After spending several days in England, we decided to continue our European road trip west — this time to Ireland.
We were still travelling together: my wife, our child, our dog and me, with our camper. There is obviously no road connection between Great Britain and Ireland, so once again we needed a ferry.
After comparing the different routes, we chose one of the most convenient crossings for reaching Dublin:
London → Holyhead → ferry → Dublin
The main ferry companies on this route are Stena Line and Irish Ferries, and both accept motorhomes and dogs.
For us, Holyhead–Dublin made the most sense because we wanted to arrive directly in the Irish capital and then continue exploring Ireland by camper.
Driving from London to Holyhead
We left the London area early in the morning.
The journey to Holyhead in North Wales is roughly 300 miles (around 480 km), so this was a proper driving day.
Our route took us across England and then into Wales.
We planned approximately 6–7 hours of actual driving, but with a child and dog I always add extra time.
We stopped several times.
The first stop was for fuel and coffee, while later we stopped at a motorway service area so the dog could have a proper walk.
One advantage of travelling across Britain is that most ordinary motorways do not use the French-style toll system. However, there can still be toll bridges, tunnels and specific charging zones depending on the route.
Fuel Costs
Our camper was using approximately 9–10 litres of diesel per 100 km.
For roughly 480 km, that meant around:
45–50 litres of diesel.
If diesel was around £1.45–£1.55 per litre, the London–Holyhead section cost us approximately:
£65–£78 in fuel.
I filled the tank again before reaching the ferry because I wanted to arrive in Ireland with plenty of diesel.
Which Ferry Companies Sail to Dublin?
For the Holyhead–Dublin route, two of the best-known choices are:
Stena Line
Irish Ferries
Both carry cars, vans and motorhomes.
For travellers with dogs, both companies also provide several pet options, although the exact facilities depend on the ship.
Stena Line, for example, allows pets to remain in the vehicle, use a pre-booked kennel or, on certain vessels, travel in a pet-friendly cabin. On Holyhead–Dublin, kennels can be booked in advance.
Irish Ferries also accepts dogs travelling with motorists, including people travelling in motorhomes. Depending on the vessel, the dog can remain in the vehicle, use a kennel, use a Pet Den or, on certain ships, stay in a pet-friendly cabin.
We declared our dog when making the ferry reservation.
How Much Does the Ferry Cost?
Ferry prices are dynamic, so there is no single price for every crossing.
The price depends on:
- travel date;
- departure time;
- camper length and height;
- number of passengers;
- type of ticket;
- cabin or lounge selection;
- pet accommodation.
For our budget, I would allow approximately:
| Expense | Approximate price |
|---|---|
| Camper + family | £150–£250+ |
| Dog | £0–£30+ depending on option |
| Pet-friendly cabin | £50–£120+ |
| Food onboard | £30–£50 |
| London–Holyhead fuel | £65–£80 |
| Approximate total | £295–£530+ |
These are planning figures rather than fixed ferry tariffs. Summer weekends and last-minute bookings can be much more expensive.
Interestingly, Stena Line currently states that pets travelling inside the vehicle travel free, although the pet still has to be pre-booked. Kennels on Holyhead–Dublin can also be booked free of charge.
Arriving at Holyhead Port
We tried to arrive approximately two hours before departure.
I prefer having too much time at a ferry terminal rather than arriving 15 minutes before check-in closes.
At the port we followed the signs for our ferry company and joined the vehicle check-in lane.
I had everything together in one folder:
our passports, ferry booking, camper documents and the dog’s documents.
After checking in, we received instructions about which vehicle lane to use.
Then we parked and waited for boarding.
Taking a Dog from Great Britain to Ireland
This was the part I checked most carefully before leaving England.
Ireland is an EU country, while Great Britain is outside the EU, so you cannot assume that travelling with a dog works exactly like travelling domestically within the UK.
Irish Ferries currently lists the following requirements for a dog travelling from Britain to Ireland:
microchip — required
pet travel document — required
valid rabies vaccination — required
tapeworm treatment — required.
The document can be a valid EU Pet Passport in circumstances where it remains valid for the journey, or the appropriate animal health documentation required for travel from Great Britain.
Because pet-entry rules depend on where the animal’s documentation was issued and its travel history, I would always verify the dog’s specific paperwork before travelling rather than assuming that an old passport is automatically sufficient.
Tapeworm Treatment Before Ireland
This was another important detail.
For our dog, we arranged the required tapeworm treatment before travelling.
We went to a veterinarian in Britain and had the treatment administered and recorded correctly in the dog’s travel documentation.
This is exactly the sort of requirement I would never leave until arriving at Holyhead.
A missing veterinary entry could potentially create a much bigger problem than the cost of a short vet appointment.
Advance Notification for Ireland
There is another important difference when travelling from Britain into the Republic of Ireland with a pet.
Stena Line specifically warns passengers that when travelling from Britain into Ireland, they need to complete the required advance notice and arrange the necessary compliance checks before arriving in Ireland.
So I would not treat the ferry reservation itself as completing the pet-entry formalities.
I checked the Irish requirements separately before travelling.
