getting to the Blasket islands in winter, ....are ferries running?

Tedious Bore · 06-11-2010 09:16PM #1

visiting dingle for new years and was hoping to go see the blaskets.
emailed one ferry company who aren't working late december.

can anyone here tell me if late december just isn't a runner coz weather's so stormy? ....or if not, how can I get there?

thanks

byhookorbycrook · 06-11-2010 09:22PM

Most unlikely any ferry would run, the islands are no place for tourists in winter-much less the ferry across, on one of the wildest stretches of water in the country.

Tedious Bore · 06-11-2010 09:49PM

ok, cheers for clearing that up.

don't suppose you might have any suggestions for alternative outdoorsy activities?

was thinking of climbing Mt Brandon, and then maybe kayaking if that's an option.

lottpaul · 06-11-2010 11:38PM

I wouldn't make any plans for climbing Brandon - the days are very short and the mountain will either be wet and slippery or very cold and frozen - and possibly both at different elevations. You might be lucky but I'd check with locals nearer the time. Best way at that time of the year is up from the Dingle/Baile Breac side not from Cloghane.
Too many people end up being airlifted off or being rescued by the CD cliff and mountain rescue.
Kayaking/surfing etc with a reputable group would be a better bet.
There's always the Kerry/Dingle Way, which would give a good walk, safer, more on the level, but pretty mucky too - unless we get a winter like last year and they're all frozen.

Maybe a few hot whiskies in Flaherty's/John Benny's/Droichead Beag etc might be more in order.

Tedious Bore · 07-11-2010 12:01AM

cheers

still pretty set on doing mt brandon tho, so just have to hope the weather's not too bad come the time.

siblers · 07-11-2010 12:16AM

There's a climbing centre in Dingle which is supposedly the biggest in Ireland, haven't been but a friend of mine said it's brilliant there. It's about a km outside the town

Tedious Bore · 07-11-2010 03:51AM

siblers wrote: »

There's a climbing centre in Dingle which is supposedly the biggest in Ireland, haven't been but a friend of mine said it's brilliant there. It's about a km outside the town

thanks. might check that out

x in the city · 07-11-2010 03:56AM

Tedious Bore wrote: »

visiting dingle for new years and was hoping to go see the blaskets.
emailed one ferry company who aren't working late december.

can anyone here tell me if late december just isn't a runner coz weather's so stormy? ....or if not, how can I get there?

thanks

nuts that time of the year tbh for that craic.

you need to be at home with a hot whiskey beside the fire ffs ...

sheesh · 16-11-2010 02:31AM

Ive climbed mt Brandon on St Stephens day no problem. the top was frighteningly cold the way up and down was fine though we were up and down in under 5 hrs.

just don't climb it on your own

enda1 · 25-11-2010 08:59AM

sheesh wrote: »

Ive climbed mt Brandon on St Stephens day no problem. the top was frighteningly cold the way up and down was fine though we were up and down in under 5 hrs.

just don't climb it on your own

Is that from the Dingle side?

Its at most 3 hours any time I've climbed from the Cloghane side.
Last time I climbed was in February. It was cold but very doable.

OP just make sure there's a group going.

getting to the Blasket islands in winter, ....are ferries running?

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