Despite its reputation for scenic splendour, the sheer extent and diversity of Ireland’s scenic areas is likely to surprise the first-time visitor to the island. Locations such as the Burren – a national park famous for its limestone formations and rare plants – and the Ring of Kerry – a mountain, lake and valley route of incredible beauty – are well known. Less visited but no less beautiful are the wild hills and moors of Connemara, which boast some of Ireland’s best walking routes. Approaching Northern Ireland along the Wild Atlantic way you will pass through Donegal with its endless sandy beaches, with quiet and beautiful countryside to be found a little further inland.
Northern Ireland, too, has so much to see, including a mountainous interior dominated by the Mournes, many loughs (Lough Neagh is the largest lake by area in the UK), and pastoral farmlands, as well as a rugged coastline that encompasses the famous Giant’s Causeway. Looking to Ireland’s eastern coast south of Dublin, we find the Wicklow Mountains, which are the setting for Glendalough (the “valley of two lakes”), a beautiful and historic site with a fascinating history as a former monastic outpost during early medieval times. Ireland’s numerous offshore islands, too, are rich in dramatic scenery and history, and include the Blaskets, the Aran Islands, and Inishbofin.
Beyond its stunning landscapes, Ireland also offers a number of fabulous towns and cities to explore. The vibrant cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Derry and Belfast offer relaxed but attentive hospitality as well as some of the best restaurants in Europe, while in almost every town you will find a friendly Irish pub with local musicians offering great “craic”! Visitors will be delighted with the kindness, good humour and exceptional quality of the services offered throughout Ireland.
Flora and fauna of Ireland
Blanket bog, heathland and mountains are found in abundance along Ireland’s west coast. These environments support an array of rare plants including mountain sorrel, roseroot, starry and purple saxifrage, lesser twayblade, purple moor grass, St Patrick’s cabbage and pale butterwort. The Burren, despite being composed almost entirely of limestone, is rich in flora, with Arctic-alpine plants living alongside Mediterranean species and woodland plants growing in the open. Of the over 2,000 species of plant to be found in Ireland, approx. half of these can be found in the Burren.
Ireland’s varied birdlife is one of its attractions, with around 450 species recorded. Large colonies of seabirds, including storm-petrels, roseate terns and northern gannets, flourish on Ireland’s wild coastline. Wildfowl, waders and other species over-winter in Ireland, attracted by the mild climate. These include greater white-fronted geese, woodcock, snips, song and mistle thrush, starling, shearwaters, lapwings, petrels and skuas. Puffins are a common sight on the Cliffs of Moher and Donegal. Glenveagh National Park (Donegal) is home to a small number of golden eagles, which were re-introduced to the park in 2001.
In Killarney National Park is found the last surviving herd of red deer in Ireland as well as Japanese sika deer, lesser horseshoe bat, otter, red squirrel, badger, black voles, and stoat.
IRELAND AT A GLANCE
Ireland is divided into Eire (the South) and Northern Ireland. On your Gane and Marshall holiday you can visit either or both the south and the north.
We offer a small selection of guided walking group tours in Ireland, led by highly capable walking guides, as well as private guided tours that aim to provide an in-depth exploration of this lovely land.
In addition to guided tours, self-drive trips to Ireland are easy and rewarding.
Activities that you might like to include during your holiday to Ireland include walking, cycling, canoeing, horse riding, golfing, and angling, as well as specialist activities such as rock climbing and caving.
Ireland is a good all-year destination though with the warmest, driest months between June and September.
