Irish Tour - 2021

[C8RKH]

For the past 4/5 years I have joined a band of Lotus enthusiasts for an annual pilgrimage to the lovely, unrestricted roads, of the IoM and have enjoyed it immensely. Sadly I cannot make it this year however, the trips have been an annual highlight. The craic has been good. And the roads epic!

However, recently, I have been spending time each month travelling to Belfast with work and it reminded me just what a beautiful, unspoilt countryside and roads the Island of Ireland has to offer.

So, does anyone fancy a 4-5+ day road trip, starting off in Belfast, and going counter clockwise around some of the great coastal roads (and those in the middle) of Northern Ireland and the Republic?

I'd be looking to invoke some local knowledge ( @blindside you know who you are lol.... ) to identify the "best roads" for a Lotus to travel down to allow us to have some "safe" fun and see the best that Ireland has to offer. The plan would be to drive to a different location each night and hopefully stay in a local pub/hotel for a few swallies and some home cooked food.

So, very much just an idea at the moment (both an idea for us to get together and an idea to give some cheer in the current doom and gloom).  

Let me know your thoughts. Would you be interested? If so, what would the ideal duration be? What would be the best month? Any must see places (roads, pubs/hotels, monuments etc) that we should aim to cover?

If enough interest I'll look into seeing what it would take to organise and the options. Any Lotus and their owner(s) would be most welcome. New, old. Classic or common. Even the Type 116's that would be epic.

Looking forward to reading your views. Your thoughts. Your suggestions.

Thanks

[Escape]

Great idea Andy! I've taken my Esprit to Ireland a few years back, and loved it. As you say, great roads and beautiful scenery. As it looks like our Ireland trip next month wont happen, it would be nice to have another trip to look forward to. Please keep me informed.

@GTK, maybe something for you to?

Incidently, Scotland is very high on my list of places to see/drive as well. 😉

Filip

[C8RKH]

@Escape - Scotland is wonderful for driving, if you do come let me know and I'll show you some great roads etc.

[blindside]

@C8RKH Yes definitely a great idea Andy! I’m very happy to help with route selection & hopefully can actively participate depending on dates agreed. I’m assuming that this will be something that would work best in the balmy summer months when the moisture levels here (like Scotland) are slightly lower. 😎

With that in mind anytime between June to mid-September would work well. A 5 day slot, less the travel time spent to get over here, would allow plenty of scope for some epic routes and downtime for social activity/sight seeing/local beverage imbibing/recovery.

As you’d expect I know the routes around the North Coast well, including Donegal. 5 days would allow time to go down the West Coast as far as Galway then cut across to the East Coast for return ferries via Dublin-Holyhead, or Belfast-Cairnryan. 

Things are obviously not looking great at the moment for any kind of organised event this Summer unless the dreaded 🦠  is quickly beaten by science.

Presumably early summer ‘21 is the most likely aiming mark for the trip?

[C8RKH]

@blindside - yes, thinking 2021. I think this year is out so let's plan longer term and have something positive to look forward to. Would be good to have a great mix of cars there, Elan, Elite, Esprit, Elise, Exige, Evora and the mighty VX220 all would be welcome and good to see.

I'll monitor the interest on this topic and maybe next time I get to Belfast we can meet up for a beer and a pie!

[blindside]

Sounds good. 👍

With that impressive list of historic Lotus machinery flying around Irish potholes a few of these bringing up the rear may well come in handy 😉:

 

[C8RKH]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Escape]

Just talked it over with my better half and she's very much upto it as well! 🙂 Max 5 days for us, 4 preferable, as we'd add a few days sightseeing and/or Dublin to the trip. I'd also prefer September/October, to avoid the crowds of tourists (at the risk of the weather being less).

I'll bring tools and my overalls as well, just in case. 😉

Filip

[C8RKH]

Early September right after the kids go back to school could work. Weather can still be quite nice, most of the tourists gone home and the bloody camper vans has disappeared back to Netherlands and Germany lol....

 

[CaptainSlow]

Interested, will keep an eye on this thread. Considering Scotland and Isle of Man for 2021. So why not include Ireland as well. By the look of it, I’ll be keeping the Evora since the market is dead.