I opened my mail this morning and saw this Groupon offer.

http://www.groupon.ie/deals/dublin-special/ga-the-lodge-hotel-1/57486296?p=1&nlp=&CID=IE_CRM_1_0_0_60&a=1768&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&sid=440d085e-90d9-4eea-a258-beea7cca7113&division=dublin-special&uh=e664c352-df5b-4003-8ad5-be4088790b86&date=20150103&sender=rm&s=body&c=deal_button&d=deal-page&utm_campaign=ga-the-lodge-hotel-1-57486296


The Groupon has been excellent in the last 2 years and was the making of our trip in 2014.

Comberjohn mentioned a change in location and sadly we also read of the demise of our beloved Fawlty Towers Kilmorey Arms Hotel at Kilkeel. I think last year it ran to €109 for the weekend option including dinner and the exchange rate has shifted a good 10% since so its not too bad at €139 although it doesn't seem to have the same 'charm'.

I am not sure we are ready to book this offer yet- no date sorted but it did set me thinking.

Some weekends suit born Again Eccentric, for example and Comberjohn always seems to make the right call on weather......at least once we get there.

Looks ok, Olaf. You're going to be very wet by the time you get to Coleraine!
Depends on where you had in mind for the next day. Donegal?
I was having a quick look on the airbnb website and was thinking that it may be an idea to take over a B & B or a house for the weekend.
Depending on the numbers it could be quite economical.
Could choose somewhere more in the area we want to be.
Would have to be a bit more definite about booking it though.

Comberjohn

Always the best ideas. Take over a house or airbnb for the weekend sounds really good and so very flexible and as you say go where we want. I thought you had mentioned Donegal for a change but I am open for anywhere.

.....at least this time Bjorn would actually get to eat his choice of menu!! Or, he would actually get to eat....and this time the breakfast fishes would be cooked properly.

Would we miss the Fawlty Towers bit?

I see the bit about being wet by the time we get to Coleraine. But despite the amount of rain your weather stone pushed off the Saturday I for one managed to stay warm and dry on the way up as it showed the wet weather capabilities of the K.

I must go cook breakfast....

Are you suggesting that YOU cooking breakfast would result in me having to bring my own food ?

We'll see. Donegal sounds good to me but is tempting to come home the Connemara way....

The air B&B is a great suggestion. two nights with the same base and a nice ride loop in between would do nicely.

Does anyone (Olaf the organiser, or so I'm told ) have any idea of dates, or even a range of possible dates for this?
I'm yet to sort dates for my trip over this way again later this year, but if I can swing it to join the Eccentrics again that would be a great plus for me.

Bill

Over to you Comberjohn, honourable keeper of the Weather Stone.......

Bill,

Usually in September but which weekend is not yet decided. The challenge is to get good weather. We get good weather but sometimes those travelling from down south get p****d upon on the way....

Hopefully Born Again Eccentric will make it over again.

There will be a number of us coming over again this year.  It is booked for October 16th - 19th and we will be staying in the Killala Cottages at the Old Deanery in Co. Mayo .

Mike

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Over to you Comberjohn, honourable keeper of the Weather Stone.......

Bill,

Usually in September but which weekend is not yet decided. The challenge is to get good weather. We get good weather but sometimes those travelling from down south get p****d upon on the way....

Hopefully Born Again Eccentric will make it over again.

The only whether (sic) I'm bothered about is whether the chosen weekend aligns with being free of my daughters or not. Given enough notice, I can negotiate with the ex and make myself free. 

As for the other type of weather, while I'd prefer dry and sunny, it is not essential - the kompany alone brings it's own warmth and enjoyment. I might baulk at coming over if faced with snow and ice...but that would be a little unusual for September.

We don't want Comberjohn to wear out the weather stone - some things shouldn't be rubbed too much, or people will talk!

I have absolutely no interest in the third type of wether - i.e. a castrated ram! Although this might be more of a worry if Becky or Snodders came over - especially if the poor old ram happens to be wandering about in the road!!

Comberjohn turned up last weekend on a Gran Sunshine I mean a GS. The K1600 is gone. Must be the fallout from that K100 he bought about 2 months back. The weather stone will be kept well polished but its durable and will outlast all of us.

Since Mike D has posted an October trip 16-19th I think we will be meeting up again somewhere over there that weekend. We did the Craggy Island trip last year on that weekend.

Seems we have a choice of Friday 11 18 or 25 September. Why not post up what date you might have and see how it works.

