Slea Head Drive
When it comes to epic Irish road trips, Kerry’s Slea Head certainly, well, slays! This jaw-dropping circuit around the westernmost stretches of the Dingle Peninsula sweeps around the Wild Atlantic Way where picture-perfect seascapes kiss the best of The Kingdom’s coast. Essential sights along the 52km route include the ancient beehive huts of Fahan, the iconic chapel of Cill Mhaoilchéadair and the fantastic Blasket Island Centre which offers a fascinating throwback to traditional Irish life. Take advantage of the several scenic viewpoints along the loop, not least that of Cé Dhún Chaoin with its ethereal views over the Atlantic.
Tip: Dingle is absolutely stacked with excellent foodie pit stops from Murphy’s Ice Cream to the absolutely delicious Fish Box.
Comeragh Drive
Co Waterford has it all when it comes to scenic drives, from the Copper Coast to The Vee, and one of my favourite routes in the country, the Comeragh Drive. This relaxing and often lesser trafficked route starts where N25 meets the R676 near Lemybrien before gently rising above the valleys of this raw and rugged range. Amid the dramatic backdrop, keep an eye out for an effigy-loaded tree to your left which marks the point of the Magic Road — an optical illusion road where vehicles are known to roll uphill. A little further along, there’s the option to park up and follow a gorgeous, winding path, dotted with grazing mountain sheep towards the impressive cascades of Mahon Falls. From Mahon Falls car park, the route rises and plateaus along a scenic pass before winding through scenic West Waterford countryside before meeting the N25 again.
Tip: If you’re feeling more energetic, the world-class Coumshingaun Loop starts from Kilclooney Woods car park a little further along the R676. Back in Dungarvan, treat yourself to a pub lunch at one of the town’s excellent bars, like Merry’s.
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Slieve Gullion Forest Drive
Not a hiker? Don’t worry, you don’t always need to lace up your boots to get the best mountain views! The Slieve Gullion Forest Drive in Armagh is one of the most beautiful — and perhaps underrated — scenic drives in the country and as a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it offers incredible views without having to break a sweat. There are several scenic outlooks along the route of Outstanding Natural Beauty with views spilling across Ulster and down to Leinster and the Irish Sea. A one-way system around the route makes those hairpins a little less hairy and note too that the route is just off the A1 between Dublin and Belfast so makes a really worthwhile detour if road-tripping between the two. There’s also a handy Synge and Byrne Café at the car park which makes a handy spot to grab a coffee.
Tip: The Footsteps in the Forest festival will take place in the Slieve Gullion Forest Park between October 25th-30th. It’s a family-friendly Samhain celebration of the legend-filled mountain.
Slieve Bloom
You might not think of Laois and Offaly when you think of one of Ireland’s most dramatic mountain passes, but the beautiful Slieve Blooms feature several impressive drives to soak up the scenes of one of Europe’s oldest mountain ranges. The villages of Kinnitty (Co Offaly) and Mountrath (Co Laois) offer two great bases to start off from: the Slieve Bloom Scenic Glendine route is my favourite and you truly feel like you are in another world as you motor through the valley along the Glendine pass. You’ll find several excellent walking routes in the area too: the Ridge of Capard along the nature reserve of the same offers an impressive boardwalk route which protects the heathers which blanket the hills.
Tip: If you’d like to take your visit up a gear, Jonathan O’Meara from Mid Ireland Adventure offers both guided tours and a mountain bike rental service from Kinnitty village allowing you to really explore the Slieve Blooms at your own pace … they even offer electric bikes.
Tountinna
If you are travelling around the stunning Lough Derg region and the skies are blue then visit Tountinna, the highest peak of Tipperary’s Arra mountains makes for a low-effort, high-reward road trip! Follow signs for the route along the R949 between Ballina and Portroe and expect your journey to elevate from there. A mere 5km or 10 minutes should get you right to the summit and picnic area from which on a fine day you can sock up views from Limerick and Clare, right up the Lough Derg to Galway.
Tip: The twinned towns of Killaloe-Ballina offer a few lovely spots to stock up on great coffee and snacks, not least the Wooden Spoon on Ballina’s main street.
Healy Pass
The Connor Pass may be Kerry’s best-known mountain route but the Healy Pass, a road-tripping jewel shared by both the Kingdom and the Rebel County, is perhaps its most spectacular. Beginning from Adrigole on the Cork side of the beautiful Beara peninsula, the route snakes along the Healy Valley before following a spaghetti path up the Caha Mountains with views crescendoing with every hairpin. From the grotto on top of the pass, you’ll find the ultimate money shot of the roadway and just beyond it, past the Kerry border, a viewing point offers spectacular views of Glanmore Lake and Kenmare Bay beyond. Two of the most epic views in Ireland.
Tip: Kenmare Boat Tours offers gorgeous tours where you can experience the wildlife, marine life and dreamy seascapes of Kenmare Bay. Keep an eye out for dolphins, seals or perhaps a white-tailed sea eagle!
Sally Gap
Ireland may not have gotten within a donkey’s roar of the winning enclosure at Eurovision this year but perhaps the winning moment for the nation was the spectacular footage of the Sally Gap during Wild Youth’s pre-performance postcard. The spectacular mountain pass across the more untamed wilds of the Garden County winds from Roundwood to Glendalough with Lough Tay and Glenmacnass Waterfalls two of the more photogenic pitstops en route.
Tip: Given its proximity to the capital, consider taking a sunrise or sunset drive of the Sally Gap to avoid the crowds.
Causeway Coast
Perhaps of all road trips in Ireland, few deliver more epic sights per mile than the Causeway Coastal Route along Antrim’s spectacular northern seaboard. From the charming village of Cushenden (recently named the most romantic in Northern Ireland) to taking in views of Scotland from Torr Head, traversing the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, or grabbing a coffee at Ballintoy Harbour, every pitstop along this roadway is truly a blockbuster. Come sunset, choose your vantage point from epic locations like Dunluce Castle, the Mussenden Temple or Whiterocks Beach at Portrush. Oh, and that’s all even without mentioning a certain Giant’s Causeway.
Tip: You can’t travel all this way without making the trip out to Rathlin Island. This culture and wildlife-rich island lies within a 40-minute crossing from Ballycastle: short enough to make it a do-able day trip but far enough to really make you feel you’ve been transported to an off-shore haven.