Camping

scorphonic

Hello everyone,

Following on from a topic recently added to the forum I would like to ask those of you who have something useful to contribute towards camping in ireland for some help. I am planning a camping holiday for myself and three friends and would like to gain some personal experience from those of you who have travelled around Ireland in a tent. I am planning on going up to the wicklow mountains and spending some time in complete isolation also but as it is not clear if camping in Ireland is illegal in the mountains unless its on a registered camping site...can someone clarify this for me?

Also, I'd like to know of the best places in all three provinces of the republic to visit going on your own experiences again!

I have alot of experience when it comes to camping itself and my friends are veterens when it comes to camping too so it is already obviously clear about cleaning up afterwards and leaving nature as we found it!!

Evil Phil

<pendantic>
There's four provinces in the Republic
</pedantic>

BeardyGit

There are lots of great camping locations in Wicklow that I know....I'll PM you later with a list.

Phil, I'll put together something for the FAQ on camping in Dublin/Wicklow if you'd like?

Evil Phil

Cool, go for it.

scorphonic

Haha, thanks for that Phil, two of my friends are here on a student visa so they aren't allowed to go to the north since its another "country" unfortunately. I'm sure it doesn't matter all that much but the last thing they would want happening is to get asked for their visa when up there and get in trouble!!

I definately want to spend most of it near the cost, great place to fly a kite!! and to go for major long walks!!

I have just one question. It seems that they charge for the tent that you are to use and then they charge per person after that in all the camping grounds...is this accurite? Will we be looking at having to spend 30 euro per night for the four of us in a camp site?

And I'll look forward to your PM Gil_Dub, thank you!

Hypnotoad

*Sorry to hijack the thread*

Me and two friends were planning on camping near Blessington lake(the reason for this is it's not too far from a relatives house in case of any problems.)and I was wondering if it's possible to just go into the trees,find a clearing and set up there for the night?
The other two sorta insist on wild camping but I wasn't sure about any problems with doing this so I thought I'd ask first.

Evil Phil

I dunno hypnotoad, are you planning on lighting a fire?

Hypnotoad

Nope,we've got some battery lantern esque thing(not really a torch.)to bring.

Evil Phil

Well I suppose it would be okay then. I think the problems with people rough camping mainly come from fires and lager louts.

testicle

scorphonic wrote:

Haha, thanks for that Phil, two of my friends are here on a student visa so they aren't allowed to go to the north since its another "country" unfortunately. I'm sure it doesn't matter all that much but the last thing they would want happening is to get asked for their visa when up there and get in trouble!!

There's more to Ulster than Northern Ireland. Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan to be precise. :cool:

Benster

Cost depends on the campsite, I think. I was in Mayo a couple of weeks ago and 2 sites charged < €15 a night (2 people, 1 tent) but one charged almost €30. Mind you, they had free stay-as-long-as-you-like showers too.

As for having your friends not go up North, why not? There's no checkpoints on the border, and unless they actually get in trouble with the cops (what kind of friends are they anyway, in that case?) nobody will care if they are on visas or not and you'll all be ok.

You might want to check out the regs for wild camping up North as I know down here there are basic regs for camping in public lands (Wicklow mtns etc) - no fires, proper places for latrines etc. I'm not sure if the Forestry Service has anything like that up North.

scorphonic

Thank you for the replies!! I'm sure there would be no major problems in going up north in that case!!

I refuse to go back to Donegal...rained everyday for 2 weeks when I went last and I haven't been back in 10 years, I've no real interest in going back...its a shame since the views are amazing up there!!

Some wild camping will be done, my friends are all highly educated and far from being messers ...and all have a long standing history of camping in their own country since their 8th month of existance!! They are proficient with the land so to speak and when they go camping in their country they dont bring food since they live off wild mushrooms and whatever the forest provides them. Haha, that doesn't mean I'm going to be leaving the food at home...I dont trust that irish woodlands to provide for 4 hungry students!!

melekalikimaka

you can camp anywhere i though as long as it wasnt on the wicklow way? tho this is coming from a scout, think they bend rules for us

albertw

fwiw heres the Wicklow mountains national park page on wilderness camping policy page http://www.wicklownationalpark.ie/pages/wildcamping.php

Also the Coillte recreation policy outlines their camping and fire policy http://www.coillte.ie/about_coillte/publications/other_publications/other_publications/recreation_policy_healthy_forest_healthy_nation_2005/