Roadtrip/ITINERARY.md

Full Trip Itinerary — Summer 2026

Dates: Aug 4 – Sep 2, 2026 Party: 3 colleagues, electric car, workation Hard deadline: Aviva Stadium, Dublin — Aug 30 (college football)

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Pre-Trip Checklist

• Stena Line ferry booked (Hoek van Holland → Harwich, Aug 4)
• Steam Packet booked: Liverpool → Douglas (Aug 7) + Douglas → Larne (Aug 10)
• Irish Ferries booked: Dublin → Cherbourg (Sep 1)
• Aviva Stadium tickets (Aug 30)
• Skellig Michael boat trip booked (Portmagee, ~Aug 23–24 window)
• Accommodation booked for Westport and Galway especially — fills up in August
• Three UK SIM for hotspot — buy on arrival at Harwich
• Verify IoM roaming policy with your carrier before departure

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Part 1 — Getting There

Aug 4 (Tue) — Walldorf → Harwich

Depart Walldorf: ~01:30–02:00 to reach Hoek van Holland by ~07:30

Time	Event
~07:30	Arrive Hoek van Holland port
08:30	🚢 Stena Line departs Hoek van Holland
~17:00	Arrive Harwich (Parkeston Quay)
17:30	Clear immigration, drive off ferry
18:00	Buy Three UK SIM at first supermarket/petrol station
18:30	First charge stop: Colchester (Gridserve, A12, 20 min from port)

Tonight: Cambridge (~1.5h from Harwich). Check in, dinner in the city centre.

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Aug 5 (Wed) — Cambridge

Depart hotel: No rush — full day in Cambridge.

Time	Activity
Morning	The Backs, King's College Chapel
Afternoon	Punt on the Cam (hire at Magdalene Bridge)
~17:00	Charge at Gridserve Cambridge (M11 services)
~17:30	Depart Cambridge → York (~2.5h via A1M)

Tonight: York. Arrive ~20:00, dinner in the Shambles area.

Workation: Cambridge and York both have good café wifi if you need a morning of work.

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Aug 6 (Thu) — York → Liverpool

Depart York: Aim for ~10:00 after a morning walk of the city walls.

Time	Activity
08:00–09:30	York Minster + city walls walk
10:00	Depart York → Liverpool (~1.5h via M62)
~11:30	Arrive Liverpool — check in, park up
Afternoon	Albert Dock, Beatles Story, Hope Street cathedrals
Evening	Bold Street dinner, Cavern Quarter
21:00	Charge at Liverpool ONE car park or hotel overnight charge

Tonight: Liverpool. Spend the evening — this is the last big city before the islands.

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Aug 7 (Fri) — Liverpool → Isle of Man

Depart hotel: Leave by 06:00 to reach Pier Head by 06:45.

Time	Event
06:00	Depart hotel → Pier Head terminal (15 min)
06:45	Check in at Steam Packet terminal, Princes Parade
07:15	🚢 Manannan departs Liverpool Pier Head
~10:00	Arrive Douglas, Isle of Man
10:30	Check in. Charge at Douglas Sea Terminal car park.
Afternoon	Douglas promenade, Manx Museum (free)

Alternative sailing: 11:15 departure → arrives ~14:00. Fine if you want a lie-in, but the 07:15 gives you a full first day.

Tonight: Douglas (night 1 of 3).

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Aug 8 (Sat) — Isle of Man: Castletown & Peel

Time	Activity
09:00	Depart Douglas → Castletown (20 min)
09:30–12:00	⭐ Castle Rushen — allow 1.5–2h
12:30	Drive to Peel (35 min via TT circuit road)
13:00	Lunch in Peel — Manx kippers at Moore's
14:00–16:00	House of Manannan museum + Peel Castle
16:30	Drive back to Douglas (30 min)
Evening	Dinner in Douglas; charge overnight at hotel

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Aug 9 (Sun) — Isle of Man: Snaefell & TT Circuit

