We're planning on spending a week in the North of Ireland at the end
of June, near Omagh. My husband now wants to base ourselves in a self
catering cottage/house and would prefer to be near the ocean. Is
staying in Bundoran,Donegal a practical option for travelling back and
forth to Omagh to visit with family or is there a better place to base
ourselves?
TIA
Sheila

[email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:

    >We're planning on spending a week in the North of Ireland at the end
    >of June, near Omagh. My husband now wants to base ourselves in a self
    >catering cottage/house and would prefer to be near the ocean. Is
    >staying in Bundoran,Donegal a practical option for travelling back and
    >forth to Omagh to visit with family or is there a better place to base
    >ourselves?

It depends...

Bundoran is a holiday resort which appeals to some and repels others.
The road between the two towns is not very good, but not too busy
either.

Anything wrong with a lake rather than the sea? There are some very
nice places around Lough Erne.

PB

Padraig Breathnach wrote in message news:...
    > [email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:
    >
    > >We're planning on spending a week in the North of Ireland at the end
    > >of June, near Omagh. My husband now wants to base ourselves in a self
    > >catering cottage/house and would prefer to be near the ocean. Is
    > >staying in Bundoran,Donegal a practical option for travelling back and
    > >forth to Omagh to visit with family or is there a better place to base
    > >ourselves?
    >
    > It depends...
    >
    > Bundoran is a holiday resort which appeals to some and repels others.
    > The road between the two towns is not very good, but not too busy
    > either.
    >
    > Anything wrong with a lake rather than the sea? There are some very
    > nice places around Lough Erne.
    >
    > PB

That's very good to know Padraig - you wouldn't have any estimate on
the travelling time between the two areas would you?
As for ocean versus lake, I don't think it matters much. He just would
rather not be in a B&B - something that feels more like a 'get away
from it all' location ...or 'get away from the relatives' location is
more like it ;-)
Do you have a better idea? Any recommendations for places near Lough
Erne? Is is closer than Bundoran?
Thanks,
Sheila

[email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach wrote in message news:...
    >> [email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:
    >>
    >> >We're planning on spending a week in the North of Ireland at the end
    >> >of June, near Omagh. My husband now wants to base ourselves in a self
    >> >catering cottage/house and would prefer to be near the ocean. Is
    >> >staying in Bundoran,Donegal a practical option for travelling back and
    >> >forth to Omagh to visit with family or is there a better place to base
    >> >ourselves?
    >>
    >> It depends...
    >>
    >> Bundoran is a holiday resort which appeals to some and repels others.
    >> The road between the two towns is not very good, but not too busy
    >> either.
    >>
    >> Anything wrong with a lake rather than the sea? There are some very
    >> nice places around Lough Erne.
    >>
    >That's very good to know Padraig - you wouldn't have any estimate on
    >the travelling time between the two areas would you?
The distance is about 50 miles. You should be able to make the journey
in about 90 minutes. For much of the way it is active driving rather
than cruising.

    >As for ocean versus lake, I don't think it matters much. He just would
    >rather not be in a B&B - something that feels more like a 'get away
    >from it all' location ...or 'get away from the relatives' location is
    >more like it ;-)
If he wants quiet, I don't recommend Bundoran. Lots of young
day-trippers, night-clubs, slot machines ... But the coast is nice --
rugged Atlantic.

    >Do you have a better idea? Any recommendations for places near Lough
    >Erne? Is is closer than Bundoran?
The road between Omagh and Bundoran skirts Lough Erne, so you can
trust me when I say that you can shorten your journey. Enniskillen,
about 25 miles SW of Omagh, is the principal town of the area, and
straddles the narrowest part of the lake. It's a pleasant town, worth
a visit. The lake to the east of Enniskillen is nicer -- lots of
islands and stuff. In my opinion, the countryside around Omagh or
Enniskillen is not particularly scenic, apart from Lough Erne.

Somewhere near Enniskillen would seem to me a good base, especially if
you are interested in the idea of taking some time for walks or short
outings for yourselves.

I can't help you on accommodation -- I boat on Lough Erne, and bring
my bed with me.

PB

Padraig Breathnach wrote in message news:...
    > [email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:
    > >
    > If he wants quiet, I don't recommend Bundoran. Lots of young
    > day-trippers, night-clubs, slot machines ... But the coast is nice --
    > rugged Atlantic.
    >
Now, I've been told that it can be quite cold there. My 80 year old
Mother will be with us, so I'm wondering if it might be a bit chilly
for her. She does live in Calgary, Canada though, but that's a 'dry
cold' as she likes to say.
I'm in Vancouver on the Pacific Ocean, so quite like the brisk ocean
breezes.;-)
    > Somewhere near Enniskillen would seem to me a good base, especially if
    > you are interested in the idea of taking some time for walks or short
    > outings for yourselves.

Any idea about Gortin? Someone else suggested this area as a good
compromise.
http://www.gortin.net/index.html

    > I can't help you on accommodation -- I boat on Lough Erne, and bring
    > my bed with me.
Sounds nice - maybe we should be looking for a nice houseboat, huh?
Sheila

[email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach wrote in message news:...
    >> [email protected] (notfordiscussion) wrote:
    >> >
    >> If he wants quiet, I don't recommend Bundoran. Lots of young
    >> day-trippers, night-clubs, slot machines ... But the coast is nice --
    >> rugged Atlantic.
    >>
    >Now, I've been told that it can be quite cold there. >My 80 year old
    >Mother will be with us, so I'm wondering if it might be a bit chilly
    >for her. She does live in Calgary, Canada though, but that's a 'dry
    >cold' as she likes to say.
    >I'm in Vancouver on the Pacific Ocean, so quite like the brisk ocean
    >breezes.;-)
It's not really cold, but exposed to wind and rain. I suspect that it
is similar to Vancouver weather.

    >> Somewhere near Enniskillen would seem to me a good base, especially if
    >> you are interested in the idea of taking some time for walks or short
    >> outings for yourselves.
    >Any idea about Gortin? Someone else suggested this area as a good
    >compromise.
    >http://www.gortin.net/index.html
Looks okay, but I would not give the location a high rating for
scenery. Probably expensive, compared with renting a stand-alone
holiday home.

    >> I can't help you on accommodation -- I boat on Lough Erne, and bring
    >> my bed with me.
    >Sounds nice - maybe we should be looking for a nice houseboat, huh?
Boats are available for hire, but are very expensive during the
summer. If you want to consider it, I can get you addresses.

PB