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Advice summer holiday Wales and Ireland

Multi1100

Multi1100

Messages
179
Location
Netherlands
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 150
Hi all,

we have plans to go on summer holiday with our T6 Cali from 8th to 30th of June 2022. The goal is to travel via Wales (or Scotland) to Ireland and explore the West Atlantic coast. Especially since my hobby is Photography and I have seen some pictures here (for instance by @4x4 joker ) were the lighting looks fantastic!
The thing is, we have been to Scotland some 4 years ago, and then booked the ferry from IJmuiden to New Castle. We had the idea to take that route again and ferry from Scotland to Ireland, but where the costs of the ferry IJmuiden-New Castle and vice versa were about 600 euro's some years ago, they more than doubled now! (almost 1300 euro for 2 persons and a Cali with bike rack).

So I looked for an alternative route and found that the Euro tunnel costs around 300 euro v.v.. Of course we have to get from the Netherlands to Calais first, but even with current fuel prices its a lot cheaper, and we just will take two days to get there. But after crossing we want to travel via Wales to Ireland and back.

We wonder (following this forum) if the members have some advice (and sure they will have) on for instance;
- routing
- campsites, both in Ireland and Wales during that time
- things we must see in Wales and Ireland
- best way to cross from Wales to Ireland
- tips that come to your mind (clothing, temp etc)

Thanks in advance and best regards
 
Hi all,

we have plans to go on summer holiday with our T6 Cali from 8th to 30th of June 2022. The goal is to travel via Wales (or Scotland) to Ireland and explore the West Atlantic coast. Especially since my hobby is Photography and I have seen some pictures here (for instance by @4x4 joker ) were the lighting looks fantastic!
The thing is, we have been to Scotland some 4 years ago, and then booked the ferry from IJmuiden to New Castle. We had the idea to take that route again and ferry from Scotland to Ireland, but where the costs of the ferry IJmuiden-New Castle and vice versa were about 600 euro's some years ago, they more than doubled now! (almost 1300 euro for 2 persons and a Cali with bike rack).

So I looked for an alternative route and found that the Euro tunnel costs around 300 euro v.v.. Of course we have to get from the Netherlands to Calais first, but even with current fuel prices its a lot cheaper, and we just will take two days to get there. But after crossing we want to travel via Wales to Ireland and back.

We wonder (following this forum) if the members have some advice (and sure they will have) on for instance;
- routing
- campsites, both in Ireland and Wales during that time
- things we must see in Wales and Ireland
- best way to cross from Wales to Ireland
- tips that come to your mind (clothing, temp etc)

Thanks in advance and best regards
If you search view from of my van section April 2019 loads of pics and bits on my trip on WAW not really any campsites mainly stealth parked.

Take some good water proofs especially for Wales!
Saying that I was in snowdonia last month weather was stunning!9005D33D-3799-40E1-B6A7-0D846C954904.jpeg5BE7A8E1-80D3-4776-80B6-2AB46F87F27D.jpeg
 
One tip to cut down ferry costs - take a look at joining either the Caravan and Motorhome Club, or Camping and Caravan Club. You will save more than the membership fees, and while travelling through England/ Wales/ Scotland you can save when staying at the relevant campsites (some also in Northern Ireland). When I looked at Holyhead to Dublin route, the Caravan and Motorhome Club costs were roughly 100 Euros cheaper. We’ve also booked a crossing to France and saved 60 Euros.
 
Hello Multi1100,

With information about ferry crossings I am out of sync. Since Brexit we prefer to use the direct ferry from Ireland to France (Rosslare - Cherbourg).

It is difficult to predict how busy the tourist areas are this summer season, but in general I try to stay more up in the north. Donegal is beautiful (ok, everybody has their own taste), but it is even in high season quieter than in the south. That doesn't mean Kerry is not nice, just the opposite, but it can get very busy (especially camp sites).

I am interested how the cost of diesel will impact travels with the camper. We already changed our plans. We planned to go to Scandinavia, but the cost of diesel is too high. Instead we go to France, Andorra and northern Spain. According to my plans and calculations we save hundreds on Euros just for diesel.

Have a lovely trip and enjoy Wales and Ireland.

Regards,
Eberhard
 
I am interested how the cost of diesel will impact travels with the camper
Probably deserves a thread to itself.
Planning on going up to N.Wales and Cumbria this summer, more than 2000 miles round trip I guess - but that kind of trip won't be a yearly thing now. And it's daft when there are perfectly good sites on the north coast of Spain, Pyrenees and SW France all within 2.5 hours.
 
If you plan to route through South Wales to Ireland via Fishguard you definitely need to consider the Gower and Pembrokeshire, one of the best sites on the Gower is 3 Cliffs Bay, the facilities are excellent with pitches reserved only for VW campers with amazing views. https://threecliffsbay.com/vw-campers
Further on in Pembrokeshire there is a couple of great sites in amazing locations near Bosherton, from her you enjoy Barafundle Bay and Freshwater East beaches. https://www.bosherston.co.uk/
Trafalen Farm and Buckspool Farm both almost on the beach.
Will be able to give some feed back on Ireland and WAW next week
 
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