Valentia Island things to do?

PPS

I will be staying on Valentia Island for 5 days in September.
Can anyone suggest fun things to do around the region.
Also is there anything around there to do if we get bad weather.
How far and what would be the cost of a taxi ride to Dingle town?
I am interested in horse riding if there are any stables close by.
Thanks for any replys.

oeb

Knightstown is over 100 km from Dingle, and from what I know well over an hours drive. You could easilly be looking at 150+ euro

Fajitas!

A lot of the heads on the Photography forum have went down there for a few days. It's supposed to be an amazing place.

Amazotheamazing

Lovely spot, one of the nicest areas in Ireland, but it's not near Dingle, about an hour or more of a drive.

Go to the Skelligs? hike, swim?

jimi_t

Go out to the Skelligs - its a must see.



Walking up to the tower on Bray Head is breathtaking on a decent sunny day and equally amazing on a bad day



The interpretive centre near the bridge is worth a look as well. There are dinosaur footprints on the island (seriously!) as well as plaques/info and original pieces of the worlds first transatlantic telegraph cable which left from Valentia Island.

Across the mainland is Portmagee village which is absolutely gorgeous - two bars and quite a decent restaurant. Walking back the coast there's a couple of very nice beaches




The 'mountain' in the background is Cumann Aspig (spelling) which isn't too bad a walk. There's a car park on top with those telescopic yokes which is very nice on a good day as well - you can see for absolute miles.



There's a very good chance you'll hit the Portmagee Regatta if you're around at the beginning of September - a very big event with traditional seine boat and four oar racing.

If you have any chance to go out fishing, *do it*. Possibly the best sport-angling grounds in Europe. There are definitely a lot of pony trekking/horse places about, enquire in one of the shops. If you give us an idea of your age etc... I'd be able to recommend more.

Benny-c

Go Scuba Diving...:)

http://www.divevalentia.ie/

Amazotheamazing

Did the triathlon in Valentia earlier in the year, you can swim from the mainland (Reynard's Point) to Knightstown easily enough, 750m's. Well earned pint after that. Just watch out for the car ferry...

jimi_t

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Did the triathlon in Valentia earlier in the year, you can swim from the mainland (Reynard's Point) to Knightstown easily enough, 750m's. Well earned pint after that. Just watch out for the car ferry...

Absolutely vicious rip tides that side of the island though - only properly safe place to do any sort of swimming around there is Reencarraigh (sp?). Afaik St.Finian's (about 5 miles) is the only double black flag beach in Ireland - doesn't stop the surfers though

Madame Razz

Go Diving.

Seriously. Some of the best dive sites in Europe. UNREAL!!!

and O Neills in Renard is scrummy for fish.........mmmmmmmmmmm....

Refresh

oeb wrote: »

Knightstown is over 100 km from Dingle, and from what I know well over an hours drive. You could easilly be looking at 150+ euro

would be more like 2-2.5 hours drive on a good day

rednik

There are stables over St Finians direction,would be around 10 miles from valentia. You can always visit the lovely Grotto which we do every year.

Shurwhynot

Throw yourself into the sea out of depression!

Caros

I know September's almost over and you've maybe been and gone by now but I only joined the forum tonite!

You Have to visit the lighthouse, the slate quarry and the fishing rocks at Culloo for amazing views. Take a walk dowm paris - seriously - it's a different world!

I'm not sure if Alan hall, a sculptor and chef, still does food or not but if he does you have to eat there - amazing food!

Sapsorrow

I'm from Cahirciveen near Valencia and take it from me if your in the area go check out Ballaghasheen pass and the areas around it for an amazing walk or mountain climb, it's very arguably the most beasutifull and untouched part of Ireland.

francomcdaddy

Valentia is a good base for the region. The Island is a bit quiet if that is what you are looking for. One thing found is hard to find anywhere decent to eat on the island when I was there last summer.

I stayed with Valentia Island Cottages, i live in Kerry and decided wanted to stay on island with the kids and have a few beers rather than driving home. Cause I live in Kerry didn't really research the island properly.

When I search for valentia island this was the top thread which is old. Anyone update on what families can do on island and where best place to stay. I stayed near chapeltown before in center of island.

lala88

Join there GAA club!

uck51js9zml2yt

francomcdaddy wrote: »

Valentia is a good base for the region. The Island is a bit quiet if that is what you are looking for. One thing found is hard to find anywhere decent to eat on the island when I was there last summer.

I stayed with Valentia Island Cottages, i live in Kerry and decided wanted to stay on island with the kids and have a few beers rather than driving home. Cause I live in Kerry didn't really research the island properly.

When I search for valentia island this was the top thread which is old. Anyone update on what families can do on island and where best place to stay. I stayed near chapeltown before in center of island.

I've stayed in 2 of marys houses over the years. Great spot.

johnayo

Wonder if the op ever got there.:D

uck51js9zml2yt

johnayo wrote: »

Wonder if the op ever got there.:D

Probably did but then got eaten by a rabid kerryman:D

jujumushu

Go east and find the place that sells homemade ice-cream.
1. It's delicious
2. There is a petting zoo out the back :P

dickwod1

When I was at Valentia Island I looked at the fossilized Dinosaur foot prints in the rocks at the sea!

Lisha

I caught the end of valentia hostel/hotel edition of at your service this evening .

Does anyone know if hostel still in operation? Have tried google but page is not working.

I'd love to stay there for a night or two, my kids are 5 and 3 . Is there a lot to do with kids or would I be better wait til they a bit older next summer maybe ?

Thanks for help

Caros

The hotel is The Royal Hotel http://www.royalvalentia.com/,still operating and quite reasonble.

blindsider

Heading to Valentia in a couple of weeks, for 1 week.

I know the island reasonably well, I've been there a few times now.

The only thing I haven't been able to find is a sandy beach - except for the one down at Glanleam House - is there another decent beach on the island?

Valentia is one of my favourite places, and I'll get over the lack of sandy beaches, but it might get me brownie points with herself......

Thanks!

DeepBlue

blindsider wrote: »

The only thing I haven't been able to find is a sandy beach - except for the one down at Glanleam House - is there another decent beach on the island?

There's quite a nice beach over on Ballinskelligs not that far away - http://goo.gl/maps/HwdxF

blindsider

Thanls DB - might check it out!

Dats_rite

DeepBlue wrote: »

There's quite a nice beach over on Ballinskelligs not that far away - http://goo.gl/maps/HwdxF

Get a boat from knightstown over to Beginish island. Unbelievable beach there and you'll probably be the only ones on it

Ciarrai76

This is an old ghost thread. Please don't resurrect old threads. Mod