scenic drives ireland

Ladies View is located between Kenmare and Killarney along the Ring of Kerry Route (N71). It's about 12 miles from Killarney and the stunning views of Killarney's Upper Lakes are awe inspiring to say the least, making it a major stopping point on any Ring of Kerry tour. The name Ladies View dates back to 1861. Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting were so inspired by the breathtaking view that they named it Ladies View....

There are three scenic routes into the Barony of Erris - from Westport, from Ballina via Ballycastle and the famous Ceide Fields along the R314 or from Ballina via the main route the N59. Travelling along the N59 the immense beauty of the largest, living, breathing, unspoilt bogland in Europe will greet your arrival. Stop off at the impressive Bellacorick Bog Train and treat yourself to a unique guided tour of Ireland's first wind farm. The Musical Bridge at Belacorick is another original...

The Lough Inagh Drive (164km/102mls) Clifden - Ballyconneely - Roundstone - Tombeola - Derryclare Lough - Inagh Valley - Letterfrack - Cleggan - Claddaghduff - Clifden

Leave Clifden taking the road south to Ballyconneely. This is a superb drive with bogs and beaches on either side. Connemara Golf Club is located at Ballyconneely. Next stop is Roundstone, a picturesque sea village founded in the early 19th century. It has excellent beaches at Gorteen and Dogs Bay. Continue to Toomb...

The Achill Drive - (121km/76mls - Detour 22km/14mls)
Westport - Newport - Mulraney - Achill Sound - Dooega - Keel - Dooagh Keem Bay - Dugort
Leave Westport on the N59 road for Newport. On the right, 1km outside town , is a monument commemorating a major event in Irish History. It was here, in June 1879, that the Irish Land League, an organisation established to protect tenant farmers, had its most important meeting, which was addressed by the League's two leaders, Charles Stewar...

Travelling west from the village of Killybegs you have wonderful sea-scapes to the left and the great bulks of Crownarad and Mulnanaff mountains looming before you. Leave the main road, turn left for the signposted coast road, and take this very scenic, if narrow , road to Kilcar. As you switch back and forward and plunge and climb over this roller coaster of a road you will be delighted by the views and different landscape perspectives offered by your journey....

Westport To Connemara - (174km/109mls)
Westport - Louisburgh - Delphi - Leenane - Maam Cross - Cliftden - Letterfrack - Leenane - Erriff Valley - Westport
Leave Westport, taking the R335 road to Louisburgh. This route gives you superb views of Clew Bay with its numerous small islands - submerged drumlins, reminders of the Ice Age. To your left is Croagh Patrick, or the Reek, a holy place and a place of pilgrimage.
Eight kilometers from Westport there is a road to the righ...

Corrib Country Tour (140km/88mls) Galway - Maig - Oughterard - Maam Cross - Maam Bridge - Cornamona - Clonbur - Cong - Headford - Galway

This tour follows the 140km of shoreline around the great Lough Corrib. Leave Galway By the N59 for Moycullen village. A small detour to the right before Oughterard leads to Aughnanure Castle. Oughterard is one of Lough Corrib's main angling centres and a busy market town. (If you have time, a detour to the right in the village square will lead y...

These scenic tours are designed to help you get the most from your motoring holiday in Ireland - to show you the most beautiful scenery, and to introduce you to Ireland's many interesting cities and towns.

As all tours are circular you can commence at any point of the given routes. The daily distance covered is shown with each tour, in kilometres and miles (in italics)....

This magnificent drive crosses a pass in the Caha Mountains is backbone of the Beara Peninsula, from Adrigole in Cork  to Lauragh in County Kerry.
Taken in either direction it is a spectacular route, with Glanmore Lake brooding deeply below and great coums and corries opening on each side.

The road is called after Tim Healy, a controversial man, much liked and much hated, who was appointed Governor-General of the new Irish Free State which came into being after...