Ireland, the one we're doing
Cork's market and breweries, a lake that glows at night, the Skelligs, Dingle, the Cliffs of Moher, and Galway Bay oysters on the day they're open.
Four days south for the food, the beer, and the night kayak. Three in Kerry for the Skelligs and Dingle. Two in Clare for the cliffs, the Burren, and the oysters, with two sunsets at the cliffs so weather can't take them away. A Galway afternoon, then the airport.
Each day has an "Or" list under it: swaps for weather, energy, or taste. The main line is the plan; the alternatives are there so nobody has to open a guidebook on the road.
Dublin is gone, along with Connemara, Ballymaloe, Carrauntoohil, Dursey, and the Waterford coast. What's left is everything you said you didn't want to miss, plus the beer, plus two nights everywhere that matters.
Two dates are load-bearing: the kayak on Wednesday the 16th and the oysters on Sunday the 20th. Moran's is closed Mondays, so the Sunday isn't negotiable. Everything else can shuffle.
Sunday 13
Land, ninety minutes to the first bed, taproom lunch, nap, castle and alleys at dusk.
Brewery taproom with a covered garden. Irish red and a hazy, then sleep. Don't drive further today.
Monday 14
Ireland's food city and its craft beer city, which are the same place.
Oysters at three for seven euro as a warm-up, spiced beef, Farmgate cafe on the balcony above it all.
Start on the site of a 1200s friary, then Rising Sons and Elbow Lane within ten minutes' walk. Sleep in the city.
Tuesday 15
Slow drive west through Clonakilty. Two nights in Skibbereen or Baltimore.
Daylight recce. The hill loop above the lake for the view, a swim if it's warm, so you know the water before you're on it in the dark.
Wednesday 16
A coast walk in the morning, an easy afternoon, then the reason you came.
Two to three hour loop from the end of the road. Steep in places. Cafe at the car park after.
Night kayak in bioluminescence with Atlantic Sea Kayaking. Booked for tonight. No driving after, the bed is ten minutes away.
Thursday 17
Over the Caha Pass, Kenmare for lunch, the south side of the Ring of Kerry to the end of the road.
Skellig Ring, the islands on the horizon. Sleep in Portmagee. Ballinskelligs beach after dinner for the dark sky reserve if it's clear.
Friday 18
The rock in the morning, then two hours north. Two nights in Dingle.
Landing tour if you got one, eco cruise if not. If the sea cancels it, the Kerry Cliffs in daylight and an early start for Dingle.
Cask ale brewed on site in a family pub past the end of the Slea Head road. Opens at 2 on Fridays.
The zigzag path down with the Blaskets behind. Then Dingle: Out of the Blue for dinner, Dick Mack's after.
Saturday 19
The full day. No clock.
Slea Head loop clockwise, beehive huts, Dunmore Head walk from here. Or the Blasket ferry from Dunquin if the sea is calm, or Mount Brandon if legs want a mountain.
Tour and tasting, 20 minutes' walk from town. Dick Mack's brewhouse yard at night, music at John Benny's.
Sunday 20
Leave by 9:30. Tarbert ferry across the Shannon, north to the oysters, back south to Doolin for sunset. Two nights.
Thatched pub on a tidal inlet, Galway Bay natives since the 1700s, just into season. Ask for the natives. Closed Mondays, which is why it's today. Book the table.
From the Doolin coastal path, not the visitor centre. Buses gone by then. First of two chances.
Monday 21
Limestone in the morning, the cliffs again if Sunday was cloudy, a session at night.
Limestone pavement to the horizon, a 5,800-year-old tomb, nobody around. Aran Islands ferry from Doolin instead if the sea is calm.
Second chance. Walk south toward Hag's Head this time, the empty end. Lisdoonvarna after if you want the spectacle.
Tuesday 22
An afternoon in the city, then across the country to sleep by the airport. Flight is 1:20 Wednesday.
Galway Bay Brewery's own bar on the canal, the best tap list in the west. Lunch in the Latin Quarter, a walk on the prom.
Two and a half hours. Airport hotel tonight, car back in the morning, ten-minute shuttle, no cross-country dawn drive before a transatlantic flight.