The Wild Atlantic Way

campingcarist

T650 wrote: »

In Germany for work this week. Saw an ad for The Wild Atlantic Way on tv last night. Note the camper van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ts4WBn9z0

Quote from another thread.

I took my camper on a part of the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal, last year. What a drive! much of it was single file, it was so narrow; no passing places. Bumps that had everything that was not tied down, jumping from their place. And this was at 20 km per hour. It must have been thought out by someone in an office looking at a map and did not know what the roads were like.

Although, maybe a good idea, it was poorly thought out certainly for people with motorized vehicles. Signposting left a lot to be desired as well.

campingcarist

campingcarist wrote: »

Signposting left a lot to be desired as well.

€2 755 000.00 that cost.
Irish tourism...:pac: "Hey look, it's a wet rock on top of another wet rock"

Irishgoatman

I've done the stretch from Galway to Westport and found it very pleasant and no hassle at all.

People must bear in mind that it's called the WILD Atlantic way:).

*Kol*

Some of the burren is tight enough in a larger camper. Enjoyable nonetheless. Sligo and Donegal areas well worth a visit.

Down Kerryways I had a SUV barge it's way up to me on a narrow road obliviously past his last pull in area despite the fact I was already against him with nowhere to go.
I wound down the window and he apologised that his vehicle was too big not mentioning that the space between his ears was a greater expanse.

I did well not to say a word to him and just folded my mirror. Usually people are a bit more reluctant to steam into a 20yo machine made of good aulde proper metal and towbar. Not much I can't fix with a spray can. What's a crumple zone?

I gave him an inch on the margin and kept 4 on the ditch. While he sat like a numpty.

piuswal

I did sections of the Wild Atlantic Way early last summer from Ballina across North Mayo and down to Blackrod, where there was plenty of space for parking overnight. We didn't stay but reared to Belmullet and onto Erris Head. Parked there at the very recently surfaced turn about at the end of the road. Nice, well signposted, walks from there. Drove on some very narrow ways around Broadhaven Bay, well signposted and with passing points being added.

Courtesy on such roads will probably take a while to be learned, especially by ourselves.

We continued on down through Mayo into Westport and onto Galway and into Clarence, camping overnight in the car park at Loop Head in the shadow of a Germany Monster. Have a photo somewhere. Took the Kilimer to Tarbert ferry and onto Banna and the the Ring before finishing in Skibbereen and then heading home.

It's work in progress but has great potential.

I raised the question of parking facilities for MHs with Failte Ireland. Initially they seemed to think I wanted to build a facility somewhere on the route but when they finally understood my query they referred me to the relevant Local Authorities, and so onto Galway, Dungarvan, Cobh etc.

Given Failte Ireland overarching role (as they say) in the development and given the MH being featured in the German add maybe another approach to them might be of benefit ( Galway Motorhome thread).

niloc1951

piuswal wrote: »

...................................................Given Failte Ireland overarching role (as they say) in the development and given the MH being featured in the German add maybe another approach to them might be of benefit ( Galway Motorhome thread).

I understand that a number of very recent attempts to raise the issue with the Head of Operations Fáilte Ireland West & Mid West where the overarching responsibility for The WAW rests have unfortunately received no response

Here's a link to The Brochure
http://www.failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/5_Training_Workshops/The-Wild-Atlantic-Way-A-New-Adventure-Fiona-Monaghan.pdf
It might boast 1,939 Accommodation Premises but it seems to have zero Motorhome Parking Places (Aires)

mickdw

piuswal wrote: »

I did sections of the Wild Atlantic Way early last summer from Ballina across North Mayo and down to Blackrod, where there was plenty of space for parking overnight. We didn't stay but reared to Belmullet and onto Erris Head. Parked there at the very recently surfaced turn about at the end of the road. Nice, well signposted, walks from there. Drove on some very narrow ways around Broadhaven Bay, well signposted and with passing points being added.

Courtesy on such roads will probably take a while to be learned, especially by ourselves.

We continued on down through Mayo into Westport and onto Galway and into Clarence, camping overnight in the car park at Loop Head in the shadow of a Germany Monster. Have a photo somewhere. Took the Kilimer to Tarbert ferry and onto Banna and the the Ring before finishing in Skibbereen and then heading home.

It's work in progress but has great potential.

I raised the question of parking facilities for MHs with Failte Ireland. Initially they seemed to think I wanted to build a facility somewhere on the route but when they finally understood my query they referred me to the relevant Local Authorities, and so onto Galway, Dungarvan, Cobh etc.

