Featured image: Giant’s Causeway is a must-see experience in Northern Ireland | Photo by Carolyn Ray

A self-guided train trip lets me travel at my own pace

by Carolyn Ray

Earlier this year, a travel writer friend asked me ‘if you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?’

That’s a hard question for any travel writer to answer. This year alone, I’ve travelled to about 12 countries. Some of my travel has been for work, such as my two-week hiking trip in Japan as a guest of Wild Women Expeditions or my press trip to Norway with Hurtigruten. Other trips, like my three months in Malta, Italy and Sicily, were on my own. When I plan my travels, I start my research months in advance, creating detailed itineraries, soliciting recommendations and searching for less-travelled places, usually in the off-season. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of finding that perfect boutique hotel or designing a memorable experience that you can share with others. 

When I thought about a place I hadn’t been to, one place came to mind — Ireland. Like so many, I have ancestral roots in Ireland, and have only heard glowing reports from women who have been there. But the thought of planning a trip, especially in the high season in July, felt exhausting. When Brendan Vacations invited me to try a self-guided trip in Ireland and Scotland, it was a new and interesting idea. With a self-guided trip, the hotels, walking tours, trains, and local hosts are organized in advance. Even though it was busier in July, I knew that Brendan had the connections and experience to book me in safe, good-quality hotels. Self-guided trips are a popular option for more independent travellers who want a well-planned trip, with the freedom to explore at our own pace.

Brendan Vacations has been organizing Celtic trips to Ireland and Scotland for more than 55 years, and offers a variety of custom trip styles, from fully guided vacations to luxury trips with a private chauffeur. I chose a 15-day self-guided train trip that started in London, with six days in Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. I booked my own flight to Dublin from Edinburgh, and spent 10 days in Ireland, with stays in Dublin, Cork, Killarney and Belfast. Working with a trip designer at Brendan, I customized the itinerary, timing, hotels and activities, selecting the local tours I wanted. To extend my stay, I added an extra week in Dublin for day trips. It was the perfect solution!

Oops… did the seasons change?

Although I had visited Edinburgh in February 2023, I had never further north, or to Ireland. With romantic notions of Outlander, Irish pubs and a warm breeze blowing at the Cliffs of Moher dancing in my head, I booked a flight, packed my bags with flowy summer dresses and hopped on a plane, without a worry in the world. I didn’t even google the tourism board websites or look at the weather forecast. I just went.

While Europe was sweltering in the summer heat, Scotland and Ireland were blanketed in rain. Needless to say, my dresses and sandals stayed in my bag, but my puffy jacket, sneakers and umbrella became essential. Some days, I even double-layered with a jeans jacket, scarf and hat. I had fantasies of shipping most of my suitcase home and starting fresh.

It rained. A lot. But somehow it felt appropriate, particularly in places like Culloden Field. On a misty morning, I walked by stone monuments to the armies that fought in a vicious battle in 1746 that would leave 1,600 men dead. This was the final battle of the Jacobite Rising, where the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops fought Jacobite supporters on Culloden Battlefields. It was a sombre moment, imagining the clans fighting with swords and mallets against the British army’s muskets, cannons and artillery.  According to the guide, the government army stood in three lines and fired upon the Jacobites every six seconds. Seven hundred men were killed in the first three minutes, and the entire battle lasted only an hour. After this defeat, the British banned gathering in groups, tartans and music.

In Ireland, there were sunnier skies. Dublin was warm during the day, and cooler at night. At the Cliffs of Moher, torrential rains didn’t dim the magnificence of these natural wonders. Another variable I hadn’t considered was the short nights and long days. Most places, the streets were full of people until sunset at 10 pm, with sunrise around 5 am every day, giving me lots of time to see as much as possible, while not being overly concerned about my safety.

Five things I liked about my self-guided trip

1. A local Brendan Vacations host met me in each city

My journey across Scotland and Ireland began at the Euston Train Station in London after speaking at a women’s travel conference. I hopped on the train to Glasgow, not actually having read the full itinerary for my three days. Fortunately, one of Brendan’s local hosts greeted me at the hotel with a map in hand, and tips on what to see, where to eat and how to use public transit.

A female host met me in Inverness, Edinburgh, Cork, Dublin, Killarney and Belfast. All of the hosts all were incredibly welcoming and helpful, sharing their perspective on culture, events and women’s safety.

2. Train travel is easy, affordable and convenient

Taking the train across Scotland and Ireland is a stress-free way to travel. In most cities, the train station is right downtown and it’s an easy walk to the hotel. Brendan Vacations provided me with confirmation numbers and I picked up printed tickets upon arrival in Glasgow for all of Scotland, and again in Dublin for all of Ireland.

