Camping – The Travelling Ginger

We both really wanted to visit Galway, but the long drive from Doolin, and then the long drive to Rosses Point, meant we had only a few hours to explore. Unfortunately, due to how busy Galway was, we spent a lot of time trying to find somewhere to park. However, we did manage to find a parking space at the tightest car park at Spanish Arch. I was desperate for a wee, and decided to relieve myself in the museum toilets. I never understand why women don’t lock the door, and then have a massive strop at you for opening the door on them when they are mid flow. To make things worse, she was also bent forward, so not only did I disturb her, I also gave her concussion. After getting away from the angry toilet lady, we got straight into the hustle and bustle of the Latin Quarter. Picture vibrant, colourful buildings, cobbled streets, buskers, boutique shops and quirky bars. If we had time, I would have loved to just sit here all day and people watch.

I had a job of deciding how to spend just a few hours here because there is so much to do. But not being able to see everything gives us a good reason to come back. Mark was obviously thrilled when I suggested that we explore the cathedral. Originally the grounds of the old city jail, it’s now a striking part of the city’s skyline and is the newest of Europe’s great stone cathedrals. It’s modern yet charming inside and is definitely worth
a visit to see the stained glass and mosaics. Feeling peckish after our visit, we stumbled upon a deli that sold the most delicious sandwiches. We decided to sit in their restaurant upstairs to enjoy our meal, but unfortunately, a few rouge wasps were buzzing around which made the experience less enjoyable for Mark. We were eager to have a drink in one of the traditional pubs, and after listening to some street buskers, we found the pub recommended by Nicola Coughlan (Penelope in Bridgerton). It was bustling with a cool vibe, featuring lots of quirky artwork, and both locals and tourists were enjoying the drinks the pub had to offer.

After leaving Galway, we headed to Rosses Point, where we would be staying for the next two nights. The campsite was much larger than the one we had just left, and since we booked late, we ended up with a pitch that had no shelter from the wind. Fortunately, it was a beautiful evening, and we erected the tent quickly. This left us with plenty of time to take a leisurely stroll to the beach with a drink and watch the sunset, as well as observe some brave souls taking a swim at Deadman’s Point (the name alone was enough to keep us on the shore!). Just as we were preparing for bed, I received an alert on my phone informing me that the Aurora was going to be visible that night. I’ve been fortunate enough to see it a few times before, but I figured one more time wouldn’t hurt. So, we grabbed the camera and tripod and made our way through the grass to find a good spot to set up. It turned out that others had also received the same alert, and we all waited with anticipation for something to happen. Unfortunately, hunting for the Aurora doesn’t always lead to success, but the sky was filled with stars, and it was still a lovely evening, with the sound of waves in the distance. We got into bed and I was peacefully sleeping, enjoying the rare calm night with hardly any wind or rain. Just when everything seemed perfect, at 4am I was rudely awakened by the sensation of sinking onto the cold, hard ground. Turns out, our airbed had completely deflated! Ah, the joys of camping!

We had a busy day ahead of us, and thanks to the dry, sunny morning, we were able to have breakfast outside. One of the highly recommended things to do when staying in Sligo is to drive the Gleniff Horseshoe loop, which offers spectacular views of the Dartry Mountains. Ireland is full of hidden treasures, and this is definitely one of them. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was raining.. Obviously.. But this added to the dramatic landscape, and the fast racing clouds created an atmospheric setting. We then headed to Mullaghmore beach to take a coastal walk. We always strive to support local businesses, especially when it comes to coffee, and we found a charming coffee van selling the most delicious cakes. A big shout out to Ahoy. The rain had passed, and we were able to explore the rugged coastline, and the great visibility meant we could see Donegal Bay and Benbulben standing tall. You can also see Classiebawn Castle, which is another dominant landmark, and looks like something straight out of Disney! The final stop for the day was to get a closer view of Benbulben and the forest walk that surrounds it. After coming face to face with some sheep who didn’t look too impressed that we were on their path, we were able to admire the mountain in all its rugged glory. Speaking of sheep, there are so many of them perched at the very top on what looks like a vertical surface. Again, thanks to the great visibility, we were able to have stunning views of Classiebawn Castle and Slieve League across Donegal Bay. The trail continues through the forest and back to the car park, and it was a lovely walk to finish off the day.

The great weather we enjoyed earlier took a turn for the worse when we returned to our tent. The classic Irish weather was back in full force – howling wind and lashing rain. We had two choices – Sit in the tent and not relax whilst the wind battered it, or head to the pub and forget about it. We took the 2nd option, and walked to Harry’s Bar. There, we had a blast listening to a traditional music session and Mark indulged in plenty of pints of Guinness. The bar was filled with all sorts of fascinating nautical artifacts, from a piece of the Cutty Sark’s rope to a hammerhead shark skull. It even housed several fish tanks scattered throughout the place. Walking back in the rain, we wondered if our tent had been blown off into the Atlantic, but thankfully, it was still standing! Mark had an lovely time cleaning his teeth while the other blokes at the campsite were dealing with the aftermath of their Guinness intake.

