Best route Dublin - Bundoran

fletch

I am going to be travelling from Blanchardstown to Bundoran this evening and just wondering what is the best route?
Google maps reckons it'll take 2hrs 47mins up the M3-N3-Virginia-Cavan-Belturbet-Enniskillen but looking at the roads, it looks kinda windy.
I would have thought the M4-Mullingar-Carrick-on-Shannon-Sligo would have been quicker as the roads are better but it reckons this will take 3hrs 23mins
Anyone any advice?

biko

Stick to main roads for as long as possible, I would go for the second option.

Losty Dublin

All those trips to the family up north finally pay off There is no need to go into Enniskillen at all; it's an unnecessary detour and a longer and more windy route. Stay on the N 3 all the way north and you can do one of these three routes.

• You can turn left at the petrol station in Bellaneck. This is an unclassified road but it's very wide and straight and it will lead you to Belcoo/Blacklion; from here you can follow the road to Garrison. Once here, you can either take the simple to follow B 52 to Belleek and onwards to Ballyshannon and Bundoran or take the lake side drive, it's turn left and right in the village. Once you cross the border, follow the signs for Mullanaleck and that's you in Bundoran.
  
• Alternatively, stay straight onwards for Enniskillen on the A 509. You will see a roundabout which is about 2 miles from Enniskillen; left takes you towards Belcoo/Blacklion and you can follow on as above.
  
• Also, turn southwards at Garrison and once across the border follow the R 281 and this takes you straight into Bundoran. It's a slow road but it's scenic.

3 hours 20 should do you fine whatever route you take.

_Kaiser_

fletch wrote: »

I am going to be travelling from Blanchardstown to Bundoran this evening and just wondering what is the best route?
Google maps reckons it'll take 2hrs 47mins up the M3-N3-Virginia-Cavan-Belturbet-Enniskillen but looking at the roads, it looks kinda windy.
I would have thought the M4-Mullingar-Carrick-on-Shannon-Sligo would have been quicker as the roads are better but it reckons this will take 3hrs 23mins
Anyone any advice?

Well the M50-just outside Virginia is all motorway (2 tolls though) or dual carriageway after Kells to 10km before Virginia so no issue there

Virginia to beyond Cavan town is all decent quality N-road @ 100 km/h. After that I'm not sure any more as the other thread with reports on new bypasses and bridges up that way suggests it might be a mess at the moment.

From the border to Enniskillen isn't great alright.. bout 50/50 between decent road and windy country lanes

fletch

Losty Dublin wrote: »

All those trips to the family up north finally pay off There is no need to go into Enniskillen at all; it's an unnecessary detour and a longer and more windy route. Stay on the N 3 all the way north and you can do one of these three routes.

• You can turn left at the petrol station in Bellaneck. This is an unclassified road but it's very wide and straight and it will lead you to Belcoo/Blacklion; from here you can follow the road to Garrison. Once here, you can either take the simple to follow B 52 to Belleek and onwards to Ballyshannon and Bundoran or take the lake side drive, it's turn left and right in the village. Once you cross the border, follow the signs for Mullanaleck and that's you in Bundoran.

3 hours 20 should do you fine whatever route you take.

Took this route you suggested
The road from Belleneck to Blacklion was very bumpy and not very pleasant in the dark. Outside Glenfarne, the sat nav suggested turning right up by Lough Melvin so we did that...horrible little narrow road that felt like it would never end...somehow we did the journey in 2hrs 45mins which wasn't bad considering the return journey back (via Sligo-N4-M4) took 3hrs 15mins but was a much straighter (boring) drive

Losty Dublin

fletch wrote: »

Took this route you suggested
The road from Belleneck to Blacklion was very bumpy and not very pleasant in the dark. Outside Glenfarne, the sat nav suggested turning right up by Lough Melvin so we did that...horrible little narrow road that felt like it would never end...somehow we did the journey in 2hrs 45mins which wasn't bad considering the return journey back (via Sligo-N4-M4) took 3hrs 15mins but was a much straighter (boring) drive

Believe it or not; the main road from Enniskillen to Belleek is as bumpy and more windy and it's an A class road!!

Glad you got there safe and in good time though; hope the weekend was good for you up there