Pre-trip Planning - Part 2

After making some tentative inquiries into hotel and B&B availability, it appears that calling ahead a day or two while on the move will not guarantee us a bed.  Seems we're not the only people travelling around Ireland hanging out with the locals.

Therefore, some detailed planning was going to be necessary in order for us to have a warm, dry bed to rest our heads on after a day on the trail.  I've managed to plan our route and book accommodations for the first 6 days of our trip - it was great fun checking out all the possible options and deciding what would be feasible and more importantly, what would be fun!

So here is the current plan, ready to be revised if necessary:

Day 1: Arrive in Dublin 7:00 am, likely check in to the West Jet crew hotel, catch a few hours sleep, head down to The Temple Bar in the early evening so we can wave to everyone on the Temple Bar webcam !  I will post an exact time on a future blog so you can all join us.

Day 2:  Another day in Dublin following a self-guided all day walking tour podcast.  With 40 stops to check out we'll be making a few pint stops along the way....I mean pit stops!  Early to bed for a good nights sleep before we hit the The Wicklow Way.  Okay, so we may have to do a second Temple Bar webcam visit just to be sure we get to say hi to everyone, stay tuned for more news on that.

Day 3: Wicklow Way - Marlay Park to Knockree 21 kms, overnight at Knockree Hostel.  See the trail description and map here.

Day 4: Wicklow Way - Knockree to Roundwood 18 kms, see trail and map here. We'll overnight with my new couch surfing friend Madeleine Dodd, better known as Miney.  Miney and I have become fast friends as we email back and forth about our lives and all the things we have in common.  Can't wait to meet her!  She will pick us up and take us back to her place on the coast about 15 minutes from the trail, and bring us back the next morning.  This is Miney's Irish Cottage!
 
Day 5: Wicklow Way - Roundwood to Glendalough 12 kms, see trail and map here.  Overnight with another wonderful couchsurfing friend, Advig Stahl.  This is Advig, need I say more?

     
Day 6: Wicklow Way - Glendalough to Glenmalure 14 kms, see trail and map here. This is the final section of the Wicklow Way we will undertake, time to move on to another amazing area of Ireland.  Waiting to hear back from Stirabout Lane B&B in Rathdrum, hopefully they have a room for us.

That's my blog for today folks.  Stay tuned for the next installment....