WHY GO: The countryside. The weather will no doubt let you down, but don't let that stop you, the sun will come out eventually!
FOR HOW LONG: Dublin can be seen in two days, but for an intro into country side I'd go for at least four.
WHAT'S MY BUDGET: Average! Food was a tad more than expected, but by no means extortionate.
WHERE TO STAY: There's tonnes of hotels in Dublin which will suit you well, or go for an Air B&B in middle of nowhere!
GETTING AROUND: Drive. You want a motor around those country roads.
LANGUAGE: The truly great Irish accent. I was gutted to not come home with even a twang.
SO, MAKE SURE YOU:
HIKE!
With such beautiful countryside all around, my favourite part of exploring Ireland, was finding a viewpoint to see it all from.
Croagh Patrick, also known as, The Reek, or The Holy Mountain, is on the west coast of Ireland, near Westport. In fact it's only a 15 minute taxi journey from Westport train station (ask if you can go the route along Clew Bay.) . If you're interested in the holy significance of the mountain, have a read here; you're likely to walk past some people on a pilgrimage, hoping to reach St Patrick's chapel.
It's a steep climb, with a rocky terrain and crossing some shallow rivers, so allow about 4 hours to get up, down, and admire the view. Just make sure you've got the right footwear with you.
For something not so tiring, have a go up Bray Head. Bray is a cute seaside town south of Dublin. At the top of the Head, there's a stunning view over the Irish Sean and Wicklow Mountains, and a huge cross. It's been there since 1950 and signifies the holy year, when sins were forgiven; hundreds climb up every Good Friday in a procession.
There is a free car park at the bottom of the climb, so pack a small picnic, park your car in there, and start your half hour ascend. But be warned, although this one is much shorter, it's still a tricky terrain so I don't say I didn't warn you! (Buut, it's worth it.)
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