Ireland and Northern Ireland (16 days)

Ireland is an amazing travel destination.

The nature is incredibly rich and diverse. One moment you have a view of lovely green slopes, while further on you can see a rugged rock formation rising from the ocean. The rich Irish culture, stunning places, and ancient monasteries, castles, manors, and ruins in the landscape will enchant you. Thanks to the generous hospitality of the Irish, you will quickly feel at ease here. You will stay in very good hotels, so you will not lack nothing. During this trip, you will discover all of Ireland in 16 days.

Are you from Ireland? Please inform us, because your trip doesn't include ferry crossings. We will arrange the price with you.

Please note: due to Brexit, a valid passport is required for travel to the United Kingdom.

If you are not from the UK or Ireland, this trip starts at the Euroshuttle in Calais. Here you take the shuttle to Folkstone. You will arrive in Folkstone in about 20 minutes, where you will start the first day's route to Crickowell. You have a choice between two routes, both of which are over 400km. You will drive on typical English roads through vast landscapes. The green tunnels in the woods are unique to this area. It's peaceful driving on the country roads, which are sometimes wide and sometimes so narrow that you really can talk about a single track. The route ends at the hotel in Wales.

The first day's route covers long distances. You can optionally book an overnight stay in Frensham. This will split the route in half, giving you more time to ride the routes. You can also choose to take the shuttle in Calais around noon. You can choose this option during the booking process.

Please take note: if you live in England or Ireland, the ferry crossing from Calais to Folkstone is not necessary, as if the ferry crossings when you are from Ireland. Therefore, the price will be slightly cheaper. Does this apply to you? Then please send an email to info@horizonmotorcycletravel.com or call: +31(0) 493 320 235. 

From the hotel, you will drive a beautiful route through Wales towards Fishguard. The route goes via the historic town of Abergavenny, where various border wars were fought. Here you will pass through the Brecon National Park which is home to the Black Mountains, a stunning area that is still widely undiscovered by tourism. You can enjoy riding through the impressive landscape and with fun winding roads. At the end of the route, you will drive through the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. In Fishguard, you will take the ferry that makes the 3.5-hour crossing to Ireland.

Once you arrive in Ireland, the route is only about 20km to the hotel. 

Today, you will ride the "Ring of Hook" to arrive in Kinsale. It is a loop along the coast with various sights along the route. Ireland has a long history which you will get to see a lot of. The Irish people attach great importance to this. They are a proud people with a rough edge. Their island is everything to them, and they love to share it with you. The route is full of beautiful views and various sights, such as Hook Head Lighthouse, Duncannon Fort, Mahon Falls, The Wreck of Samson, and Blarney Stone. All set against a stunning landscape and an impressive coastline.

You will start today by driving along the coast on the Wild Atlantic Way. This route is 2,500km long and follows the entire coastline on the left side of Ireland. Today's route includes both a short and a long route. The short route ends at the hotel, while the long route continues on an extra loop over the Ring of Beara.

Once again, today's drive offers a combination of enjoyable roads, stunning views, and various attractions to suit all tastes. If you take the short route, you will have extra time to visit the sights, such as Mizen Head, where you can walk over a bridge suspended between two rocks, a unique and beautiful place. The long route takes you to the Ring of Beara, an extra loop of about 140km that is highly recommended for those who enjoy extra kilometers through this beautiful landscape.

The hotel is located in Bantry, where you will stay for two nights, so you can drive the Ring of Kerry tomorrow.

The winding roads of this route with lots of twists and turns add another dimension to the journey. Once again, Ireland showcases its most beautiful and best side here. The impressive nature, with a combination of many trees and large lakes (lough in Irish), completes the picture. On this route, you drive via fun challenging roads to Killarney, where the Ring of Kerry begins. You'll drive past the large Lough Leane with Ross Castle on the edge of the lake to reach the Gap of Dunloe. A narrow mountain pass between mountain ranges and purple slate (Purple Mountain). The descent route takes you to Black Valley, where a river flows with black stones. The scenery constantly presents you with new views to enjoy, even when driving through Ballaghbeama Gap and Ballaghbeama Pass.

You will follow the Ring of Kerry for about 180km during the route. It is Ireland's most popular round trip, and once you have driven it, you will understand why.

Today's route takes you on a section of the Ring of Kerry before heading northward along the Wild Atlantic Way to Spanish Point. It's the last coastal route of this trip in Ireland. You'll leave the hotel and immediately head into the mountains on beautiful narrow roads, once again enjoying the ride on your motorbike. At Kenmare, you'll briefly return to the Ring of Kerry until you reach Killarney. From there, you'll continue along the coastal road to Slea Head, where you'll ride the Slea Head Drive. You'll also pass many prehistoric remains, such as Fort Dunberg (500 BC). You'll then continue on the Wild Atlantic Way via Connor Pass to Spanish Point. Before arriving in Spanish Point, you'll take a short ferry crossing of 20 minutes.

The route starts along the coastal road until you arrive at the Cliffs of Moher. It's just a few minutes' walk from the car park to reach the cliffs. These are the highest cliff coasts in Europe! Next, the route takes you on the Burren Coast Road. After a few kilometers, you can visit the Doolin Cave, which has the largest stalactite in the northern hemisphere. You also enter the Burren area, which is a vast area of limestone. It is said of this area: "no water enough to drown a man, no tree to hang him, no soil to bury." It's a unique area to drive through. Then you head towards Galway where you can enjoy a delicious lunch. After a lunch stop, you continue along the Atlantic Way along the coast. Today, you will also pass through the town of Westport on Clew Bay. This is one of the most beautiful towns in Ireland, where you will find the hotel for this day's route.

