MOTORBIKE HOLIDAY WITH TENT IN IRELAND – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW!

Last updated on November 10, 2024

Ireland is beautiful. Ireland offers great motorcycling. But Ireland is not really a cheap destination. Not cheaper than Germany. This applies especially to overnight stays.

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Southern coast of Beara Peninsula (photo by Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

Intro

So why not take a tent with you and go camping? Great idea!

Many of our clients travelled with tents and told us about their experiences after the tour. I would like to pass on these tips to you in this article.

Clients? Yes, we have our second home in Ireland (coming from Germany) and had our own motorcycle rental shop here for a number of years.

Let’s get back to motorbike touring with tents in Ireland:

Motorbike Travel Weather in Ireland

What will the weather be like? Different more often than not!

Ireland is an island in the sea. The weather is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and what the wind blows in from the sea. Temperatures are generally cool to mild in spring and autumn and mostly warm (not hot) in summer.

The weather can be stably sunny for days, or wet for several days, or mostly dry with occasional short rain showers. You don’t like our weather? Then wait 20 minutes…

How much space is there for tent equipment on the bike?

Most people have too much stuff with them anyway. You can store excess luggage (suitcases) free of charge in our motorbike rental, but many stuff the suitcases full anyway – and then need half of it….If you’re one of them, you don’t want to drag along a tent with accessories too! Why not? The bike then becomes heavier and more unwieldy – that’s no fun, especially on the small narrow country roads in Ireland.

The same goes for couples on a motorbike: Most of the time, the luggage for two barely fits into the suitcases, the tank bag is already full and now the tent equipment for two? Forget it! You’re ruining motorcycling for yourself.

You’re alone on the bike, packing minimally and your tent gear on the back seat doesn’t bother you? All right, bring it along!

Doe Castle in the north of Donegal (photo by Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

Which tent is good for Ireland?

Your tent should definitely be 100% waterproof. And a double-skinned tent, i.e. inner tent and outer tent, also makes sense so that it insulates better and you have less condensation on the inside.

It should be small enough not to take up too much space on the bike and big enough to take your motorbike clothing and luggage inside. The tent should be quick to set up and take down and inherently wind-resistant, as it can get quite windy on the island. A roll-up tent or igloo tent meets all the criteria very well.

The right sleeping pad for Ireland

The ground can be rocky and it can get chilly in spring or autumn. A thicker foam mat or an inflatable mat (e.g. Therm-a-rest) is well suited for Ireland.

The right sleeping bag for Ireland

It can be cool or warm. Don’t take a pure summer sleeping bag, but rather a sleeping bag with a comfort range from 5 degrees Celsius upwards.

This can be a down sleeping bag or a synthetic sleeping bag. You can pack down smaller, but it doesn’t like moisture. Synthetic fibre is less sensitive, but packs larger.

In any case, you should pack the sleeping bag in its own waterproof bag so that it doesn’t take on moisture from the tent if you ever have to pack the tent wet.

Do you take cookware with you or not?

I used to take cooking utensils with me, but I wouldn’t do that now. You can save the space. And the weight too. You can find cafés and supermarkets everywhere where you can get everything you need for breakfast, and in the evening you can eat well and not expensively in the pub. But the choice is yours.

Motorbike and free running donkey in the Blackstairs mountains (photo by Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

Wild camping in Ireland

Wild camping is generally prohibited in Ireland – as it is in Germany. But you can always ask a farmer if you can camp on his land.

In fact, you will always see wild tents standing around somewhere, usually on the edge of beach car parks. This is usually tolerated if you only stay one night and make sure you take your rubbish with you! But this is not really allowed.

However, there are campsites of all categories all over the country and especially on the coasts, from simple and cheap to glamping.

Conclusion

Camping can be a good idea in Ireland – or not. It depends on the weather and whether you have enough space on the bike to carry all the camping gear. If both of these things work for you, you can definitely go camping on your Ireland motorbike trip!

A final tip: It’s also a good idea to stay in a B&B from time to time – for showers, to dry your clothes and maybe even to do your laundry. And if you’re lucky, you can save yourself the rainy nights in the tent!