What We Packed for the Dog
Apart from the official paperwork, we prepared a separate small bag for our dog containing:
lead, collar, muzzle, water bowl, drinking water, food, waste bags, towel and a blanket.
Stena Line requires dogs moving to kennels, pet lounges or pet cabins to be controlled by an adult and kept on a non-retractable lead no longer than approximately 1.2 metres. Aggressive dogs must also wear a muzzle.
Even though our dog normally did not need a muzzle, I carried one anyway.
When crossing international borders with a dog, it is better to have it and not need it.
Boarding the Ferry with Our Camper
Eventually our lane started moving.
We followed the cars towards the ferry and drove up the loading ramp.
Inside the ship, crew members directed us to our parking position.
Large ferries carry an impressive mixture of vehicles — cars, vans, motorcycles, trucks and motorhomes.
Once the camper was parked, I applied the parking brake and switched everything off.
Before leaving the vehicle deck, we took everything we would need during the crossing.
This is particularly important if the dog stays in the camper.
Passengers normally cannot simply return to the vehicle deck whenever they want while the ship is at sea. Stena Line specifically states that access to the vehicle deck is prohibited during the sailing.
Where Can the Dog Stay?
We had several possibilities.
Option 1 — Inside the camper
The dog can remain inside the vehicle.
For a dog that is comfortable sleeping in the camper, this can be the simplest solution.
With Stena Line, pets staying in the vehicle on Irish Sea routes currently travel free, although they still have to be included in the booking.
Option 2 — Kennel
Another option is an onboard kennel.
On Stena Line’s Holyhead–Dublin service, kennels can be pre-booked, and on Stena Estrid owners can access and exercise their dogs under controlled conditions during the journey.
Option 3 — Pet-friendly cabin
This was the most comfortable option for us.
Some Stena vessels operating Holyhead–Dublin have dedicated pet-friendly cabins. Stena currently lists pet cabins on Stena Adventurer and Stena Estrid for this route.
Irish Ferries also offers several pet arrangements. Its current information lists vehicle accommodation, kennels, Pet Den facilities and pet cabins on selected vessels.
With a child and dog, paying extra for the right accommodation can make the crossing much easier.
Crossing the Irish Sea
Once we left Holyhead, we finally had time to relax.
The stressful part — driving, checking in and dealing with documents — was finished.
We found somewhere to sit, bought coffee and something to eat and watched the Welsh coastline disappear behind us.
After travelling thousands of kilometres through continental Europe and Britain, it felt strange to think that another country was only a few hours across the sea.
Our child eventually fell asleep.
The dog settled down.
And for the first time that day, I wasn’t driving.
Arriving in Dublin
Eventually the Irish coast appeared.
When the announcement for drivers was made, we collected our belongings and prepared to return to the camper.
The vehicle deck quickly became noisy.
Truck engines started.
Cars switched on their lights.
Then the vehicles in front of us began moving.
We followed the line towards the exit ramp.
A few minutes later we were officially driving in Ireland.
Driving in Ireland
Coming from England made one thing considerably easier:
Ireland also drives on the left.
So there was no major adjustment like we had experienced when arriving in England from France.
Road signs in Ireland show distances and speed limits in kilometres and km/h, unlike Britain, where miles and mph are used.
That is an important change to remember immediately after leaving Dublin Port.
Driving a Camper Around Dublin
We did not want to drive our camper directly into the busiest parts of central Dublin.
Instead, we planned to find a campsite outside the centre and use public transport.
For a camper pitch around Dublin, I would budget approximately:
€30–€60+ per night
during the main travel season, depending on location and facilities.
For us, having electricity, water, showers and somewhere to walk the dog was much more useful than trying to park close to the city centre.
Our Approximate England-to-Ireland Budget
For this section of the trip, our costs looked roughly like this:
| Expense | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| London–Holyhead diesel | £65–£80 |
| Food and coffee on the road | £20–£30 |
| Ferry with camper | £150–£250+ |
| Pet option | £0–£30+ |
| Pet-friendly cabin if required | £50–£120+ |
| Veterinary treatment/documents | £20–£60+ |
| Food onboard | £30–£50 |
| Diesel after arriving in Ireland | €30–€50 |
| Camper campsite | €30–€60+ per night |
For the entire transfer, I would therefore keep a budget of roughly £300–£550 plus our first night’s expenses in Ireland.
Booking the ferry earlier usually gives much more choice, particularly when travelling with a camper and wanting a specific pet accommodation option.
Was the Ferry to Ireland Worth It?
Definitely.
The Holyhead–Dublin crossing was one of the easiest ways to continue our road trip from Britain into Ireland without giving up the freedom of having our own camper.
The most important part was preparing the dog’s travel requirements in advance.
I would check the microchip, rabies vaccination, correct pet travel document, tapeworm treatment and Irish advance-notification requirements before even leaving for Holyhead.
Once we arrived in Dublin, we drove away from the port, stopped for fuel and headed towards our campsite.
That evening, the camper was parked, our dog was finally able to run around after the journey, and we started planning the next stage.
After France, England and Wales, we had finally reached Ireland.
And from Dublin, our plan was to take the camper across the country towards Galway, the Wild Atlantic Way and the west coast of Ireland.