Private tour and the proper pace result in a successful England/Ireland trip - Brief Article

Dorris lifted her glass of orange juice high in birthday celebration. The flight attendant had offered her champagne, but Dorris, 98 that day, preferred orange juice. We were on a return flight from Shannon, Ireland, to New York, and then would go on to Dallas. We were traveling home on my mother's 98th birthday after a successful 20-day trip to southwest England, Wales and Ireland.

Some help in planning

Dorris had read a large-print biography of Daphne Du Maurier and wanted to again visit Devon and Cornwall, counties in southwest England. My sister Betty wanted to visit Ireland, and my brother-in-law Bruce and I just wanted to go along.

All had lively minds but some physical impairments. Dorris walks with a cane and some assistance, has limited vision and is hearing impaired. Bruce, 81, a diabetic, has limited mobility and is vision impaired from a stroke a few years ago. Betty has some limitations in walking. At 64, I was the youngest of the group.

We wanted a sightseeing trip we could all enjoy but that would not be exhausting. We contacted Midway Motor Travel in England about a car and driver. Midway told us to plan the itinerary and specify what kind of accommodations we would like. We did, and they gave us a price, around $2,800 per person. The price included accommodations with breakfast, a driver/guide and a van for 16 days.

We specified small inns and bedand-breakfasts. For persons with limited mobility, staying in attractive places is important.

We didn't want to double back to come home, so we flew to London-Gatwick and returned from Shannon, Ireland, on Delta. Cost, was $644 each.

Smooth going in England

Anton Prole, driver and guide, met us at Ifield Court Hotel the morning after we arrived at London-Gatwick. Ifield, close to Gatwick, picks up guests and has the hotel room ready plus a full breakfast -- important after the usual night flight from the States. Midway furnished a Mercedes-Benz van big enough for the four of us and luggage.

Then we were off with stops wherever we wanted: Jane Austen's house in Chawton or Winchester Cathedral as well as a tank museum for Bruce, a World War II veteran. We explored Dorchester, took a boat ride on the River Dart and visited Dartmouth from where the Pilgrims sailed and also Plymouth where they again set sail. Traveling by van, we often were in the country amid hedgerows. visiting quiet towns -- the hidden England.

With Anton, Dorris and I went to Land's End one day, also visiting Mousehole and St. Ives. Betty and Bruce stayed in Looe, Cornwall, resting at the, hotel and taking a taxi into town and a boat ride around the harbor.

In Looe, we boarded a train and sped at 10 or 15 miles an hour to Liskeard just for the ride. Puttering around Cornwall, we visited the seaside village of Polperro and, taking a ferry, crossed the harbor to Fowey to see Du Maurier's house, later visiting the shipwreck museum at Charleston. Another day we saw Jamaica Inn.

The country inns were cozy with fires burning in the pub fireplaces and the locals gathered for dinner and a pint. For lunch we stopped at pubs where we could get a bowl of soup or something more substantial.

To Ireland via Wales

After time in southwest England we traveled by easy stages to Ireland. On the way we saw Bristol with a stop at the glass factory making Bristol Blue.

After a night in mid-Wales, we visited Porthmadog and took the vintage train to Blaenau Ffestiniog. It was an old-fashioned day. Brakemen, conductors and some of the passengers were dressed in Victorian costume. A band played at the Tan-y-bwlch station where I leaned out of the window of the wood carriage to converse with a woman on a bench, but she was speaking Welsh with maybe a little English thrown in.

After a night at Beaumaris in north Wales, we took the hydrofoil at Holyhead and in two hours were in Dun Laoghaire near Dublin.

Staying by the canal near Tullamore, I went into Dublin by train while the others with Anton went to Kilkenny. Such is the flexibility of a private tour.

Timing is all-important

Except for traveling to Ireland and the initial stay at Ifield, we spent, two to three nights at each location. We tried to be back from sightseeing by 4 in the afternoon, so Dorris could take a nap before dinner. In the mornings we would leave to see sights around 9 or 9:30.

After a couple of nights by Dublin canal where a grey heron stalked for food each morning, we journeyed to Cong in the Connemara. A boat ride on Lough Corrib gave a view of Ashford Castle from the water and took us among the scenic islands of the lough. Traveling with someone who is physically impaired should include boat and train travel so the scenery moves by without any exertion on their part.

A tour around the rugged coast of the Connemara, time in Galway with a visit to the crystal factory and a visit to Yeats' Thoor Ballylee near Gort were possible from Cong, where "The Quiet Man" was filmed. Leaving Cong, we traveled through the Burren, saw the Cliffs of Moher and stopped for lunch at the famous Gus O'Connor's Pub in Doolin.

Settling in Ennis, we spent one more day touring, visiting the Dingle Peninsula, where rainbows glistened on the misty hills. We also had a day of rest before flying home. Building in a day of rest before a flight helps everyone. Midway furnished a driver to take us to Shannon airport and we were comfortably off -- toasting in flight Dorris' birthday.

Tour particulars

Our tour price included accommodations and van and guide, but we paid for lunch and supper and all admissions to museums, stately homes, train rides, etc.

Traveling with the physically and visually impaired is slower paced, but with a guide and van to take you to the sights, little time and energy are wasted in getting around.

Those who helped make our travels a success included the following:

* Ifield Court Hotel, Ifield Avenue, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 OJH, England; phone 01293 534807 or fax 01293 553218... and

* Midway Motor Travel, Broughton Gifford, Wiltshire SN12 8PJ, England; toll-free direct 800/214-8738.

(To travel in the footsteps of Daphne Du Maurier, see this month's Britain column, pg. 147. -- Editor)

COPYRIGHT 2000 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group