Given Failte Ireland overarching role (as they say) in the development and given the MH being featured in the German add maybe another approach to them might be of benefit ( Galway Motorhome thread).

What would are the dream facilites you would like to see if driving into a camper parking facility? Also this might be a stupid question but do you need to actually park at a serviced location or would a drop in service location be equally useful - a simple site where you could top up water tanks, empty toilet, dump rubbish etc and then head away to explore and park in scenic locations

moodrater

mickdw wrote: »

What would are the dream facilites you would like to see if driving into a camper parking facility? Also this might be a stupid question but do you need to actually park at a serviced location or would a drop in service location be equally useful - a simple site where you could top up water tanks, empty toilet, dump rubbish etc and then head away to explore and park in scenic locations

I'd be happy with the latter and I would be happy to pay for it too as it would have to be a secure / paid facility so the 0.01% didn't feck it up for the rest of us.

Yeah I'm pro latter too.

Usually all I want is a space preferably with line of sight to the day long sun and no gobsh1tes.

niloc1951

mickdw wrote: »

What would are the dream facilites you would like to see if driving into a camper parking facility? Also this might be a stupid question but do you need to actually park at a serviced location or would a drop in service location be equally useful - a simple site where you could top up water tanks, empty toilet, dump rubbish etc and then head away to explore and park in scenic locations

Take The Romantic Road in Germany as an example.

The route is Germany's best known and most popular holiday route and stretches from Wurzburg at its northern end to Fussen at its south end.
The route is 355 kms long and about 20 motorhome parking places Stellplatz Click Here For Examples are provided along the route.
Prices range from Free to about €12 for parking and usually €1 to €3/€4 for water and services.

niloc1951

niloc1951 wrote: »

Click Here For Examples

This is my favourite.

db

campingcarist wrote: »

Quote from another thread.

I took my camper on a part of the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal, last year. What a drive! much of it was single file, it was so narrow; no passing places. Bumps that had everything that was not tied down, jumping from their place. And this was at 20 km per hour. It must have been thought out by someone in an office looking at a map and did not know what the roads were like.

Although, maybe a good idea, it was poorly thought out certainly for people with motorized vehicles. Signposting left a lot to be desired as well.

Whatever else you might criticise about the WAW, signposting is not one of them. Any sections I have driven in Clare and Kerry have had WAW signs every couple of km and direction signposts at every turn.

campingcarist

db wrote: »

Whatever else you might criticise about the WAW, signposting is not one of them. Any sections I have driven in Clare and Kerry have had WAW signs every couple of km and direction signposts at every turn.

Part of the WAW sign posting is that I came to a junction with signs point in two directions. Now I was already on the route plus another two signs. Which way to go? Sometime the signs were marked N or S but not always so.

Irishgoatman

campingcarist wrote: »

Part of the WAW sign posting is that I came to a junction with signs point in two directions. Now I was already on the route plus another two signs. Which way to go? Sometime the signs were marked N or S but not always so.

Certainly no such problems on the Galway to Westport section.

Intending to try the Clare/Kerry part this summer (assuming we have one of course:)).

mickdw

All around Belmullet / Erris area, pretty much every junction you arrive at will have WAW signs pointing left and right & little other info.

niloc1951

Liveline today 00:55:25 into the show

piuswal

niloc1951 wrote: »

Liveline today 00:55:25 into the show

Just heard it while here in Mellieha Bay in Malta. Unfortunately in a hotel but only about 100 mtrs from a massive UK motor home and a caravan parked up in a designated space for MHs right by the beach. It doesn't look much but there's plenty of level space Will have a look around in the next few days.

piuswal

niloc1951 wrote: »

Liveline today 00:55:25 into the show

Just heard it while here in Mellieha Bay in Malta. Unfortunately in a hotel but only about 100 mtrs from a massive UK motor home and a caravan parked up in a designated space for MHs right by the beach. It doesn't look much but there's plenty of level space Will have a look around in the next few days.

campingcarist

mickdw wrote: »

All around Belmullet / Erris area, pretty much every junction you arrive at will have WAW signs pointing left and right & little other info.

Yes, you can come to a T junction and you get a WAW sign pointing in the two other directions - which way do you go? Admittedly, some on the signs are marked South or North. However, you could be going Northwards and come to two North signs at the same junction - again, which way to go?

Benbecul97

niloc1951 wrote: »

Liveline today 00:55:25 into the show

Fair play to him for highlighting - spoke very well.