Scenic Roads

Amtmann

What roads in Ireland offer the most stupendous vistas?

One that definitely springs to mind for me the the R664 right here in South Tipperary.

The route affords spectacular views of the Glen of Aherlow and the Galtee Mountains, and there is an excellent parking and picnic area right beside the road:















It's also an excellent spot for a bit of stargazing late at night...and other things presumably.

V480

Great idea for a thread.

I haven't been driving all that long so would know all that many but the most obvious one I can think of is the Ring of Kerry. Only travelled this recently and it really is as spectacular as I was told.

The drive down through the Burren is spectacular also and has an advantage in that it doesn't necessarily have to be a nice day for it to be enjoyable. In fact when I drove through it there was lots of fog about...it kinda added to it in a weird way!

Around Wexford is nice too, any of the roads around Curracloe beach offer great views. The Michael Collins Drive in Wicklow is nice too...

Amtmann

The R668 is another smashing route to take. It's a mountain pass that connects South Tipperary with County Waterford via the Knockmealdowns. It is located here. There are plenty of viewing spots plus some nice trails.

V480

Some nice ones around Tipp!

Bards

That's the The Vee Drive - very nice - drove it only a few weeks ago

milly4ever

The North Antrim coast road.

nordydan

Two that spring to mind are:

R756 Wicklow Gap
R250 Glenties-Letterkenny

GeneHunt

The R335 is a very scenic route to take, beautiful drive alongside Doo Lough and Killary Harbour.

It's located here

CrowdedHouse

The R335 is a very scenic route to take, beautiful drive alongside Doo Lough and Killary Harbour

Agreed

Photo of Doo Lough I took a few years ago

Chris_5339762

Yeah that area is one of the few areas where you wont see ANY one off housing. Its quite eerie.

Mc Love

Conor Pass just outside Dingle has to be up there as one of the best!



Also there is a road R550 that brings you to Murirrigane (also in kerry)



As well as the slea head drive just west of Ventry Co. Kerry

mike65

The Copper Coast between Tramore and Dungarvan has some fine rocky scenery and tumbledown castles, mines etc.

slinky2000

Healy Pass in Cork is amazing!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=r574+ireland&sll=51.736384,-9.623337&sspn=0.249607,0.617294&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=R574,+Ireland&ll=51.75169,-9.84787&spn=0.499043,1.234589&z=10

Harps

Love the looks of that road!

Plenty of great drives around Donegal, the R250, R251 and R254 cut through the mountains from Letterkenny to the west coast and its almost completely empty of development, you can drive for miles without seeing a single house

Typical scenery



Entrance to Glenveigh National Park



Fintown during the Winter



Mt Errigal



Poisoned Glen



Plenty of other great drives as well such as the Fanad & Inishowen Peninsula's

nilhg

Totally agree about Donegal, was up there last week and it's hard to find a non scenic route, one that sticks in the memory was the Atlantic Drive around the Rosapena peninsula.



Mulroy Bay Panorama by cilldara, on Flickr

gbee

V480 wrote: »

Great idea for a thread.

I haven't been driving all that long so would know all that many but the most obvious one I can think of is the Ring of Kerry. Only travelled this recently and it really is as spectacular as I was told. .

Have to disagree, it RUINED. They have HUGE concrete buttresses that almost close in the road and totally BLOCK the views.

As you did not see it previously, you might still be impressed, but alas, it's no longer a recommended drive.

gbee

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Agreed

Photo of Doo Lough I took a few years ago

This is my type of road and the reason I USED to love the ring of Kerry, but sadly all one can see now are safety bollards and buttresses.

trad

Gap of Dungloe outside Killarney

Hogzy

Its a shame that most of the most breath taking roads in Ireland are badly maintained roads.

I was on Pacific Coast Highway in California and the breathtaking roads were matched with glass smooth pavement.
Having a smooth road with sweeping turns makes a huge difference and can attract road tourism. PCH is a fairly popular drive from LA to San Francisco. Only wish i could have done the full drive

Atomic Pineapple

Antrim Coast road > Torr Head > Causeway coast road - What a drive!

