14 GREAT CAMPSITES FOR YOUR MOTORBIKE TRIP AROUND IRELAND

Last updated on November 10, 2024

You want to do a round trip of Ireland by motorbike and camp out? Good idea! The Irish like camping themselves and there are a really large number of campsites of all kinds.

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Motorbike at the small fishing harbour of Ballyhack (photo by Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

Intro

I’ve put together a selection of 14 great campsites around the island of Ireland. If you string them together, you’ll get around the whole island.

I’ve tried to pick the best campsites for you, but it’s also important that the daily stages fit in well. And because the coasts are the highlight of the island, the campsites should be on the coast as much as possible.

However, the Family Motorhome Parks are usually located there, and they don’t always offer campsites, so one or the other campsite will be a little further inlands.

Let’s have a look at your motorbike camping tour now:

1 Wolohans Silverstrand Caravan Park

The Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin offer a great start to your motorbike holiday. From the mountains you can drive to the coast to the small town of Wicklow. The harbour is nice and you are sure to find a good dinner here. A little south of Wicklow you will come to Solver beach. This small but beautiful beach is surrounded by cliffs. There are several campsites and one of them is Wolohans Silver Strand Caravan Park. From the large tent meadows you look directly at the sea. See: https://www.silverstrand.ie.

2. Powers The Pot Camping and Caravanning Site

Beautifully situated on high ground in the Comeragh Mountains is this campsite. The nearest town is Clonmel, so you’re not far from Cahir Castle in one direction and Lismore Castle in the other. You can include the Copper Coast on your route, or the Vee Valley with the Vee Pass. See: https://www.powersthepot.com.

3. Mountain Forge Escape

Not far from Clonakilty is the Mountain Escape in the hills above the coast. There are tent sites here and also glamping pods, which are small cabins. The southwest coast is super beautiful. Explore the little coves and also check out the Drombeg Stone Circle nearby. See: www.mountainescape.ie/accomodation/.

4. Glengarriff Caravan & Camping Park

You have already seen Baltimore and Mizen Head, maybe also Sheep`s Head. Tomorrow it is the turn of the beautiful Beara Peninsula with the winding Healy Pass. But before that, you should get some sleep – this campsite is near Gortnakilla and therefore a great starting point for tomorrow. See: https://www.glengarriff-caravan-camping-park.business.site.

Ships in the harbour of Kilmore Quay (photo by Josephine Gertberg)

5. Mannix Point (Mortimer`s) Camping and Caravan Park

Near Cahersiveen, at the tip of the Ring of Kerry, this campsite is beautifully situated right on the water. Apart from the Ring of Kerry, you can drive deep into the mountains of Killarney National Park on the way there or further. See: https://www.campinginkerry.com.

6. Campail Teach an Aragail

Ok, I don’t know what the name means either, it’s probably Gaelic and has to do with camping… The Dingle Peninsula is a gem of a peninsula, especially the Sela Head Drive at the tip of the island and the Conor Pass is also beautiful. But the island also likes to be busy in summer, especially on the coast – sure. This campsite is a bit oof-the-mainstream and seems a bit smaller and more personal to me. See: https://www.dinglecamping.ie.

7. Nagles Camping & Caravan Park

Right on Doolin Pier, this campsite is in an incredible location. From your tent you can see the Cliffs of Moher again! The ferries to the Aran Islands also leave from here. See: https://www.doolincamping.com.

8. Clifden Eco Beach Camping & Caravanning Park

And again an incredible location west of Clifden. After a beautiful drive through Connemara and its south coast, your tent is practically right on the water! See: https://www.clifdenecocamping.ie.

9. Achill Sea Caves Caravan & Camping

Achill Island is a really special island. It is very easily accessible via a bridge. Especially the south coast and Keem Beach. On the north coast this campsite is situated directly on Dugort Beach. The island is simply beautiful! See: https://www.achillsealcaves.com.

10. Boyle`s Caravan Park Portnoo

You have probably admired the Slieve League cliffs and visited the super nice Glebcolumbcille Folk Village and are now looking for a nice place to pitch your tent. You can be helped: This campsite is located directly on Portnoo Beach. You can camp in the dunes above the beach. See: https://www.boylescaravans.com/camping-and-touring.

11. Knockalla Caravan & Camping Park

The whole coastline from Dunfanaghy to Fanad Head is beautiful. Fanad Head Lighthouse is a must-see on your motorbike trip! The stretch between Fanad Head, Portsalon and Rathmullan is also great because you’re really riding right by the sea. There, very close to the long sandy Ballimastoker Beach, is this campsite. There are tent pitches (away from the children’s playground) with a view of the sea. See: https://knockallacaravanpark.com.

Silver Strand in Donegal (photo by Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

12. Binnion Bay Caravan & Camping Facility

It makes sense to visit Londonderry/Derry for a few hours. You can walk on the old city wall around the old centre (1-2h) and have a nice meal. Then I would also visit the Mizen Head Peninsula. Mizen Head is not that interesting (northernmost point…) but the peninsula is beautiful, especially the pass Gap of Mamore. North of it is Tullagh Beach and there you will find this camping site. See: https://caravanandcampingireland.ie/about-the-park.

13. Trench Farm Camping

After all the tourist attractions of the Causeway Coast, you can find peace and quiet here: Trench Farm is rustic on the hill. Insider tip: I find the North Antrim Coastal Route, i.e. the coastal road from Torr Head to Larne, much nicer to drive than the crowded Causeway. See: http://www.trenchfarm.com/.

14 Kilbroney Caravan Park

If you’ve seen the Titanic Belfast in Belfast Harbour, I recommend the route via Mount Stewart House & Garden, the small ferry at Portaferry, Annalong and around Carlinford Lough to the south. You can do another loop through the Mourne Mountains and then find your last night here in Kilbroney, on the mountain above the Lough, before heading back towards Dublin tomorrow. See: https://visitmournemountains.campmanager.com/18809/Check-Availability/.

Rent a motorbike for your camping trip in Ireland

Of course you can ride as you like and stay where you like! But I hope I could give you some inspiration for your motorbike camping trip in Ireland.

I cannot offer you a rental motorcycle anymore, but you can easily find alternatives around Dublin or Belfast.

Have a great motorbike camping trip in Ireland!