Time	Activity
09:00	Depart Douglas → Laxey (20 min)
09:30	Laxey Wheel (Lady Isabella) — 30 min
10:15	⭐ Snaefell Mountain Railway — take it to the summit (30 min up). Views to 5 countries on a clear day.
12:00	Drive the TT Mountain Course north to Ramsey — Ballaugh Bridge, Creg ny Baa pub stop
13:30	Lunch in Ramsey
15:00	Drive back via coast road to Douglas
Evening	Last night on IoM — dinner and early night
21:00	Charge to full for tomorrow's ferry

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Aug 10 (Mon) — Isle of Man → Larne → Belfast

Depart hotel: Leave by 08:30 to reach Sea Terminal by 09:00.

Time	Event
09:00	Check in at Douglas Sea Terminal
09:30	🚢 Ben My Chree departs Douglas
14:15	Arrive Larne (not Belfast — Steam Packet now serves Larne)
14:45	Drive Larne → Belfast city centre (~35 min, A2)
~15:30	Arrive Belfast. Check in. Full recharge — last good rapid charging before sparse Donegal network.
Evening	Belfast city centre — Cathedral Quarter pubs

⚠️ Note: Steam Packet no longer serves Belfast directly. You dock at Larne, 20 miles north of Belfast. The drive in is easy and scenic along the coast road. Confirm your sailing date — this route runs every 2–3 days (Aug dates: 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14…).

Tonight: Belfast (night 1 of 2).

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Aug 11 (Tue) — Belfast: Causeway Coast

Depart hotel: 08:00 for an early Causeway arrival.

Time	Activity
08:00	Depart Belfast → Giant's Causeway (~1h 15min via A2 coast road)
09:15	⭐ Giant's Causeway — arrive before coaches. Charge at visitor centre car park while you walk. Allow 1.5–2h.
11:30	Drive west along Causeway Coast — Dunluce Castle (20 min stop), Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (45 min)
13:30	Lunch in Bushmills or Ballycastle
14:30	Bushmills Distillery tour (optional, book ahead)
16:30	Drive back to Belfast (~1h 15min)
Evening	⭐ Black Cab Tour — book for 18:30 or 19:00. Falls Road + Shankill murals. ~1.5–2h. One of the best things you'll do on the whole trip.

Tonight: Belfast (night 2 of 2). Early start tomorrow.

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Part 2 — Wild Atlantic Way

Aug 12 (Wed) — Belfast → Donegal Town

Depart hotel: 08:30. 2h 45min / 155km — mostly A-roads via Derry.

Time	Event
08:30	Depart Belfast → Derry (~1.5h via A6)
10:00	Optional stop: Derry city walls (30 min walk, free)
10:30	Depart Derry → Donegal Town (~45 min via N13)
11:30	Arrive Donegal Town. Charge at ESB ecars charger. Check in.
Afternoon	Walk the Diamond (town square), lunch, orient yourself
Evening	Dinner in Donegal Town

Charge strategy: Top up fully in Donegal Town every evening — it's the only reliable charger in the county.

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Aug 12–13 — Donegal (2 nights)

Base: Donegal Town

Day	Depart	Activity
Aug 12 pm	14:00	Drive to Killybegs (30 min) — largest fishing port in Ireland. Fresh fish on the quay.
Aug 13	08:30	⭐ Slieve League day — drive to Teelin (45 min from Donegal Town). Walk Bunglass viewpoint or the full One Man's Pass ridge. Allow 3–4h on the mountain. Lunch in Killybegs on the way back.
Aug 13 pm	15:00	Glenveagh National Park (1h from Donegal Town) — walk to the castle or take the shuttle bus. Return by 18:30. Charge in Donegal Town overnight.

If you have a spare morning: Fanad Head Lighthouse is 1h north — one of Ireland's most photogenic. Easy add-on.

