We leave Belfast at 9.00am and travel south, stopping around mid-day at Powerscourt, at the gateway to Wicklow, the “Garden County”. In the afternoon we call at the valley of the two lakes, Glendalough, perhaps the most picturesque of Wicklow’s Glens, with its famous round tower and ancient monastic sites. We continue through the Vale of Avoca before entering County Wexford and finally, at the mouth of the river Slaney, Wexford town and our hotel for next four nights.

The impressive Victorian Johnstown Castle, incorporating an older 13th Century Norman remains, is our first stop this morning. Located just outside the town, today it also houses the Irish Agricultural Museum, offering a trip down memory lane.

Later we continue south, as far as Hook Head, to see one of Ireland’s most famous lighthouses.

We leave the coast and the Slaney Valley this morning and travel via New Ross, Jerpoint Abbey and Bennettsbridge (home of Nicholas Mosse Pottery) to historic Kilkenny. We visit the castle and have time to investigate the famous craft centre before returning to Wexford.

After a relaxing morning in Wexford we travel the short distance to the Irish National Heritage Park, where you will leave the 21st century behind and travel back to the 1st century and beyond. There are 16 sites which depict the settlement of man in Ireland from 7000BC to the Viking invasion.

Following a leisurely morning with a relaxing breakfast we commence our return journey along the valley of the Slaney. We travel through Enniscorthy, stopping at lunch time in Carlow town, before joining the new road system northwards, by-passing Dublin, Drogheda and Dundalk. We arrive back at the Europa Buscentre around 6.00pm.