Need help with nature locations

Yunie

Hi!

I´m from Sweden, so please excuse my somewhat bad grammar and spelling!

I am in the early preparations of writing a book, and I´ve just decided to use Ireland as an inspiration source regarding the environment. I feel I need to visit to experience the nature first hand and take pictures, notes ect. The problem is - I have no idea on where to go and don´t want to come to Ireland totally clueless.

Can anyone please give me some examples of nature locations to visit? I need to experience a thick forest (would be great with some streams or brooks) and other woodland places. I´ve seen pictures of irish forests that looks like straight from a medieval tale. I also read somewhere that Ireland has bogs??? Perhaps some old ruins?

I do not have a drivers license, so unfortunately I will not be driving

I would be SO thankful if anyone can help me out. Thanks!!

trebor28

i cant speak for everybody or everywhere but i would think that a lack of a driving license would halt your exploration, especially down the country.

public transport does not exist outside of major cities.

paulusdu

If you are basing in Dublin, you have access to places like Glendalough in Wicklow (http://www.glendalough.ie/), which is accessable by bus transport, it is rich in wildlife, lakes, mountains, forests, etc.

Mothman

For forest, I'd consider Killarney National Park It is within cycling/walking distance from Killarney town, though I expect it'd be easy to get a lift.

Bogs are widespread. Read this for a start

thebishop

Glengarriff in Co. Cork. would be a good spot.Ten minutes walk to a broad leaved forest. Plenty of streams there too. Lots of old ruins of houses there going back to the 1800s.

Mothman

thebishop wrote: »

Glengarriff in Co. Cork. would be a good spot.Ten minutes walk to a broad leaved forest. Plenty of streams there too. Lots of old ruins of houses there going back to the 1800s.

This is a good suggestion.

Connacht

Come to Mayo, in the West.
Get the train from Dublin to Castlebar and I will show you huge bogs, mountains, cliffs and more.
We have the largest intact blanket bog, drained by rivers that have not been artificially planted with trees. This is superb.
But we have almost no native broad leaved forests - just huge non-native conifer plantations.
Send me a private message (PM).

dlofnep

Guagán Barra in West Cork is absolutely beautiful. Lake, forest, streams - an amazing place. Places like Killarney are nice, but they have become too touristy.

Gardener3

The Burren in Co. Clare - a very special area with limestone pavements, a stunning flora including rarities not found elsewhere in Ireland, Hazel woods with 'western oceanic' lichens .........

http://www.burrennationalpark.ie/
http://www.burrenbeo.com/