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Aug 14 (Thu) — Donegal → Sligo

Depart: 10:00 after breakfast. 1h 45min / 90km via N15.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Donegal Town
10:45	Stop: Drumcliff churchyard — Yeats' grave, Benbulben backdrop (15 min)
11:15	Continue → Sligo Town (~30 min)
11:45	Arrive Sligo. Check in. Charge at ESB Sligo.
Afternoon	Sligo town walk, Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery (30 min drive, 1h visit)
Evening	Strandhill (8km west) — Voya seaweed bath if booked, dinner at Shells Café

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Aug 14–15 — Sligo (2 nights)

Base: Sligo Town

Day	Activity
Aug 15	Morning: Carrowmore if not done. Afternoon: drive to Enniscrone (50 min) — Kilcullen's seaweed baths (book ahead), beach walk. Or: hike to Benbulben plateau (3h return, park at Ballintrillick).

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Aug 16 (Sat) — Sligo → Westport

Depart: 10:00. 2h / 105km via N17/N5.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Sligo
11:00	Optional stop: Céide Fields (north Mayo, 20 min detour off N5) — world's oldest field system under the bog. Allow 1h.
13:00	Arrive Westport. Check in. Charge at ESB Westport.
Afternoon	Walk Westport town — the Octagon, Carrowbeg river walk
Evening	Matt Molloy's pub for traditional music

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Aug 16–18 — Westport, Mayo (3 nights)

Base: Westport

Day	Depart	Activity
Aug 17	09:00	⭐ Achill Island full day — 40 min drive. Drive the Atlantic Drive loop. Walk to Keem Bay (1h from road end). Slievemore Deserted Village. Rent bikes in Keel for the afternoon. Slow charger at Keel — charge in Westport before going.
Aug 18	07:30	⭐ Croagh Patrick — early start beats the crowds. Murrisk car park (30 min from Westport). Hike 3–4h return. Summit at 764m — extraordinary views over Clew Bay on a clear day. Afternoon: rest in Westport, laundry, work session.

Workation: Westport has reliable wifi and good cafés on Bridge Street. Good for a morning of work before heading out.

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Aug 19 (Tue) — Westport → Clifden

Depart: 10:00. 1h 30min / 75km via N59.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Westport via N59 (scenic bog road)
10:45	Optional stop: Kylemore Abbey — castle on a lake (45 min–1h). Charge note: no charger here.
12:00	Arrive Clifden. Check in. Charge at ESB Clifden (22kW — allow 1–1.5h to top up).
Afternoon	⭐ Sky Road — 16km circular from Clifden. Drive or optional bike rental in town.
Evening	Dinner in Clifden — E.J. King's or Marconi restaurant

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Aug 19–20 — Clifden, Connemara (2 nights)

Base: Clifden

Day	Activity
Aug 20	Morning: Connemara National Park — Diamond Hill walk from Letterfrack (2h return, 9km). Visitor centre for context. Afternoon: slow drive back via Roundstone (beautiful small fishing village, 30 min south of Clifden). Charge fully in Clifden before leaving tomorrow — Galway is 1h 20min but you want to arrive with margin.

⚠️ Connemara gap: The coast road Clifden ↔ Westport (~90km) has no public charger. Never attempt it without a full battery.

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Aug 21 (Thu) — Clifden → Galway

Depart: 10:00. 1h 20min / 70km via N59.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Clifden
11:20	Arrive Galway city. Check in — book well ahead for August.
11:30	Charge: Tesla Supercharger at Galway Retail Park (Headford Rd) — fastest charger on the WAW. Full recharge here.
Afternoon	Walk the Latin Quarter — Shop Street, Spanish Arch, River Corrib
Evening	⭐ Tigh Neachtain (Cross Street) for traditional music. Ard Bia at Nimmos for dinner.

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Aug 21–23 — Galway (3 nights)

Base: Galway City

Day	Depart	Activity
Aug 22	07:30	⭐ Aran Islands (Inis Mór) — drive to Rossaveal (37km, 45 min). Ferry departs ~08:30, arrives Inis Mór ~09:10. Rent bikes at the pier. Dún Aonghasa (Iron Age fort on 100m cliff edge). Seven Churches. Back to Galway by early evening. Book ferry ahead: aranislandferries.com
Aug 23	07:30	Clare day trip — Cliffs of Moher + Burren + Doolin. See below. Return to Galway by 20:00.

