Flying to Ireland will necessitate car hire once you get there, but the airports have dealers in convenient locations. You might get a brand of American car you never heard of before. The major manufacturers have different models in European countries that may have a bit more style even if they are basically the same as the American versions.

The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen

The Dingle Peninsula is a good example of a driving tour. Starting in Tralee, go west and around the peninsula ending at Castlemaine Harbour. Take in the Gallarus Oratory, a stone chapel built by monks some time after 600 A.D., that still stands in excellent condition.

Another trip that car hire easily accommodates is just south of Dingle in the Ring of Kerry. Starting at Killarney on the Iveragh Peninsula, circle west and around to Killorglin. Muckross House, just over three miles from Killarney, is a 65-room estate with lovely gardens. Queen Elizabeth visited the estate in 1861.

These two peninsulas are some of the most beautiful places on earth, and National Geographic agrees. Driving is the best way to see them because there are so many possibilities for sight-seeing and photography all the way around both areas. Rain or shine, these locales have been photographed extensively by professionals and visitors for decades. Being able to stop and get out of the car any time is invaluable. The right photograph can be framed and enjoyed for years.

Ring of Kerry, Ireland by DI Florian Fuchs

The coastal areas around the entire country are quite photogenic, and car hire touring is the best way to stop and take advantage of the scenery at a whim. Tour buses whiz by fields with ancient stone walls and hillsides of patchwork squares in different shades of green.

There are mountain vistas in various places in Ireland, as well, and seeing them by car is a sure way to enjoy them at leisure. County Wicklow has impressive mountain areas most easily accessed by car. There is no public transportation up into the mountains, so seeing the whole county is easiest by car.

Also in Wicklow is the Powerscourt Estate and Waterfall. It takes time to see all of the gardens, the house and the waterfall, so a car allows for an entire day of sightseeing. Don’t worry about a tour bus leaving without you; go by car and enjoy it fully. This is another site that has been photographed too many times to count.

Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland by DorinRodina

Glendalough, also in Wicklow, is an important historic site in a glacial valley. The name means “glen of two lakes.” Ireland is blessed with unparalleled beauty, and this is one more place in which to witness it in panoramic views from the hills. The remaining chapel and other structures from the seventh century are good reasons to go, and the lakes are unbelievably picturesque.

Many visitors come down to Wicklow from Dublin to hike, but the whole county has attractions that should not be missed. The shoreline is stunning as well. Don’t miss any of it. Hop in the car and see all of Ireland’s majestic views at your own rate.

This has been a guest post from Skedaddle, your best friend when it comes to planning road trips.

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“Dove Cottage”, home of William Wordsworth, near Grasmere, England by Strobilomyces

Slate

As you wander around Ambleside and Keswick, two of the most popular towns with visitors, you will notice that a large number of the buildings are constructed from slate and many more have slate roofs. Indeed the slate cottage is one of the characteristic Lakeland dwellings, featuring on many postcards and is a sought after place to stay – you will notice many bed and breakfasts and holiday lets housed in slate buildings. It is of no coincidence that these slate houses occur so frequently in Lakeland towns and villages; within the surrounding mountains there are deposits of slate, which were mined extensively in days gone by. While there may not be many slate mines still open in the Lake District, you are able to visit that at Honister Pass where you are able to take a guided underground tour and can purchase various slate mementos from the shop there.

Stone

Another typical style of Lakeland house is that of stone, again quarried locally, which has had its walls white limewashed to prevent damp – it does rain considerably in the Lake District, so be prepared when you visit. A good example of this type of home is Dove Cottage in Grasmere (a short drive from Ambleside), which was home to William Wordsworth, one of England’s finest poets. As with many properties, including those let to buy, you will notice that slate also makes an appearance on the roof and chimney stack of this cottage, as well as on the floor of the downstairs rooms. A guided tour of the cottage, including what was Wordsworth’s study, provides details of features in each room and is well recommended.

Times gone by

Following your trip to Grasmere, you might like to drive on to Near Sawrey, to visit the home of another famous literary person from Lakeland, Beatrix Potter. The 17th century farmhouse of Hill Top was bought by Beatrix with some of the money she made from the sale of her first books. Holidays to the Lake District as a child inspired her work and she went on to write many more tales of animals after purchasing Hill Top Farm. The site is now owned by the National Trust and visitors can see the interior, complete with the same furniture and possessions, as when Beatrix lived there until 1943. It is worth spending some time in the grounds, as the cottage garden is full of flowers, herbs and fruits typical of its time. The house and gardens can be considered to be a time capsule of the era.

In harmony

There are many more towns, villages and properties with historical interest that you might wish to visit while in the Lake District, each with its own character and style; those discussed here are merely a selection to get you started. Wherever you choose to go, your journey through Lakeland will demonstrate how well the buildings here blend into the surrounding countryside and this factor certainly contributes to the beauty of the area. Features such as dry stone walls, hedgerows and narrow lanes help with the continuum between settlements and the natural environment, but tight building regulations within the National Park have helped to preserve the landscape.

Claire Harrow regularly travels throughout England visiting the many beautiful historic towns and villages where local buildings often reflect locally available stone and construction techniques and styles that go back generations giving them a truly unique appeal.

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