Once I arrived, I took public transit to get around. I spent three days in Glasgow, where I took the most adorable subway I’ve ever seen, the Circle, from Buchanan Street to meet friends for dinner in Ashton Lane. In Inverness, I took the local bus to Loch Ness for a boat trip that I booked online. In Cork, I hopped on the train to spend the day in the charming village of Cobh, the Titanic’s last port of call. In Dublin, I discovered the Leap card, which allows for unlimited public transit for 1 day for 8 euros, including the Luas tram from the train station. I also used my Wise card when necessary to tap on and off.

3. Most hotels are locally owned boutique hotels

I tend to be very selective about where I stay. For the most part, I liked the hotels arranged by Brendan Vacations, especially the smaller boutique hotels.

There were two stand-out hotels: the Arbutus in Killarney, a charming Victorian-era home with a pub downstairs, and the Montenotte Hotel in Cork, with views from the highest hill. In Edinburgh, I stayed at the luxury Roseate but only for one night — not enough to appreciate its understated elegance and have a bath in the tub!

4. Local tours were pre-arranged

I always like doing a walking tour when I arrive somewhere new. It’s a great way to meet people and get insider tips on where to eat.

In Glasgow, I joined a two-hour walking tour with Walking Tours Scotland. This two-hour walk included the medieval area, including the 1,000-year-old Glasgow Cathedral, where St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city, is buried. Nearby is the Necropolis, one of Europe’s most famous cemeteries, with an enormous statue of John Knox clutching a Bible in his hand. St. George’s Square is also a popular spot, with the statue of the Duke of Wellington with a pilon on his head.

In the charming seaside town of Cobh, Ireland, Brendan Vacations arranged an excellent historical tour with The Titanic Trail. Previously named Queenstown, Cobh is famous for being the Titanic’s last port of call and for the rescue of the survivors from the Lusitania in 1915. ,Later, at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, I saw black and white photographs of doomed Titanic passengers standing on the dock in Cobh, being shuttled out to the waiting ship. 

I joined two coach trips to see iconic sights such as Giant’s Causeway near Belfast and Wild Kerry Day Tours near Killarney. In Killarney, I joined another coach trip with Wild Kerry Day Tours to see the Ring of Kerry and sheepdog champion Tom Sullivan. Both trips had excellent guides.

In Belfast, I was provided with pre-booked tickets to the Titanic Museum. This is a must-see to understand the story of Belfast as an industrial capital in the 1900s, including its shipbuilding, rope making and linen industries. The Titanic’s tragic end is heartbreaking, with so many mistakes made. Imagine the band playing until the very end.

5. There was time to plan my own activities

Travel planning on the fly is always a good skill to develop and I appreciated that I had enough time to plan my own activities when there. Many of the ideas came from JourneyWoman readers who wrote and shared tips on our private Facebook group.

In Cork, I took an Uber to kiss the Blarney stone and see the magnificent gardens of Blarney Castle. In Edinburgh, I took the bus to Rosslyn Chapel, founded in 1466, just seven miles outside Edinburgh. The popularity of the chapel has increased since the Da Vinci Code, so book in advance for tickets, which are available in 90-minute time slots. (Click here to book)

Renting a car is a necessity in some areas, even with the additional challenge of driving on the left-hand side of the road. After visiting Culloden, I stopped by Clava to see the standing stones, which sadly, did not usher me into another century. After lunch in Cairns, one of Scotland’s most famous prehistoric burial sites. Built in the Bronze Age, it was made famous in Outlander. I also drove to Bow Fiddle Rock near Portknockie on the north-eastern coast of Scotland.

Driving on the Dingle Peninsula is not for the faint of heart, but worth it. On my way to Galway, a stop-over in Athlone at Sean’s Pub (the oldest tavern in Ireland, and possibly in the world, at 900 A.D) yielded a tip to visit Clonmacnoise, a ruined ancient monastery. Its impressive Celtic crosses and the scenery is magical.

Is a self-guided trip better than planning it yourself?

Ireland and Scotland are easy places where women can safely travel solo. But there are times when you might not want to plan anything and just go with the flow. This is where a self-guided trip can help reduce anxiety and help you find safe places to stay.

There is lots of flexibility to plan your own day and manage the cost by removing activities from the itinerary. For example, I removed several hop-on-hop-off bus tours from my first itinerary, preferring to arrange my own walking tours or take public transit.

In most cities, I found that the cost of the accommodations was far more than the daily cost of my trip (which was about $300USD). For example, the Montenotte in Cork has a publicly listed rate of €300 a night, far more than I paid as a per diem for my trip. In each city, the cost of local host, train transportation, local walking tours and breakfast was included in the rate.  If I wanted to change anything, however, there wasn’t much flexibility once the trip was booked. 