Workation: Galway is the best work base on the whole trip. Coffeewerk + Press on Kirwan's Lane has excellent wifi. Use the morning of Aug 21 arrival or any morning here for heavy-duty meetings.

Clare Day Trip (Aug 23):

Time	Activity
07:30	Depart Galway → Cliffs of Moher (1h 25min via N18/R478)
09:00	⭐ Cliffs of Moher — arrive before coaches. Walk south to Hag's Head (3km return).
11:00	Drive to Doolin (15 min) — coffee, walk the harbour
12:00	Drive the Burren — Poulnabrone Dolmen (roadside), Green Road walk above Ballyvaughan (1.5h)
15:00	Lunch in Ballyvaughan. Charge in Ennis (~30 min south, ESB fast) on way back if needed.
17:30	Back in Galway
Evening	⭐ Doolin music note: If you want to stay for a session at McGann's, plan an overnight in Doolin instead — return drive after a late session is a long day. Otherwise the Galway music scene is equally good.

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Aug 24 (Mon) — Galway → Dingle

Depart: 09:30. 2h 40min / 140km via N18/N67 (scenic coast) or N18/N20/N21 (faster).

Time	Event
09:30	Depart Galway
11:00	Optional stop: Lahinch (surf beach, 45 min from Galway) — coffee and a walk, ESB charger at car park
12:15	Continue south via Kilrush and the Killimer–Tarbert car ferry across the Shannon estuary (20 min crossing, avoids 90km detour via Limerick) — departs hourly.
14:30	Arrive Tralee. Charge at ESB Tralee.
15:15	Depart Tralee → Dingle (45 min via Conor Pass — spectacular but narrow; or via Annascaul if towing)
16:00	Arrive Dingle. Check in.
Evening	Walk the harbour, dinner at Out of the Blue or Ashe's

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Aug 24–25 — Dingle, Kerry (2 nights)

Base: Dingle Town

Day	Depart	Activity
Aug 25	08:00	⭐ Slea Head Drive — leave early. 55km loop from Dingle town. Gallarus Oratory (6th century stone chapel), beehive huts (clochán), Blasket Islands viewpoint, Connor Pass on the return (highest driveable pass in Ireland — views over both coastlines). Allow 4–5h with stops. Evening: music at An Droichead Beag.

Skellig Michael: If your boat is booked for Aug 25 or 26, depart from Portmagee (45 min from Dingle). The 09:30 boat returns by ~13:00. Move the Slea Head Drive to the other day.

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Aug 26 (Wed) — Dingle → Killarney

Depart: 10:00. 1h 30min / 55km via N86 or over Connor Pass.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Dingle → Killarney (via Annascaul/Castlemaine — flatter, faster)
11:30	Arrive Killarney. Check in. Charge: Tesla SC or ESB fast — full recharge.
Afternoon	Killarney National Park: Torc Waterfall (15 min walk from road), Muckross Lake loop
Evening	Killarney town — good pubs on High Street

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Aug 26–27 — Killarney, Kerry (2 nights)

Base: Killarney

Day	Depart	Activity
Aug 27	08:30	⭐ Ring of Kerry — full day. Drive counterclockwise (Killarney → Kenmare → Waterville → Cahersiveen → Killorglin → Killarney) to avoid head-on coach traffic. ~180km, 4–5h driving with stops. Kenmare for lunch. Portmagee detour for Skellig boat if not done from Dingle. Start with a full battery — no chargers mid-circuit.

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Aug 28 (Thu) — Killarney → Cork

Depart: 10:00. 1h 30min / 85km via N22.

