Ireland Road Trip - Fall 2023

Starting from the Wexford area, this first day followed the southeast coast north through County Wicklow and into Dublin. The route passed through rolling Wexford farmland before climbing into the Wicklow hills, with over 1,100 meters of elevation gain across 112 km.

A long push north from County Meath through Monaghan, crossing into Northern Ireland via Tyrone and Derry before reaching Malin in Donegal. The route traversed the drumlin belt of the border counties and climbed over 2,100 meters across 231 km to reach the Inishowen Peninsula.

A short day exploring the northern tip of the Inishowen Peninsula around Malin, Culdaff, and Ballyliffin. At 75 km with nearly 1,200 meters of climbing, the route stayed on the narrow coastal roads of Ireland's northernmost headland.

The full Inishowen circuit from Malin around through Dunaff, Fahan, and Burt before looping back north via Greencastle and Stroove to finish in Moville. Over 3,100 meters of elevation gain across 182 km on one of Donegal's most rugged peninsulas.

A major cross-country transit from Inishowen south through Sligo and across the midlands to County Clare. The 420 km route passed through seven counties, skirting the Sligo coast at Drumcliff before turning inland through Galway and ending near Newmarket in Clare.

A full day on the Clare coast covering just 83 km but spending over eight hours on the road. The route passed through Ennistimon and Lisdoonvarna before reaching the Cliffs of Moher and finishing at Lahinch on the Atlantic shore.

Heading southeast from Limerick City through the Galtee Mountains corridor, crossing into County Cork at Mitchelstown before turning east into Waterford. The 116 km route followed the Blackwater Valley past Cappoquin and the Ballysaggartmore Towers.

A long day along the southeast coast, looping from Dromore through Clashmore into east Cork as far as Carrigtohill before returning to Ardmore in Waterford. Over 12 hours on the road for 160 km, with nearly 2,400 meters of climbing along the coastal headlands.

The longest day of the trip: 619 km from Waterford to Lettermacaward in west Donegal, crossing through Tipperary, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon, Sligo, and down the Donegal coast. Over 23 hours and 6,300 meters of elevation gain covered nearly the full north-south length of Ireland.

A rest day of sorts around west Donegal, covering just 45 km between Lettermacaward, Dunglow, and the coastal village of Maghery. Short distances but the terrain still delivered 757 meters of climbing on Donegal's characteristic narrow roads.

Exploring the mountainous interior and northern coast of Donegal, from Dunlewy at the foot of Mount Errigal through Gortahork and Magheraroarty before looping back via Annagary and Dunglow. Over 2,000 meters of climbing across 125 km of single-track roads.

Another major transit day, 489 km from Lettermacaward south through the familiar Sligo-Galway corridor, continuing past Limerick and Nenagh in Tipperary to finish at Ballybrittas in County Laois. Over 4,500 meters of elevation gain crossing from the Atlantic coast deep into the Irish midlands.

A slow day in the midlands covering 71 km over nearly nine hours between Portarlington in Laois and Tullamore in Offaly. The flat bog and farmland of central Ireland offered a contrast to the coastal terrain of the previous two weeks.

Back to Donegal from the midlands, 312 km through Westmeath, Longford, and the Shannon corridor into Leitrim before crossing into Donegal via Kinlough and Ballintra. The route passed through Manorhamilton and the Glenade valley in Leitrim, finishing at Lettermacaward.

Another short day in west Donegal, 45 km between Lettermacaward, Glenties, and Ardara with a detour to Dawros on the coast. Despite the low mileage, 1,120 meters of elevation gain reflected the constant hills of the Donegal interior.

A circuit of the Rosguill Peninsula in north Donegal, reaching Doe Castle and Carrickart before rounding the headland at Ards. The 175 km route also passed through Gortahork and Dunlewy, accumulating 2,900 meters of climbing on Donegal's exposed Atlantic peninsulas.

Leaving Donegal for the last time, 318 km south through Sligo and Galway to the Burren in north Clare. The route passed through Galway city and along the south Galway coast at Kinvarra before entering the limestone karst landscape of the Burren, finishing at Lisdoonvarna.

The final driving day: a 492 km loop from Clare south through Limerick into north Cork, then west to Kenmare in Kerry and over the Caha Pass to Glengarriff in Cork before returning north. Over 5,000 meters of climbing, passing through the mountainous Kerry-Cork border country on the last day of the trip.