Go Advice:From bus tours of America to climbing Carrauntuohil and driving to Almeria JOAN SCALES answers your travel questions
Climbing Carrauntoohil
A group of about seven of us is hoping to climb Carrauntoohil on July 2nd. We’re hoping to do it as part of our preparation for Kilimanjaro in August. We’ve heard and read various reports about the dangers and think it would be best to get a guide to show us the way. Would you have any suggestions of someone who could guide us that would not be too expensive? We are also hoping to camp and any campsites you could recommend nearby would be great.
CT, Louth
It’s a good idea to get some practice in before you tackle Kilimanjaro. It will also give you an opportunity to see some fantastic scenery in Ireland. The difference between Kilimanjaro and tackling Carrauntoohil is one of tracks. Kilimanjaro has a well defined track to the top whereas in Kerry you will have no track and that is why it is important to have a guide.
I suggest you contact Con Moriarty, who has been guiding in the Macgillycuddys Reeks for 30 years. His advice to prepare for Kilimanjaro is to tackle the Ridge of the Reeks from the Gap of Dunloe to Glencar. It is a great walk and one that would give you a good feel for what to expect. His number is 087-2214002.
He can arrange transportation to collect your group for €75 per head. He also has a wild camp near Dunloe, which would be fun for you to stay in. For more details about walking in the Reeks and about Con, have a look at hiddenirelandadventures.com.
Tour of New England
We would love to do an escorted tour to New England and have searched everywhere but to no avail. Have you any suggestions?
CF, Co Westmeath
There are a number of escorted tours to New England available through Irish companies, though the most popular time is the autumn, when the leaves are changing colour and the weather is mild and sunny.
Explore New England with the Travel Department in September and its nine-day tour beginning in Boston goes as far north as the White Mountains and east to Lake Champlain. The price is from €1,450pps. Tel: 01-6371600 or www.thetraveldepartment.ie.
Tour America has a “highlights of New England” tour in conjunction with Titan HiTours which is a 12-day trip beginning in Mystic, New York and visiting Newport Rhode Island, Providence, Cape Cod, up to Vermont and then back through Concord and Lexington to Boston. It costs from €1,900pps. Tel: 01-8173535 or touramerica.ie.
Insight Vacations has a luxury escorted tour of New England called “spectacular fall foliage” over eight days. It costs from €1,599 plus flights in and out of Boston. Tel: 01-2763000 or insightvacations.com/eu.
American Sky has a tour called the “passage through New England and eastern Canada”. It begins from Boston and the first four days are spent exploring New England. Then you join cruise ship MS Maasdam for a trip as far as Halifax, Nova Scotia. The cruise explores the cities and coast of New England and returns via Boston. It costs from €2,439pps. Tel: 068-56868 or americansky.ie. See also discovernewengland.org for details of things to see and do.
Coach tours in America
Please advise on the names of any tour operators that run coach tours there and which do not charge a single supplement. California is the preferred US destination. The tour does not need to originate in Ireland.
DC, Tipperary
The cost of tours is always based on two sharing to keep the price down and the single supplement varies between tour operators. However, I have found one tour for you from the UK. It is with Solo Holidays and is a 10-day escorted tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles taking in highlights along the way. It’s from £2,419 (€2,750) plus airfare from Ireland. Tel: 00-44-8448150001 or soloholidays.co.uk.
All of these tour operators have similar tours to California, varying single supplements and the cost may work out less.
Driving to Almeria
I hope to drive to southeast Spain (Almeria) in October. Time spent en route is not very important. Is it more economical to go via England (Plymouth-Santander) or France (Cork-Roscoff). If I go to Roscoff, what is the best route to Almeria and how long might it take. I will be the only driver and may have a passenger. I would prefer to avoid toll roads.
JK, Cork
Cork-Roscoff with Brittany Ferries is a weekly seasonal service and the last inbound trip is on October 28th. This may affect your decision on how you travel to Spain.
From the UK, Brittany Ferries operate services until November from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander, and from Portsmouth to Bilbao. The fares with a car would from €600. See brittanyferries.com.
Irish Ferries and Stena Line have various offers for crossing from Dublin and Rosslare to the UK. The best way to explore routes to Almeria is to have a look at viamichelin.com. It is the Michelin Guide online and is a great source to use. You can also choose toll-free roads and it will give you an estimate of the cost of fuel too.
Taking the ferry to Jersey
Can you please advise on the shortest, quickest and most cost-efficient car ferry from Ireland to Jersey in the Channel Islands? We would prefer to drive rather than be on a ferry unless times are totally different.
PF, Dublin
Unfortunately, there are no ferries from Ireland to Jersey.
You will have to go via the UK on one of the ferry services from Dublin or Rosslare and drive to Weymouth, Portsmouth or Poole for a passage to Jersey on Condor Ferries. The price depends on the vehicle size and day of the week you travel. See condorferries.com. Between the two ferries, you will be looking at around €800 return for a car and two passengers.
Go ask Joan:E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com