Tech3

If I get a chance to take a photo of the N69 around Glin and Foynes I'll post it up here. Fantastic to drive the coastal road on a nice sunny day.

trap4

tech2 wrote: »

If I get a chance to take a photo of the N69 around Glin and Foynes I'll post it up here. Fantastic to drive the coastal road on a nice sunny day.

Dammit you just pipped me! Have to agree it's a gorgeous drive between Foynes and Tarbert (beyond Glin is some of the nicest). The road snakes right along the southern side of the Shannon Estuary for much of the trip and you have wonderful views all the way across to the Clare side. On a calm sunny day the estuary looks like a mirror disturbed only by the odd ripple from a passing freight ship or dolphin.

Now that the new section of motorway is open I'd advise any holiday makers travelling to Kerry from the north or east of Limerick to divert to the N69 (you turn off before the tunnel toll http://osm.org/go/esbz1yc ) and travel the 'coast road instead. Well worth the extra time.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

-Corkie-

Some nice pictures there. The road from Kilgarven in Kerry to Ballylickey in Cork is fantastic. Turn left in Kilgarven at the Top filling station and drive on!!

bmw535d

inishowen 100 route wins hands down.

liogairmhordain

SARASON wrote: »

Some nice pictures there. The road from Kilgarven in Kerry to Ballylickey in Cork is fantastic. Turn left in Kilgarven at the Top filling station and drive on!!

+ 1 for that.
its spectacular, lovely walking around there too.

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/499028

-Corkie-

liogairmhordain wrote: »

+ 1 for that.
its spectacular, lovely walking around there too.

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/499028

It would be a nicer drive on a bike actually. Car is awkward trying to pull in to look at the scenery.

Quackster

-Corkie- wrote: »

Some nice pictures there. The road from Kilgarven in Kerry to Ballylickey in Cork is fantastic. Turn left in Kilgarven at the Top filling station and drive on!!

That is indeed one of the Southwest's finest drives. And one of the few tunnel drives in this country.

But for pure heart-pounding stuff, it has to be the adjacent Priest's Leap route. A dramatic, thrilling but seriously scary drive at night or in fog or when you meet oncoming traffic!!

nordydan

Newry to Rostrevor via narrow water

Aidan1

Couple of routes, but no pics unfortunately.

The R676 from Carrick on Suir to Lemybrien. Used to use it to get home to Cork before the Motorways were built - good driving road, interesting selection of corners and it even used to have a good surface. Scenery is varied, but there's a real sense of making progress, up out of Carrick, over the mountains, and down into the coastal strip.

The N59/R313 from Ballina to Bellmullet. Very unusual road in Ireland - heading out of grasslands into one of Northern Europe's largest bog complexes, our most spectacular desert. The scenery, particularly in winter, is both bleak and stunning. The road surface is very variable, but it's an interesting drive. NB - do not try to keep up with the locals or the heavily disguised Porsche prototypes.

The R672 could do with a mention too - trip through a fine tillage area stuck between two mountain ranges. I like the N73 too, for some reason, along with long stretches of the M8 between Horse and Jockey and Mitchelstown.

AOwannabe

Caragh Lake, just outside Killorglin

AOwannabe

Coast Road, from Kilkee to Loop Head

AOwannabe

N69 Tarbert to Foynes, as mentioned previously in thread

Amtmann

Does anyone have any nice pictures from the Gap of Dunloe?

wellbutty

Furet wrote: »

Does anyone have any nice pictures from the Gap of Dunloe?

Few old ones attached Furet

Amtmann

Lovely. Just realised I meant to write 'Conor Pass' though!

Mc Love

On a road adjacent to the R344 in Connemara

Mc Love

Furet wrote: »

Lovely. Just realised I meant to write 'Conor Pass' though!

I posted some up in the first page - dont think any would be sane enough to try and drive up there in this weather, but saying that, its conveniently located beside Dingle

Will be heading down in a few weeks will try and get a few pics for you

AOwannabe

df1985

jesus I have to get down to the ring of kerry/west cork some time! how many days would you say itd take for a small driving holiday to do the various routes mentioned, and to take in mizen head and the likes?