Help please oh wise UK mn'ers??

[FarelyKnutsAboutTheIrishTeam]

We are coming from Ireland for a wedding in December. We are thinking of taking the ferry (on foot not car) which will land us in Holyhead.
We need to get to Brighton the first night then to Dover Priory the next two nights and then back to the ferry in Holyhead.
What is the best way to do this on public transport? We will have our 3yo dd with us as well.
Thank you in advance :o

Probably best bet is to get the boat train from Holyhead to London, then train down to Brighton, I am a bit iffy about Brighton to dover, but Dover London and boat train back again to Holyhead.

Thanks fivego. Its the bit from Brighton to Dover Priory that is bothering me most. Seems you have to go back to London first on the train?? Adds hours surely? Gah. My geography is pants so not sure I am right though

Hmm trains from Brighton to Dover are going to involve a bit of going back towards town. There are some trains that go to Ashford international, from where you can get to Dover. Have you had a look at those?

I'm not local to Brighton or Dover Priory but I imagine you will have to go into London and back out again. It's a pain but usually happens when you're travelling around the South East.

Could you hire a car?

Will have a look thanks headfairy.
Doesn't have to be train though. wonder if there is a bus more direct?

Princess I could bring my car on the ferry if I wanted but not terribly confident about driving in winter in a country I am not familiar with.
Might have to suck it up though :o

This might help.

Thanks very much for all your help. Am wondering now if I should just get brave and bring the car. Seems like a lot of travelling and changing trains for all of us to cope with (3yo especially).

The train is pretty direct Farely if you look at it on a map... I think a bus would take you a million years. I'm not saying the train would be the cheap option though, God knows trains are flipping expensive these days!

Of course, I'm vair lazy and take the car everywhere now, 20 train and bus changes with two small kids is no laughing matter.

Have seen a deal for people living outside the UK where you can buy an travel pass for all trains for unlimited distances for a certain amount of days.
Loving the free travel for under 5's. Its free on the ferry for her too! They charge full price for flights!!

If you can cope with Irish roads you can cope with anything

If you bring the car you can stock up with cheap English groceries and offset the cost! (That's what my family do!)

Just remember the SatNav.

Ooh good plan. Thanks Serin :)