Ireland has been on my bucket list for years. And it is always the weather that stopped me. I have travelled through Scotland before and, despite being a wonderful trip, I also remember how it rained every day.
In the end, my curiosity about nature in Ireland outweighed my worries about the weather, and I decided to go backpacking in Ireland alone.
Are you also planning a backpacking trip to Ireland? Here is some first-hand advice.
Plan your transport ahead
It may not sound as idyllic as this means you will need to have a travel itinerary, but the truth is Ireland is not that cheap, and the options of public transport are not available in huge numbers. Trains won’t bring you everywhere, but buses will. Unfortunately, during summer months these buses can be overly crowded, overbooked and very expensive.
Check the weather forecast.
Checking weather forecast is particularly good advice if you are planning to see the cliffs of Moher, and let’s be honest who doesn’t? Whether you are set on doing the long cliff walk or just a quick visit, it is best to keep this activity on a flexible schedule.
The reason is you don’t want to see the cliffs in poor weather conditions with low visibility. I stayed for two days in the region of the cliffs and went for the best day. It was still raining in the morning, but I got blue skies in the afternoon.
Unfortunately, I forget about the excellent advice when booking the boat trip along the cliffs. Let’s say my views were limited to hanging overboard and seeing the water surface. So it is always a good idea to visit Ireland during the best season and don’t forget to check the weather forecast.
Get a heritage card
If you are the type of backpacker that loves visiting ancient and historical attractions then we recommend purchasing a heritage cord. Heritage Card costs about 25 euros and will save you lots of money as it offers free entrance to all fee-paying heritage sites in Ireland. Even if you are only visiting Burren National Park, Skellig Michael and a few castles it’s already worth the money.
Get Backpacker Travel Insurance
Getting sick, loss of luggage or items, cancellation of the flight. Many things can go wrong when backpacking Ireland alone. Don’t let this ruins your trip and get backpack travel insurance in advance. Travel insurance from the trusted Ireland Insurance Company will cover most undesirable costs and will give you peace of mind.
Cheap Accommodation
A lot in Ireland is aimed at students, including the accommodations that you can use when you go backpacking. There are youth hostels everywhere, with common rooms that are quite affordable. You can make contact here with other young people from all over the world. Two great reasons if you are backpacking Ireland alone.
If you are hoping to get a bit more luxury, there is the option to sleep in one of the many hotels or a bed & breakfast or a guest house. All these accommodations have their star rating, which runs from 1 to 5 stars.
