Two Weeks on the Wild Atlantic Way
Welcome to our next installment from our ‘Traveller Tales’ series, getting the story behind the adventures of RP Owners.
This time we follow Adrian & Sallie’s Wild Atlantic Way Adventure.
Where did you go on your trip?
We followed the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, taking the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin before heading south to start the route and then travelling up the coast all the way north. Near the end of our journey, we made a small detour across to Northern Ireland to visit the Giant’s Causeway and the nearby Bushmills Distillery.
How long were you away for?
We were away for two weeks, and it was our very first road trip. In fact we’d only picked up our van from RP a couple of days before setting off.
What was the inspiration behind going where you did?
Sallie’s family are originally from Ireland, and although we’d never been before, we were keen to learn more about that side of her heritage. A big part of that was visiting Achill Island, which is where her family came from.
Were there any challenges along the way?
Our biggest challenge was completely self-inflicted. We forgot to switch over to on-site power one day, which just so happened to be when Sallie was using her hairdryer and straighteners. We had no idea how much power they’d draw from the leisure battery, and we ended up fast asleep off-grid that night when the alarms went off due to a fully drained battery.
Aside from that everything went smoothly. One small thing we learned was that a lot of campsites in Ireland don’t open until May for the summer season, so it’s worth checking ahead if you’re going around Easter like we did.
If someone asked why they should follow in your footsteps, what would you tell them?
Ireland has some of the most breathtaking scenery we’ve ever seen, it felt like there was a ‘wow’ view around every corner. The roads were in great condition (unlike some back home in the UK) and the people were incredibly friendly.
The pubs were unforgettable, we thought the whole idea of spontaneous singalongs was just a Hollywood cliché, but it turns out it’s very real. It happened multiple times during our trip and always added a little magic to the evenings.
The Irish stew was delicious, and we found the cost of everything to be really reasonable too.
Three favourite locations along the way?
The Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula and the Giant’s Causeway.
Any hidden gems you didn’t expect to find?
Achill Island was a standout, incredibly beautiful and well worth staying for a few days.
We also loved Blarney Castle (we couldn’t resist kissing the Blarney Stone) and Bunratty Castle in County Clare, which was wonderfully preserved with lovely grounds to explore.
If you could go back to one place, where would it be and why?
That’s a really tough one, we’d honestly love to go back to every place we mentioned above.
What advice would you give to someone planning a similar trip?
There are loads of great campsites, plus plenty of off-grid options if that’s your style. We found the ‘Campervan Pubstops Ireland’ Facebook group really helpful for discovering some off-grid overnight spots.
It’s good to have a rough plan, but don’t book too far in advance. We often decided the night before where we’d aim for the next day, which gave us a lot of flexibility. Early starts meant we could enjoy the roads before they got too busy, then relax in the evenings. And one big tip: don’t overpack. Being our first road trip, we took far too many clothes.
What did you learn from your journey that you’ll carry into future travels?
Ireland’s laid-back nature made it the perfect place for our first adventure, and it’s taught us not to overplan. We’re now firm believers in going with the flow.