Go Ask Joan:How can you get value if going solo and what are the best places on the road from Barcelona to Marseille? Joan Scaleshas the answers
Single supplement
I am a single father in my late forties and would like to go on an activity holiday in Ireland if possible. I cannot afford to pay a single supplement on the room. My budget is €800 to include everything. I am free in September.
JF, Dublin
With the increase in activity holidays in recent years I have a good few ideas of things you could do in September that will keep within, or around, your budget.
Some trips may be for five days, but you will feel like you have been away for weeks.
One of my favourite trips is the Connemara Safari, an island hopping walking tour of Connemara, Inishbofin and Inishturk.
The tour begins with a reception, dinner and overnight in the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel, followed by one night on Inishbofin and two nights on Inishturk.
The tour is lead by an archaeologist who will interpret the landscape, history and culture of the area. The price includes dinner, bed, breakfast, packed lunches, transfers and lots of fun.
The price is €670 plus €80 single supplement and there are two trips in September. Tel: 1850-777200 or walkingconnemara.com.
If cycling is of interest and you were prepared to share a room with another person travelling on their own, Cycling Safaris has some nice trips in September, including long trips of west Cork, Kerry and Connemara.
The tours are guided and your luggage is carried from place to place. The cost of €670pps (single supplement €250) includes bike hire, seven nights B&B, welcome dinner and guiding. Tel: 01-2600749 or cyclingsafaris.com.
In September Hilltoptreks has two walking tours, one in Kerry and the other in the southeast. The trips include travel from Dublin and you can do five or eight days depending on your budget. For the Kerry trip accommodation is self-catering with the group helping to prepare meals. The Kerry trip also includes walking up Carrauntoohil.
The trip to the southeast begins in Glendalough and covers part of the Wicklow Way. The following days are spent walking in the Knockmealdowns and the Galtees.
This trip will include packed lunches and dinner one evening. The prices are from €535pps and the single supplement is €125. Both trips can be extended to eight days and cost from €835. See www.hilltoptreks.ie.
The Delphi Mountain Resort near Killary Harbour in Co Mayo is a hive of activity. In September there are rates per room of €69 mid-week and €89 B&B at weekends.
You can take part in a wide range of outdoor activities from €60 per day or €45 for a half day.
There are also expedition days that include coasteering, sea kayaking, crag climbing and the Connaught challenge – climbing Mweelrea. The expedition days cost €99 and include gourmet lunches. Tel: 095-42208 or visit delphimountainresort.com.
If you are looking for love or just some craic, Europe’s biggest singles festival is running all month in Lisdoonvarna.
There will be dancing every day, horse-racing and music. Hotel rooms from €80 per night, and B&B from €45 per night. See matchmakerireland.com.
Barcelona to Marseille
We are going to Barcelona on August 17th where we will stay for three nights and then we are driving to Marseille in the south of France from where we will get our flight home. It is only an eight-day trip and I was wondering if you could suggest places to stop off for a night or two along the way.
AC, Dublin
One of the nicest towns along that route is Collioure, which is just over the French border and around the halfway point between Barcelona and Marseille.
It sits in a horseshoe bay, is very pretty and is known as the “city of painters”. It was here that artists such as Matisse, Dufy, Chagall and Picasso spent time.
There are many galleries in the town and it is popular for painting holidays. You can find tourism information on collioure.com.
Also along the way is Figueres, the home town of Salvador Dalí and the Dalí museum – certainly worth a visit. The museum was even designed by Dalí.
Wise way to Morecambe
I wish to travel to Morecambe for five/seven days in September. I shall be travelling alone and am nervous to do so. Where would be my nearest airport with connections to Morecambe? What would be a fairly simple route for me by boat/coach/train. I looked up the web but the crossing to Liverpool was eight hours and that put me off.
MN, Dublin
The boat would be a long journey and Aer Lingus has a daily service to Blackpool Airport, the nearest to Morecambe, operated by Aer Arann (aerlingus.com). Fares in September are around €100 return. There is a departure tax of £10 (€12) in Blackpool Airport.
The easiest way by public transport is to take a taxi or bus from the airport to Blackpool Station and take the bus. You will need to change at Lancaster. The journey will take around two hours. You can see train and bus timetables on transportdirect.info.
Otherwise you can order a taxi from Blacktax Taxis and it will cost around £55 (€66.50) to Morecambe from the airport. Tel: 00-44-01253-596596 or blackpool-taxi-couriers.co.uk.
Renting hand control car
Would you have any information on websites where I could hire a car with hand controls in France, Italy, Spain or Switzerland.
PC, Dublin
All the major car hire firms rent cars with hand controls. See Hertz.com, Avis.com, Enterprise.com, Europcar.com, as well as brokers such as HolidayAutos.ie, and Arguscarhire.com. You need to book a couple of days in advance and may need to call to make the booking.
I would also check with the location office before arrival to make sure they have your car available.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com