Today you have a rest day where you can explore the town of Westport. You can also choose to enjoy the pool, sauna or whirlpool if the weather is good. It is recommended to take a walk on Croagh Patrick. This is part of a pilgrimage route. Croagh Patrick is a mountain of 764 meters in the west of Ireland. Every last Sunday of July, a pilgrimage takes place here. It is also known as the holy mountain of Ireland. Near the hotel you will find Westport House, an 18th century residence that is definitely worth taking a picture of!

Today, you'll first drive a winding, wide road inland. After 30 km, you'll turn onto a narrower road along the coast with beautiful views. After a few kilometers, you'll arrive at Ballycroy National Park. Ballycroy National Park is an Irish national park that was established in 1998 in County Mayo. It consists of bogland, cliffs, mountains, and many river valleys. The route continues northward, and once you reach the coast, you'll see the Dún Briste Sea Stack in the water. This is a large block of rocks in the middle of the sea where fighting took place during World War II. You'll then wind your way to Sligo, the "Shell Place." The route will then take you on beautiful roads to Donegal, where you'll find the hotel for tonight.

After a delicious breakfast, you hop back on the motorcycle to begin the next day's route. The first few kilometers of today's journey take you past various lakes and mountains before making a large loop through the province of Donegal. After about 20km, you'll come across three round stone huts known as the Beehive Huts, which were inhabited until 1200. Then the route continues to the Slieve Leagh Cliffs along the coast, a beautiful spot for a photo opportunity. Next, you'll head to the Glengesh Pass, a stunning, peaceful route through the mountains. After many more remarkable kilometers, you'll arrive at Glenveagh National Park, which is well worth a visit and an enjoyable drive. Finally, you'll reach the coast again and drive the last stretch to Letterkenny.

Today, you'll head towards Northern Ireland. The first kilometers will take you to An Grianan Aileach, a 12th-century stone ringfort. From there, you'll cross directly into Northern Ireland and follow the coastline, where you'll be treated to beautiful views. Along the way, you'll come across a beautiful ruin and beaches that are just as famous as the numerous golf courses. You'll then follow the Causeway Coastal Route, passing by Dunluce Castle, a 14th-century castle perched on the edge of a large sea cliff. The route continues to the Giant's Causeway, which is a collection of 40,000 hexagonal pillars along the coast formed millions of years ago by volcanic activity. Afterward, you'll ride along the Antrim Glens Coast, a stunning coastal road perfect for cruising. The final stretch of the route will take you along a major road to the hotel near Belfast.

You'll start from Belfast on a big busy road today. But soon you'll take an exit to drive on beautiful roads. You'll drive through the North Irish villages along the coast. The coastlines here are less rugged and therefore flatter. You'll continue on the Mourne Coastal route and see the big mountains in the distance again. You'll leave the coast behind and drive into the Mourne Mountains and Still Valley. The Mourne Mountains are a granite mountain range in southeast Northern Ireland. You'll have the opportunity to visit Tollymore Forest Park here. This park has many panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the sea of Newcastle. Then the route continues to the big city: Dublin. The hotel is just outside the busy center. With the metro around the corner, you can easily get to the city center if you want to stay there in the evening.

On this day, you have a rest day. Because once you're in Dublin, you'll want to explore the city, of course! Dublin is the capital of Ireland and has countless attractions. You can easily get to the center of the city via the tram near the hotel. Here, you can take the hop-on hop-off bus to visit all the highlights of Dublin. You can visit Trinity College Library, the most beautiful library in the world, as well as St. Stephen's Green Park, Dublin Castle, the Irish Museum, Dublin Bay, and Kilmainham Gaol, which is highly recommended. This is a prison that was only closed in 1986. You can also visit the Guinness brewery. There's plenty to do in this beautiful city!

Today you will also wake up early to take the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead. You leave Ireland and set course for Wales. In Wales, you arrive at Snowdonia National Park. It is wonderful to ride through the hills of this beautiful national park. In Wales, you can once again enjoy the green, vast landscapes. You cross Wales from northwest to southeast. Today's hotel is located in the Brecon Beacons in Crickhowell. This is an area of Wales where you have also drove on the way to Ireland, and it's the same hotel as on that day.

After driving through a small part of Wales, you enter England again. You drive through the Brecon Beacons into the Forest of Dean district, heading towards the Cotswolds, one of the many natural areas on this trip. After the Cotswolds, you drive through a busier part of England, which you easily cross in a smooth manner. The hotel is a typical English hotel with the associated neat hospitality, as only in England can be found. During this last night, take a moment to reminisce and remember the beautiful trip you have taken. This is the same hotel that you can optionally reserve at the beginning of the trip.

The last day's route is a short one back to Folkestone where the journey began. Here, you will take the Eurotunnel Shuttle under the English Channel back to Calais. From Calais, you can find your own way back home at the end of the afternoon. If you are far from home when you arrive in Calais, you may choose to reserve an extra night's stay in Calais. We kindly request that you mention this in the comments section of the booking, and we will gladly provide you with the price.

But before you reach the tunnel, we have planned a beautiful route that will take you through the beautiful parts of southern England and past some lovely sights. You will pass by Birling Gap and Beachy Head, where you can stand at the edge of the famous English White Cliffs with just a few meters of walking. At Birling Gap, you can descend to the pebble beach from the car park via a steel staircase, and at Beachy Head, you can walk up the grassy terrain to the White Cliffs to see the lighthouse of the same name. After this, you will continue on to the Eurotunnel via the beautiful, classic English village of Rye.

If you are from the UK, you don't need the shuttle service. Are you from Ireland? You also don't need the ferry crossings. We will inform you about the discount.