I rented a motorhome with massive bedroom and plenty of storage space for Irish holiday – it was like hotel on wheels
WITH the weather hotter here than Spain last week it was the perfect time to take a well earned break.
And when the sun is shining and temperatures are peaking at 25°, Ireland is simply unbeatable for its stunning locations and incredible scenery.
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STUNNING SCENERY: Irish Sun Motoring Editor, Darren Liggett stopping at the picturesque Gleniff Horseshoe in Sligo
Credit: Darren Liggett
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The Roller Team Zefiro 696 is like a hotel on wheels with everything you need from a full-sized fridge and freezer, 3-ring gas cooker, oven and grill, separate shower and toilet with sink, hot running water, a cool electrically operated bed that lowers from the roof, Wi-Fi, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay plus a handy bike rack
Credit: Darren Liggett
The perfect way to properly explore the Emerald Isle at short notice is to hire a motorhome and after a quick Google search we found
They're conveniently located an hour from Belfast and Dublin airports, just 15 minutes from the M1 motorway situated on the Armagh/Monaghan border.
And as I live in Northern Ireland it was the ideal starting point to start our journey to Donegal and begin our sunny adventure on the Wild Atlantic Way.
This van-tastic machine is a four-berth variant and quite a big girl with a long rear overhang.
But it's actually very easy to drive once you get used to its dimensions.
Power comes from a trusty 2.0-litre turbo diesel that produces 130bhp and 385Nm of torque, so it performs well.
But it's more of a cruiser as it is a mobile home on wheels after all, so making steady progress is advised to keep your pots and pans in place over bumpy surfaces.
Most read in Motors
The six-speed manual gearbox is situated high up in the dash and it's perfectly in reach, which is handy because if you are travelling through very hilly terrain like we were, then you'll need to make use of the gears.
KEY FACTS:
Roller Team Zefiro 696
Engine:
2.0-litre, turbo diesel, TDI, Euro 6D
Power:
130bhp
Torque:
385Nm
Gearbox:
6-speed manual
Drivetrain:
Front-wheel drive
Fuel economy:
30mpg
Berth:
Sleeps 4 people
Fridge/freezer:
Runs off 220v, 12v and gas
Weight:
3,500kg
It is actually quite economical returning 30mpg which is good considering it's a hotel on wheels for four people plus all your own possessions and food.
The Roller Team Zefiro 696 layout consists of driver and passenger up front as you would have in a regular transit.
Behind are two additional seats with seat belts for travelling with another seat off to the left.
The two front seats are captain chairs that can be swivelled around so you can sit around a large adjustable table that could comfortably seat five people.
Above the dining area is a double bed.
The cool thing about it is it is electronically operated — during the day it's in the up position but to use the bed you press a button and it lowers down.
You also have a massive skylight in front of you that you can use to gaze at the stars.
If you have kids they will absolutely love sleeping up there and to keep them safe there are two nets that hook up to the roof to avoid any falls.
Moving back through the cabin you have a full-size shower on the left and to the right a full size toilet and sink with plenty of room to move around unlike some campers that are very cramped in this area.
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HOME FROM HOME: Ireland is full of stunning scenery, you just need to get out there and explore
Credit: Darren Liggett
At the rear is a massive bedroom with a queen size bed with storage for your bags underneath plus a cupboard on each side.
Then above the bed there's more storage compartments plus handy LED downlighters that are perfect for reading at night.
There is plenty of other storage throughout the motorhome for everything else and Camperhire4u provide all your plates, pots, pans, cutlery, mugs and bedding, plus gas for cooking and heating.
The Roller Team Zefiro 696 comes equipped with a full-size fridge and freezer, similar to what you would have at home, and there is also a three-ring cooker with grill and oven that are all gas-operated.
The fridge can either be operated by gas or 12v when you are driving and when you park up in a camp site, you can hook up to 220v and make use of the four three-pin sockets throughout the cabin.
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ON YER BIKE: Irish Sun Motoring Editor, Darren Liggett tours the Wild Atlantic Way in a hired motorhome,
Credit: Darren Liggett
There is also a handy bike rack on the back which we put to good use as the weather was fantastic.
Our first port of call was Donegal where we discovered a beautiful cliff-top lay-by over looking the stunning Rossnowlagh beach.
It was the perfect spot to stop for the night as the sun set behind the mountains which seemed to have 100 different colours glistening on the waves below.
Bringing some bikes with you is a great idea as you could find where you want to park for the night and then cycle into the town, village or nearest beach to further explore.
Our plan was to see if we could do the full Atlantic Way drive over five days but the weather was too good to be on the road the whole time so we stayed in Donegal a further night before heading to the Gleniff Horseshoe in Sligo.
This is another must-see location as the mountain range and surrounding areas are simply stunning, while up next was the equally impressive Mullaghmore Head with more picture-perfect beaches that are a haven for surfers.
Maybe it was the good weather, but everyone was so nice and in a good mood, and I'm not just talking about the locals.
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ULTIMATE MOTORHOME: This amazing Volvo FMX 4x4 expedition truck is owned by Tony and Petra from the Netherlands who have been travelling full time in it for two years
Credit: Darren Liggett
When we parked up in Mullaghmore for the night, we stopped beside one of the most incredible machines I've ever seen.
This amazing Volvo FMX 4x4 expedition truck is owned by Tony and Petra from the Netherlands who have been travelling full-time in it across the whole of Europe for the last two years.
And is their favourite place that they have visited since they began travelling?
Scotland and Ireland, as they love the scenery and the people.
The next morning we stopped at the harbour for a coffee and got chatting with a lovely woman called Collette from Anahilt in Northern Ireland who owns a holiday home there with her husband David.
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Irish Sun Motoring Editor gets to drive a boat while holidaying on the Wild Atlantic Way
Credit: Kelly Liggett
David arrived a few minutes later and after a brief chat with him about his new boat he'd just parked up, we were out on the sea with him for a quick spin, and he even let me drive his new Suzuki powered RIB.
Maybe on our next motorhome trip we'll see more of the Wild Atlantic Way.
But after stopping at Achill Island in Mayo and parking up in the stunning Keel beach, it was hard to leave, so we enjoyed two more nights of sun, sea and sunsets.
So what are you waiting for?
Read more on the Irish Sun
Contact Gerard via his website —
I guarantee you'll have a great time, I just can't guarantee good weather.
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