Sailing holidays in Ireland | Offshore Yacht Charter
The special feature of Ireland is the cultural heritage with Celtic ruins, medieval castles and beautiful dramatic landscapes. The myths, beautiful music, cozy pubs and the hospitality of the people make Ireland ideal for a special sailing holiday. The acclaimed coast of Ireland, from the rugged cliffs of Cork to the secluded peninsula in the northwest has great appeal.
Most regions contain a wealth of history, from Neolithic sites in central Ireland, Norman castles in the North and stately homes in the Southeast. For this reason, the fantasy series Game of Thrones is partly shot in Ireland. Known and typical music from Ireland include: Clannad, U2, Mumford & Sons, The Dubliners, Cristy Moore and the Pogues.
Sailing holidays in Ireland
Ireland is a special country and ideal to explore by means of a sailing voyage. Our sailing trips are a nice balance of traveling, culture and relaxing. We will be in a port or at anchor every night. It is not necessary to have sailing experience.
On our ‘category C’ sailing holidays there will also be time for sightseeing. This means that the vessel will stay a day in the harbor and depending on the possibilities, you can choose for a long walk, a bustour or for example whiskey tasting.
The majority of these sailing holidays in Ireland are sheltered from the swell of the Atlantic Ocean and the day distances are just right, making this pleasant sailing holidays with sufficient challenge for an adventurous and active sailing trip.
We will regularly have to carry out a sailing maneuver. The sailing enthusiast can help us, but nothing is mandatory, after all it is your holiday, you can simply enjoy and relax.
Bed & Breakfast in Ireland
On some of our sailing holidays in Ireland it is also possible to book an extra day on the boat (as Bed & Breakfast) at the end of the sailing trip, so you can explore the city by yourself. This possibility is indicated in the sailing schedule.
Sailing holidays in Ireland
As already described, Ireland is a beautifully diverse Island. With green hills, beautiful skies and occasionally the coast is wrapped in a blanket of fog, making these sailing trips extra special. Of course, Ireland is not just green, compared to our southern sailing area, the climate is more humid. To avoid that you become cold and wet, you can rent sailing gear from us, so you can continue to enjoy when the weather is not cooperating.
This region of Ireland has somewhat for everyone, from busy seaside resorts to picturesque villages and rivers, Norman monasteries and bird sanctuaries. Sandy beaches are interspersed with rocky headlands and quiet coastal villages by bustling cities.
The South East of Ireland has the warmest climate, thanks to the Warm Gulf Stream even palm trees grow here. In this part are most sloping hills, impressive castles and large mansions.
Waterford is one of the oldest towns in Ireland, founded in 914 by the Vikings. To get there we will sail 11 miles in a beautiful estuary.
Kinsale is one of the most beautiful towns of Ireland with colorful shops and a picturesque harbor at the mouth of the Bandon. Obviously there are a lot of pubs in this area.
Sailing holidays in the Irish Sea between Dublin and Belfast
Sailing holidays in Ireland to Dublin
The Vikings built a fortress in 841 where two rivers came together in a black pool (Dubh Linn). This site is now the Dublin castle and the area was inhabited in prehistoric times by the Celts. Dublin has a wealth of attractions, such as cathedrals, Dublin castle, museums, but also fashionable shops, markets, parks and pubs. The Temple Bar is known as an artistic and cultural entertainment venue with old medieval streets in the Southeast of Dublin.
Tip: Download at home the app “City maps 2go offline” or the “Dublin app” for free, so you can easily find some great places to go sightseeing in Dublin.
Mourne Mountains
Between Dublin and Belfast lies Mourne coast, one of the highlights of Northern Ireland with beautiful outliers of the Mourne Mountains in the Irish Sea. Superb to see from the water, so perfect for a sailing holiday. From the picturesque fishing harbor Carlingford, located in a beautiful and sheltered estuary guarded by a castle ruin.
Also Strangford Lough is a possibility if the weather cooperates. This fjord is a natural park and even though in this area of the Irish Sea has little current, the approach can be a challenge due to the strong current in the funnel (8 knot with spring tides). There is even built a power plant which provides 1600 houses of electricity by means of the tidal current. From here it is possible to visit the “Mount Stewart garden ‘, this botanical garden is in the top five of the world and is definitely recommended.
Belfast
Belfast is a trendy and vibrant city with many Victorian buildings, trendy shops and cozy pubs. Shipbuilding (known by the Titanic) brought great prosperity. The ‘troubles’ between Catholics and Protestants have been captured in ‘murals’.
In the south of the city are the Ulster Museum and Botanical Gardens, in the north you will have a stunning view from the Cave Hill. In Belfast it is also an option to visit the Titanic Museum (a new iconic building on the spot where the Titanic was built, a true experience) or take a city tour including along the ‘murals’ in a typical English ‘Black cab’.
Sailing holidays in Northern-Ireland
While sailing in Northern Ireland you will find historical sites and beautiful varied landscapes of coasts and lakes. Since 1921 Northern Ireland is a province of the United Kingdom. The densely populated area around Belfast has a lot of industry, but outside of the city it is mainly an agricultural area. Very special is the Giant’s Causeway on the rugged coast of Antrim. The Giant’s Causeway is a rock formation consisting of some 40,000 basalt columns that look like they were carved by man.
The rock formation is UNESCO World Heritage and was created by a volcanic eruption some 60 million years ago. During the sailing voyages in Northern Ireland, we will remain a day in the harbor so that we can make a tour to the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick Island with a spectacular wooden walkway above the sea, other options are to visit the ruins of Dunluce castle and the Bushmill whiskey distillery.
Glenarm
From this small and picturesque port you can see Scotland. A short but lovely walk along the riverside with waterfall is definitely recommended.
Londonderry
The sailing voyage to Londonderry on the Foyle estuary is, in itself beautiful. We will sail inwards right along a ruined castle and the channel becomes more narrow. The mountains turn into hills with beautiful trees and houses on the banks. The current takes us inward where we will moor on a new pontoon and conclude the sailing holiday in the lively town.
Sailing Trip Londonderry
This city is also known as Derry (preferred by the Irish) and has been declared cultural capital in 2013 and is recommended by the “Lonely Planet”. Recent developments ensure that this city on the banks of the ‘Foyle’ is becoming increasingly popular.
There are several highlights such as a tour of the ‘Bogside Murals’, made famous by ‘Bloody Sunday’ or a walk along the old city wall. Of course there are also many cozy pubs and trendy shops.
To sail with us in Ireland, take a look in our sailing holiday schedule. If you book early, you can fly cheap to Cork, Dublin or Belfast.
