with staying in a hotel for that many nights have paid for the tentipi and stove

Didn't use the foxwing at all this trip, found it cosier cooking On the woodburner in the tipi, takes a bit more planning and controlling temperature is harder. One night I put too much coal in and was sat in shorts with temperature at 40degC in the tent

 

[Gary820]

Another great trip and pics.

I usually think about the pics after driving off lol

 

[Ian Chuter]

Is there only me who keeps thinking just how does he do this? Mate, I wanna be you. Seriously. Another fantastic trip fella.

No, not just you Chris.
Yet another trip report to let me know what I'm missing out there.
Thanks for taking the time again to put it on here.

 

[Sag]

Is it a rocket heater you use Andy? My mate made one for his house a got to say it's amazing how much heat it gives off.

 

[Shayne]

Is there only me who keeps thinking just how does he do this? Mate, I wanna be you. Seriously. Another fantastic trip fella.

I always assumed he was on a gov funded fact finding mission to discover where them Scots actually came from

I always enjoy your trip reports Andy they serve as a reminder that we don't have to go far to find the outdoors

 

[Towpack]

A beautiful part of the world that. Been there many times on the bike, mainly for the NW200 but done some touring round Antrim and Donegal. Always fancied (still do) a fishing trip over there with the LC and some camping gear. On the bike I usually stay in a farmhouse B&B on the outskirts of Coleraine, 2 min drive from the tidal sluice gates on the river Bann.

 

[AndyCook]

Is it a rocket heater you use Andy? My mate made one for his house a got to say it's amazing how much heat it gives off.

No, it's a tentipi brand stove, burns wood and coal. I have just got a damper to fit in chimney pipe to help the heat stay longer during the night.

 

[AndyCook]

Thanks for feedback guys.
I have also been realising I don't always need to go on tracks, lanes and trails to enjoy a trip with the Hilux.

I am keen to explore more of Ireland west coast, south of Mayo, e.g. Conemara and the far SW.
It does take a while to get round on the roads, but same as west coast of Scotland I guess.
The places we're much more remote and like Scotland, which I didn't realise and people generally very friendly and helpful.

 

[Chris]

Maybe we all need to do a few more small team trips. We don't always have to get there via a ferry. There are some quite nice bits of the UK we could visit and have a beer.

 

[Ian Chuter]

Sounds like the beginning of a cunning plan Chris

 

[Bob]

Looks great Andy,

I wholeheartedly recommend Galway, Clare and Kerry for further exploration. Some parts of the west are quite remote and not very populated at all. Just the way I like it!

 

[clivehorridge]

Fabulous trip as usual Andy, you guys look so relaxed and everything in its place!

Thanks for taking the trouble to post this, and lovely photos as always...

 

[GeorgeG]

Thanks Andy!

 

[thelal]

Nice pics. The tent + stove reminds me of camping in USA.
Mackerel look great - havn't been able to get out this year myself.
I'm not far from Galway in you're over again or anyone else

 

[GeekOKent]

Looks like a great trip. We plan on getting to the atlantic coast next year late summer sometime, really looking forward to that.

 

[wobbly]

I am hoping to drive and camp along the Wild Atlantic Way next year, I had an awesome trip about 1991 and have always wanted to go back.

Andy - have you seen the little stove-top propellers you can get for woodburners - they distribute heat very well.

I agree about roadtrips as well as offroading, the Vercors was brilliant but not off road.