While I didn’t reach new heights of fashion on my birthday adventure trip to Scotland and Ireland, I did find peace with the idea of giving up a bit of control over planning my own trip, and letting someone else worry about the details. This let me focus on my own interests with lots of me time and more magical experiences that I can count. Would I do a self-guided trip again? Absolutely, but this time I’ll look at the weather forecast.

How I customized my trip

I’m grateful to the JourneyWoman readers who provided lots of ideas to help me see the best parts of Ireland and Scotland that weren’t part of the original itinerary provided by Brendan Vacations.

Glasgow: A two-hour walking tour was arranged for me, but I had lots of time in my three days to explore the city. The home of Robert Burns and other poets, Glasgow’s murals tell the story of the city. There’s a sense of humour here, evident in the Duke of Wellington’s statue with the cone, and at the Scotia Pub, founded in 1792 in service to merchant sailors, and later, poets, musicians and actors. Upon arrival, I made my way to Kelvinbridge and joined friends at the Chaakoo Bombay Café and came back a second night for dinner at the Ubiquitous Chip. Check out Inn Deep and the Clutha Bar, as well as craft beer and graffiti tours. (Find local tours here).

Inverness: Activities arranged by Brendan Vacation included a walking tour of Inverness’ old town and tickets to Culloden. Arriving in Inverness, I was welcomed by everyone to the ‘real Scotland’. With a quirky city crest of elephants and camels, this is the heart of Scottish independence, as evidenced by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s confidante Fiona Macdonald, who’s a heroine to the Highlanders for spiriting the prince away to the Isle of Skye. The Castle where her statue stands is closed for renovations until 2025, but there’s plenty to see on an old town walking tour. I took a bus to Inverness Airport to rent a car, and drove to Culloden and Clava Cairns (it’s free), with dinner in the lovely town of Nairn. When visiting Inverness, listen for bagpipes and weddings, and stop by Leakey’s Book Shop, The Castle Tavern and MacGregor’s Pub in the evening for live music and cries of ‘haste ye back!’  (Find local tours here).

Edinburgh:  Having been to Edinburgh before, I enjoyed sightseeing on the Royal Mile, but didn’t realize that Edinburgh Castle would be covered in staging for the Edinburgh Tattoo and summer concerts. I didn’t enjoy the kitschy ghost walk tour but made my own plans to visit Rosslyn Chapel. I loved staying at the luxury Roseate in Canongate arranged by Brendan Vacations and took the bus to Rose Street in the New Town, which has many outdoor patios and pubs. In practically any city in the UK, if I’m overwhelmed by restaurants, I try the Ivy because I can make a reservation on OpenTable. (Find local tours here).

Dublin: The only activity arranged for me in Dublin was a visit to the Guinness Storehouse, leaving me plenty of time to explore this amazing city. While most tourists flock to the Temple Bar and The Brazen Head, I sat at the bar at the Long Hall Bar to enjoy its Victorian-era furnishings and mirrors. I loved Dublin’s restaurants, including The Green Hen, Chequer Lane, Mr Fox Restaurant, Matt the Thresher, and Mulligan’s. One evening, I took a bus to an EatWith experience to meet other travellers. I signed up for a 1916 Rebellion walking tour with author Lorcan Collins and visited the Irish Emigration Museum (EPIC), Trinity College for the Book of Kells, Sweney’s Pharmacy, Kilmainham Gaol Museum, the National Library, and Archaeology Museum. I bought a last-minute ticket to a high-spirited evening performance of Riverdance at the Gaiety Theatre and loved my pre-show dinner at the Davy Bynes restaurant. (Find local tours here).

Belfast:  On July 14, the day I arrived in Belfast, it was a national holiday weekend (‘the Twelfth’) and almost everything was closed. Fortunately, some of the pubs, like Robinson’s, were open for the Euro Cup. I booked a Belfast Black Cab Tour which was an absolute highlight. I also ate at McHughs Pub, established in 1711, near the tilted Albert Memorial Clock that sits on top of what was once a river. The most vibrant area was the Cathedral Quarter near Belfast Cathedral and I would stay there given any opportunity to return. (Find local tours here).

Killarney: Killarney is one of the most charming towns I’ve ever been to and a wonderful place to spend my birthday. The Arbutus Hotel was a short walk from the train station and central to local institutions like Murphy’s and J.M. Reidy’s, all of which had live music. I rented a car at Budget and wound my way around the Dingle Peninsula for the day, returning for a walk around Killarney National Park which is right in town. (Find local tours here).

Disclaimer: I travelled on a 15-day trip with Brendan Vacations and paid for my own excursions, car rentals, airfare and meals. Hotels, train transportation, a local host, local walking tours and breakfast was included in the Brendan rate.

More to Discover From Ireland and Scotland