Ireland Road Trip - September 2022

A full day exploring the Fanad and Rosguill peninsulas in northwest Donegal, passing Fanad Head Lighthouse and the scattered villages along the coast. The route covered nearly 200 km of single-track roads with over 3,600 metres of climbing through some of Donegal's most remote terrain.

A shorter loop from Rosguill through Ards Forest Park and Creeslough, with a stop at Doe Castle on the shore of Sheephaven Bay. The route circled back through Kilmacrenan and Cranford, keeping to the hilly interior of north Donegal.

The longest day of driving on the trip, crossing from Rosguill south through the Inishowen Peninsula via the Gap of Mamore, Malin Head, and Hell's Hole before returning through Donegal's interior. Over 4,800 metres of elevation gain across 313 km of mountainous roads.

A loop westward from Rosguill to the Bloody Foreland coast at Knockfola and Magheraroarty, passing through Gortahork and the Gaeltacht villages of northwest Donegal. The route returned via Brinlack and Doe Castle on Sheephaven Bay.

A walking day on the Rosguill Peninsula, covering the headland out to Melmore Head with 34 photos taken along the coastal path. The day ended at the Singing Pub, a well-known stop on the peninsula.

A transit day leaving Donegal and heading south through Stranorlar, Donegal town, and into County Sligo past Drumcliff and Yeats country. The route continued through Tobercurry and into County Mayo, finishing at the Castlecourt Hotel near Westport.

A loop around Achill Island off the Mayo coast, following the Atlantic Drive through Corraun, Doogea, and Slievemore. The route crossed onto the island via the bridge at Achill Sound and returned through Newport on the mainland.

Heading east from County Galway through Ardrahan and Gort, crossing into County Clare at Tulla, and continuing to Killaloe on the southern end of Lough Derg. The day finished in north Tipperary near Knigh, on the western shore of the lake.

A shorter day circling the western and northern shores of Lough Derg, from Killaloe north to the harbour village of Dromineer. The route passed through Carrigatogher and the quiet Tipperary countryside between the lake and the Silvermine Mountains.

The big return north: 379 km from Tipperary through the midlands of Offaly and Westmeath, across Roscommon, and back into Sligo via Collooney. The route continued north through Streedagh and into Donegal, finishing at Annagary on the west coast.

A drive into southwest Donegal through the Glengesh Pass, one of the most dramatic mountain roads in the county, descending into Glencolumbkille on the Atlantic coast. The return route passed through Ardara and Lettermacaward with 2,500 metres of climbing.

An inland loop from Annagary through Dunlewy at the foot of Mount Errigal, then south through Gartan, Church Hill, and Baile na Finne to Glenties. The return leg passed through Ardara and Donegal town before doubling back north via Bonnyglen.

The final drive of the trip, heading south from Annagary through Glenties, Ardara, and Donegal town to Ballintra. A straightforward 98 km wrap-up through familiar southwest Donegal roads.