Time	Event
10:00	Depart Killarney → Cork via N22
11:30	Arrive Cork. Check in. Charge at Mahon Point (Tesla SC) or city centre ESB.
12:30	English Market — lunch at Farmgate Café upstairs (book ahead). Walk the market stalls.
Afternoon	St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Shandon Bells tower
Evening	Dinner: Market Lane or Elbow Lane. Cork city is small and very walkable.

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Aug 29 (Fri) — Cork → Wicklow

Depart: 09:00. 3h / ~230km via M8 → Carlow → N81.

Time	Event
09:00	Depart Cork — charge to full before leaving
10:30	Optional: Cashel detour (30 min off M8) — Rock of Cashel, medieval cathedral on a hill above the town. Good legs-stretch and impressive even from the car park.
11:30	Continue north via N81 through the Wicklow foothills
12:30	Blessington — ESB charger. Top up here.
13:30	Arrive Laragh / Glendalough area. Check in.
14:30	⭐ Glendalough — monastic ruins, round tower, lower lake walk. Then upper lake trail (2h return, very scenic glacial valley).
Evening	Dinner in Laragh or Rathnew village

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Aug 30 (Sat) — Wicklow → Dublin → Aviva Stadium

Depart: 09:30 — easy drive, no rush.

Time	Event
08:00	Optional: Powerscourt Estate (35 min from Laragh via R755) — formal gardens, mountain backdrop. Worth 1h if you leave early.
09:30	Depart Laragh → Dublin (1h 15min via N11)
~10:45	Arrive Dublin. Check in / drop bags.
11:30	Charge at ESB Merrion Road (near Aviva) or hotel
13:00	Head toward Aviva area — lunch near Baggot Street. Pre-match atmosphere builds in the pubs.
Kickoff TBC	🏈 Aer Lingus College Football Classic — Notre Dame vs Navy, Aviva Stadium
Post-match	Baggot Street / city centre pubs

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Aug 31 (Sun) — Dublin

Time	Activity
Morning	Slow start. Trinity College & Book of Kells (book ahead — tcd.ie/visitors)
Afternoon	Kilmainham Gaol (book ahead — kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie) or Phoenix Park walk
Evening	🎸 Bon Jovi concert (if tickets secured — check ticketmaster.ie)

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Part 3 — Return

Sep 1 (Mon) — Dublin → Ferry

Time	Event
Morning	Free time in Dublin. Check out.
12:00	Charge to full at ESB Merrion Road or city centre
14:00	Depart hotel → Dublin Port (20 min)
14:30	Check in at Irish Ferries terminal
16:00	🚢 W.B. Yeats departs Dublin (or 18:30 if Isle of Inisheer sailing — check your booking)
Overnight	Cabin crossing — dinner on board

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Sep 2 (Tue) — Cherbourg → Walldorf

Time	Event
11:30	Arrive Cherbourg (W.B. Yeats) or 15:30 (Isle of Inisheer)
12:00	Clear French customs. Charge immediately — Ionity and Tesla SC in Cherbourg town.
13:00	Depart Cherbourg → Paris (3.5h via A13/A84)
16:30	Paris — charge at autoroute service area (Ionity on A4) or bypass via Périphérique.
17:30	Depart Paris → Metz (1.5h via A4)
19:00	Metz — charge at autoroute services if needed
20:00	Depart Metz → Strasbourg (1h via A4)
21:00	Strasbourg — optional final charge
22:30	Arrive Walldorf 🏠

Note: If arriving Cherbourg at 15:30 (later sailing), target overnight in Strasbourg and drive the final leg Sep 3 morning rather than a 22:30 arrival.

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Summary

Metric	Value
Total nights	29
Countries	Germany, Netherlands, England, Isle of Man, N. Ireland, Ireland, France
Ferry crossings	4
Longest stay	Westport 3 nights, Galway 3 nights, Dublin 2 nights
Total driving	~4,500 km
Confirmed bookings needed	Stena Line (booked ✅), Steam Packet IoM, Irish Ferries Sep 1, Aviva tickets, Skellig Michael