We woke up to more rain, so dismantling the tent and packing everything away was a massive challenge. The tent had also had enough and was now dripping into the ‘living’ area. Of course, as soon as we had everything packed in the car (which took ages), the rain stopped. Camping has certainly been an experience, but we were excited because we knew we would be getting a warm, comfortable bed and a shower that lasted longer than 5 minutes at an Airbnb that evening. We left Rosses Point and headed over to Lovely Leitrim, where we would stay for the next 4 nights.

After receiving recommendations from our Irish experts Becky and Sheena, we packed up our car with all our camping gear and embarked on our trip to Ireland. We are very new to camping, so a massive shout out to Rachel and Sallyanne for lending us the gear, and to my Mum for coming on the many trips to B&M and Home Bargains to help us find affordable utensils (thank god for ‘starting uni’ prices). To avoid an early start and a long drive, we stayed at a Travelodge in Holyhead the night before sailing. After a good night’s rest, we began our day with a McDonald’s breakfast before boarding the Irish Ferry. Surprisingly, we had booked the fast ferry, so we reached Dublin in just over 2 hours. From there, we drove to Doolin, one of Co. Clare’s most popular villages, where we stayed for the next 2 nights. After navigating through the busiest service station we’d ever been to, some incredibly narrow roads, a man with a big beard telling us to fuck off, and what felt like a thousand tolls, we finally arrived at the campsite.

It turns out trying to get a tent up in the wind is incredibly difficult! And as soon as we had it erected, the heavens opened, and so came the next challenge of trying to get everything from the car into the tent. Thank god for the cheap full length waterproof from Shein! It was Mark’s turn to be chef tonight, and I was treated to the driest carbonara I have ever had (unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of this glorious feast) whilst watching the Olympic closing ceremony. After a quick drink at the local pub, we settled into the tent for our first night of sleep.. and what a noisy night it was! The weather was wild, with wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. At 3am I found myself on booking.com and Airbnb trying to find any sort of alternative accommodation for the following night. We were concerned we would wake up with a floppy tent on top of us, but to our surprise, it held up well, and we woke up dry and surprisingly warm.

We had breakfast outside, and I provided Mark with an equally questionable meal of fried egg sarnie (tried to flip it.. cheap spatula = botched yolk). The weather looked promising, so we decided to visit the Cliffs of Moher. The website recommends booking for people monitoring purposes, but judging by the crowded car park, it seems they want as much money as possible! Finding a parking spot was a nightmare, with cars abandoned everywhere because there was literally nowhere to park. Thankfully, we managed to squeeze in behind a campervan and joined the crowds over at the cliffs.

The visitors centre was rammed, and so was the start of the cliff walk. The path is quite narrow (with plenty of people who don’t say thank you for letting them past – this absolutely boils my piss!) however, the crowds soon thinned out and we were able to fully appreciate the beauty of the cliffs.

Here’s some trivia about the cliffs – they reach up to 214 meters in height at their highest point and stretch on for 5 miles. They have been featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Leap Year, and that terrible film Irish Wish. It is also a hot spot for flora and fauna, with as many as 20 different species of birds. We enjoyed the rugged and dramatic landscape and the jaw-dropping cliffs. We are glad we visited. However, it is far too busy, with the giant visitors complex, and the continuous 4.5-foot flagstone slabs set 15 feet from the cliff edge to stop silly people from getting too close somewhat ruins the experience. It’s ironic – a tourist complaining about tourists – but it’s true. A place that was once just like any other coastal walk is now being commercialized to the extent that its magic is being stripped away.

As the weather was still glorious, we decided to go to the beach. Lahinch’s crescent-shaped sandy beach attracts people from around the world due to its watersports and surf centre. Since neither of us can surf, we opted for a pizza and sat on the rocks to watch the pros in action. Then we continued along the coast to Spanish Point and grabbed some drinks while listening to a local musician playing the guitar. As the adults weren’t giving him much attention, he asked a group of children what they would like to hear instead.. so we were treated to the wheels on the bus! After refreshing ourselves, we went for a walk to watch the waves crashing along the cliffs. We ended the day with a BBQ, and just as the meat was ready, it started to rain! Fortunately, it was only a brief shower, so we were still able to enjoy the famous Irish beef.

It was another windy night (not just from Mark!), and we knew it must have been bad for the campsite owner to walk past the tent and say, “You survived!” Now came the task of packing away the tent and making everything fit back in the car. Luckily, it wasn’t as long and painful as we thought, so we treated ourselves to a quick look around Doolin and a coffee before the long drive to Galway.

Tag: Camping

The road to Sligo 🇮🇪

The road to Doolin 🇮🇪