Driving
Monday
Linda packed up and left with our neighbours to the port
at 6.15am whilst we went back to sleep. We had packed
up and left by 10.30am. The plan was to check out another
campsite and chill out for the day. Well, things don’t
always go to plan and today was one of those times. What
a horrendous day.
We set off looking for a campsite on the West outskirts
of Dublin. The traffic was horrendous and we missed our
junction off the main M50 ring road. Then had to double
back on ourselves on big main roads. Not knowing where
we were as our basic Ireland road map was nearly 10 years
old. I had only got OS maps for where I knew we needed
them. I hadn’t really thought about being near Dublin.
Anyway, we eventually arrived but to our horror it was
positioned right beside a main artery road into Dublin
and the traffic was non stop and loud. We went into the
campsite reception hoping that there may be somewhere on
site that was sheltered from the noise. We were greeted
by the manager who challenged us immediately saying that
our van was definitely commercial and not a proper motor
home as it didn’t have windows. When I converted the van,
I ran out of money so the window didn’t happen. We were
both shocked at being greeted in this way as we’ve never
been challenged about the van. We assured him that it was
not commercial and that it was kitted out inside. Still
smiling, he said he would get in trouble if he let us stay
as it was a council site with council rules but that he
would let us stay anyway. He told us that they have these
rules to keep up standards. We were offended and not sure
how to respond. After taking a look at the site we decided
it didn’t meet our standards! And that it was just too
noisy.
So back in the van we set off for a campsite south of
Dublin. The night before, I had got chatting with a couple
at the campsite and had directions from their brochure.
We got lost yet again as we tried not to pay for the toll
for the second time on the M50 and went via other main
roads. We ended up on a smallish road going steeply up
one of the mountains and very hot and stressed as Daffy
didn’t like the steep hill. We eventually found the main
southward road and were on our way south to another campsite.
Little did we know that the mountains lay so close to the
coast and that the campsite was at the highest village
in Ireland! Our van is not too good with steep hill so
it was a little worrying as we kept going up and up the
long steep road up the mountain. We eventually arrived
at the campsite only to be told that the bus that was advertised
to go to Dublin for the day only goes and comes back once
a day and was really expensive so we couldn’t afford it.
By now, we had been on the road for over 4 hours on a hot
and sunny day and were quite stressed and tired. So, we
paid our money, parked up and had lunch. We worked out
that if we were to see Dublin, we were going to have to
go all the way back to the original campsite north of Dublin.
This realization was quite stressful as that meant more
driving on our ‘rest’ day. But if we weren’t going to Dublin
what were we doing in Ireland. In hindsight, we should
have stayed there but we didn’t realize this at the time.
We decided we would go and find a nice place in the mountains
that we could park up for the day seeing as we were here.
After dinner, we would head off back to the original campsite
arriving before 10.30pm when they close. Luckily, we were
able to get a refund at the campsite so off we went to
look for a nice spot to spend the rest of the day. After
stopping to ask at a house and nearly getting eaten by
a rottwieller (!) we set off for a place “10 minutes up
the road” which I had been assured had no steep ups or
downs. As we drove, we found ourselves driving down a steep
road to the lakes, worrying that Daffy was going to have
to come back up this long steep road. We finally got there
and were blown away by the beauty. After paying €4 to park,
we went and sat by a large beautiful tranquil lake and
stream. This was our reward, a stunning quiet place for
us to relax in. The bliss was to last about an hour when
our peace was shattered by thumping electronic rave music.
It was now absolutely impossible to relax, and in fact,
it soon became too much and we had to leave. So much for
a quiet place to park up and have dinner. It was a gypsy
looking family in a ‘commercial” van with the doors open
and the stereo pumping out so loud it was painfully distorted
whilst they played football. With not a thought or a care
for others who were here for peace and quiet. The noise
vibrated through the whole valley. We now understood why
the council campsite manager had been so cautious and why
there were boulders everywhere preventing you from stopping
by the side of the road. They have a problem with gypsy
travelers who seem to have no consideration or respect
for others.
By now, we felt really doomed. We thought we would drive
back towards Dublin and find somewhere on the way back
to stop and cook our dinner. There wasn’t one place to
stop and any possibilities were blocked by boulders. It
was obvious that they didn’t want any body to stop anywhere.
Before we knew it, we were on the M50 going back around
Dublin, Now hungry, tired and stressed, we drove into the
end of Dublin’s rush hours. Stuck in traffic, we sat, slowly
edging our way around Dublin. I nearly cried. We arrived
back at the northern campsite as 8pm. What a f___king day.
I cried, ate dinner, moaned a lot about how I’d had enough
and wanted to go home and then fell asleep.
Tuesday
Today is to be our rest day as we now REALLY need it. A
long deep sleep and a slow paced day in preparation for
Dublin tomorrow and then home to the UK. We sat in the
gorgeous sunshine reading, writing and sun bathing. It’s
windy here but luckily our van shelters us. I went and
spoke to the old lady that runs the campsite. She’s so
lovely. I could chat with her for hours. When I go in
to see her, I don’t come out for ages. She told me that
Ireland is in constant fear of being sued. I told her
that when we visited south west Ireland ten years ago,
there was such a relaxed attitude about land access.
Back then, we were visiting stone circles that were off
the beaten track and not often visited. When we asked
local farmers if it was alright to go over their fields
in search for a stone circle, they were all so welcoming
and we were told many times that they didn’t own the
land and that they were just temporary guardians looking
after it. We could walk anywhere we liked. It was an
amazing feeling of freedom. They also celebrated the
traveling way of life. It seems that this has all changed.
Certain people have abused the free access and sued framers
if they harm themselves (deliberately or not) whilst
on their land. Now, there are rules and regulations and
lots of locked gates and boulders. Not through possessive
land ownership like in England but because they don’t
want to be sued which is absolutely fair enough.
The lady from the campsite told me that she knows some
travellers who are lovely gentle and respectful who she
welcomes with open arms but then there were some people
who travelled that were really disrespectful. She told
me stories that made me laugh in disbelief. About how all
her bathroom tiles were taken off the wall in the washing
up area and another time the shower curtains were stolen.
How a couple paid for themselves and their two children
and then they later noticed that there were about ten of
them in the motor home! Apparently, last year, they were
sued themselves. She told me that when travelers come,
they often come in dribs and drabs. Last year, when an
inexperienced person was looking after reception whilst
she went for lunch, a twin wheeled caravan pulled up, paid
and then parked up. A little later, when she had returned
from lunch, another twin wheeled caravan turned up. She
told them that twin wheeled caravans were not allowed.
The man pointed to the one already parked up and said “if
he can, why can’t I?” He took a photo and then took it
to court and won €5000. That’s a big incentive to sue.
After lunch, we went for a walk on the beach. We’ve realized
how lucky we are to know and spend time in such gorgeous
places in England. This is nothing in beauty compared to
the North Devon beaches and coastline. It’s nice to be
by the sea in the sun and wind but it’s not particularly
beautiful here. It’s like comparing Eastern England beaches
with North Devon beaches. No comparison. Anyhow, today
it’s peaceful and relaxing which is perfect for our needs
at the moment. It’s lovely to spend a day chilling with
our very much-loved Daffy van.
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