Hi,
I’m Irish & love beautiful Ireland so much I bought a Cali Ocean especially so I could explore every inch of it. I’ve not got any plans to travel abroad in the Cali anytime soon but definitely wouldn’t rule it out, I feel that I’ve plenty to see & do here.
I can give you 3 pieces of advice regarding visiting Ireland, do it, do it & do it.
There are some fabulous & very complimentary posts here about traveling around Ireland, including the WAW, but you really need to come here & experience it for yourselves. We’re quite spoiled here with our wonderful, beautiful country you know.
You won’t be disappointed.
Regarding where & timing for the WAW, it’s a very long & diverse route and so it’s very difficult to say or recommend. Padraic here has given great tips & information that is definitely very useful & you should use it. There’s heaps of info on the web & regarding camp sites in particular, check these sites out:
http://www.camping-ireland.ie/glamping-ireland
http://www.totalcampingireland.ie/
https://m.pitchup.com/campsites/Republic-of-Ireland/
http://outsider.ie/ireland/wild-camping-ireland/
Campsites are plentiful & generally good & well run.
Irish people are very casual, that’s not to say we’re flippant or laidback but we do know how to enjoy ourselves & get the very best out of life. After all, life is for living & enjoying. However, we are very serious when it comes to accommodating guests & ensuring that visitors are well looked after & happy here.
There are tourist traps just like everywhere in the world so you are welcome to get stuck into these attractions or avoid them if you wish to do so. We are very good at tourist traps but we’re also excellent at the more off-the-beaten-track, less formal hospitality. This where the Cali is perfectly suited, you can go & see everything at your own pace & desires.
Don’t let what you hear about the smaller roads & the driving put you off, it’s not as bad as you may sometimes hear & they’re really quite quaint for the most part. You suit your attention & your speed to the road at the time.
I’ve spent a lot of time touring /camping around Ireland & I’m lucky that my job takes me driving all over the 32 counties all of the time. I try my best to fit in my work schedule with my Cali schedule around weekends & this helps me get around even more. Of course I love the West & spend a great deal of time camping there, both inland & coastal, there’s so much to see & do. I spent 1 week in Co. Clare, at the start of last July with my 9 year old son. Starting at Loop Head and finishing at Kinvara (Co. Galway) with 3 stopovers in total, we hadn’t planned any of the activities or campsites and it all worked out grand. He loved it as much as I did.
Most campsites will take you without a booking & you’d be lucky to be turned away because of full bookings, however this could be possible in high season. Last summer we had no problems in this regard. A lot of sites actually don’t take bookings. Booking a day ahead or checking in advance may be a good idea, to avoid that possibility. And if the worst does happen, you can always pitch-up without a campsite.
Ireland wouldn’t be considered a cheap place to holiday (or live) but it’s quite reasonable if you’re careful. “It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money!”
The weather isn’t great here, it rains a lot. “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothes!” Bring lots of shorts, T-Shirts & rain gear.
You’ve heard it before that the people are amazing & the scenery is stunning. It’s all absolutely true.
The craic is out of this world & you will always feel that you’re with friends. Although it has to be said, when holidaying in Ireland it sometimes feels like there are more foreign visitors than Irish people which adds to the whole expierence in a very positive & wonderful way.
I’d be reluctant to advise or steer you towards any particular places or campsites as there are so many to choose from. Sorry but the choice is huge. More than likely you’ll have seen or heard of certain places & are curious. Let your curiosity get the better of you.
“Here's to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint & another one!”