Road Tripping | Ireland Day 1

Stansted – Cork

Our trip began with an early flight from London Stansted to Cork, which meant we could really make the most of our first day. As we were staying in Cork that night, we scheduled a couple of stops after our arrival, so we’d still have the late afternoon/early evening to explore the city.

After landing, collecting our luggage and the car we hired for the next 10 days, our first stop was Kinsale. The weather wasn’t the best, but it was still enjoyable – strolling the narrow, winding streets and sheltering from the rain with a coffee stop (decaf, obvs). The town itself is very picturesque, complete with yachts bobbing in the harbour and multi-coloured buildings. We hadn’t planned on staying that long and it was more a quick stop to get some supplies for the next couple of days lunches.

While in Kinsale, we stopped at the Old Head – but didn’t stay long due to the weather and we couldn’t get full access because the golf club only allows members and guests through the gates. We didn’t get to see the lighthouse, but the views we had were fabulous. If the weather was better and I was able to, I’m sure we’d have walked and explored further. The ocean breeze was lovely, though and it was a great photo stop.

After checking-in to the hotel, we walked to Cork City Centre but didn’t see much other than the shops on the high street. I’m not totally sure what else there is to do in the city, but I would return to explore further – and I’d certainly return to the hotel we spent the night at.

Today we walked 10.3km.

Where we stayed

The Montenotte Hotel –

This luxury boutique hotel was certainly up my street – even more so when we arrived and found we were upgraded to the hotel’s only Presidential Suite! Our room was huge, with a living area, separate toilet, rainforest shower and large bath tub. I had one of the best night’s sleep here. We had dinner and breakfast at the hotel and both were very good. We didn’t manage to see the full extent of the facilities – which include an in-house cinema! But the staff were helpful and friendly and could not have done more for us.

Love, Lucy xx

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