I don't think Becky would be too much of a worry. If I recall correctly she did make a stop when the sheep appeared. I think the ram came from behind.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Seems we have a choice of Friday 11 18 or 25 September. Why not post up what date you might have and see how it works.

That definately counts me out Olaf - those dates very neatly shotgun my trip to the US.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Since Mike D has posted an October trip 16-19th I think we will be meeting up again somewhere over there that weekend. We did the Craggy Island trip last year on that weekend.

Seems we have a choice of Friday 11 18 or 25 September. Why not post up what date you might have and see how it works.

From the latter, I'll be free on the weekend of 19-20th Sep and can arrange a day a/l for 18th, but will be working the other two weekends. 16-19th Oct also looks good, tempted to roam around Joyce country that weekend just as well.

Its not really a day trip from Cork, as in 250 miles or so from Cork to Belfast or wherever we usually meet. My Norn Iron weekend has varied from 780 to 890 miles....with the 890 miles done between Friday lunchtime and Sunday night. I have once come back on the Saturday night but really like to have the Sunday as well.

At the moment any of the 3 weekends work for me.

I do like the meet up in Cork and travel up together collecting a few more on the way.

Can't do the 11th!

18th is more near the usual time we have gone for.

Unfortunately no matter what weekend we go for we wont get everyone.

Pity Dai is away. You just have to stop travelling in September!!!! I admit I had a trip away every September for years, first weekend and its a great time to go.

We're going to see Santa Claus in Iceland in the second week of December, so don't go booking anything then either!!

I wonder could some very kind and diplomatic forum member tell Dai the truth about Santa?

tomfoley wrote:I wonder could some very kind and diplomatic forum member tell Dai the truth about Santa?

What??  That he's not from Iceland?  

Don't ruin the lad's world, wait until he grows up  !

88KE wrote:

tomfoley wrote:I wonder could some very kind and diplomatic forum member tell Dai the truth about Santa?

What??  That he's not from Iceland?  

I didn't realise that Iceland is so far North! Thanks for the geography lesson.

Bill

I suppose we best not tell Dai that Santa will be with Eccentrics that weekend.

Aw, crap. Better not tell Elizabeth.

At the moment, any weekend in September suits me.

And with the current exchange rate, Donegal sound better 

So is this trip normally a weekend of a few days, I've got about 15 days holiday that I'm allowed to take. Yet can go from September onwards. I literally don't mind about mileage just need a rough idea as to check with work.

I'll have a nosey later on and see what's free.

Born Again Eccentric [BAE] lives south of you and he came over for it last year.

His route was to take the Friday afternoon ferry to Dublin, leaving Holyhead around 2.30 and arriving Dublin around 5.30pm and heading North after a meet up just north of the ferry port. Saturday was an all day outing and for some Sunday morning was spent supping coffee and scones in Newcastle and the afternoon in the Mournes enjoying sunshine and vacant roads.

BAE took an early Sunday morning ferry back from Dublin.

Realistically it doesn't make much of a hole in holidays as there are Sunday evening ferries back. Its possible a Rosslare toFishguard/Pembroke homeward leg might suit you better as the run from Dublin down to Rosslare is considerably shorter than the run from Holyhead down to Bristol.

Date is not firmed up for this year, if BAE is coming over not every weekend will work for him. Comberjohn tends to be our host/guide etc for the weekend as he minds the famed weather stone.

Last 2 years we have gone for hotel accommodation as its a good time for very cheap deals. I keep an eye out for these but sadly the hotel we used last year went into liquidation and is not available to us. It was an economical and 'interesting' base for the weekend.

I suppose we should see what weekends work so pop up any that do or don't.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Its possible a Rosslare toFishguard/Pembroke homeward leg might suit you better as the run from Dublin down to Rosslare is considerably shorter than the run from Holyhead down to Bristol.

 Actually, there is not much in it distance wise. Dublin to Rosslare plus Fishguard to Bristol is about 240 miles and Holyhead to Bristol is about 230 miles (down the middle of Wales - rather than the quicker, but tedious and longer motorway option). Both ferrys take about the same time, so it mostly comes down to sailing times. Coming from Northern Ireland: early ferry - makes sense to ship back out of Dublin, late ferry - makes sense to use the time to eat up the first 100 miles (from Dublin) and get down to Rosslare and take ferry over to Fishguard. Either way, it's all part of the adventure.

I had to get the early ferry last year to be home in time for my daughters getting back from a weekend at their mums. The late ferry doesn't arrive until the wee hours of Monday morning, so would potentially write Monday off as a work day...but, if you're able, it does give you a better chance to enjoy all of Sunday in Ireland rather than cut and running early.