Wanderlust UK – September 2019

wanderlust.co.uk September 2019 45

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

For more information, please visit ba.com/ireland

thatyoucandrivestraight
toMalinHead,themostnortherly
pointofthemainland.Next,travel
downtheInishowenpeninsula,
whereyoucantakeaboattourto
spotwhales,dolphinsandsharks.
DAYTWO:Rentabikeandpedal
toFanadHeadforapicnic,
admiringthelighthouseandfine
beachatBallymastocker.Next,
headtoArdaraviathetrails
ofArdsForestPark.Don’tmiss
theviewoverthecrashing
AtlanticfromHornHead.
DAYTHREE:WindtheGlengesh
Pass,thentakeintheSlieve
Leagueseacliffs–thevastwall
ofBunglasrisesover600m
abovetheAtlantic–before
arrivinginDonegal.
TOPTIP:Makethemostofthe
seafood you’ll find along the
coast: the lobster, oysters and
crab are all celebrated.

3

LANDS OF
ANCIENT
STORIES
From Neolithic sites to country
estates, giant waterfalls to Viking
riches, Ireland‘s easily accessed
Ancient East is full to the brim
with history and heritage.
DAY ONE: Fly into Dublin, then
weave towards Wicklow, stopping
at vast Powerscourt House and
its gardens, before wandering
the glacial valley of Glendalough.
DAY TWO: Call into Avoca – the
oldest working mill in Ireland –
to grab a coffee and some of their

famedcashmerethrows.Then

headtotheporttownof

Waterfordforitsfreshfish

andtreasuresfromitsVikingpast.

DAYTHREE:HeadnorthtoNew

Ross–investigateTheDunbrody

FamineShip–andontoKilkenny:

the‘MedievalMile’isheadlined

byKilkennyCastleandthe13th

centuryStCanice’sCathedral.

TOPTIP:Cycleastretch

oftheWaterfordGreenway,

a46-kmoff-roadbikepath

onaformertrainline.

4

DUBLIN’S

DOORSTEP

InIreland’sheartland,

you’llnotonlyfindtheexpected

charmingvillagesandwinding

countryroadsbutalsoancient

mythandhistoricsettings.

DAYONE:DrivefromDublin

airporttotheIrishNationalStud

&Gardens,totourthehomeof

someoftheworld’sfinesthorses

beforeheadingtoNewbridge

tolearnaboutsilvercrafting.

DAYTWO:DipdeepintoBoyne

Valleytoexplorethe12th-century

Athlone Castle, before swapping

to a bicycle to zip along part (or all)

of Athlone’s 40km Old Rail Trail.

The pretty town of Moate – an

hour’s ride – is a great picnic spot.

DAY THREE: Feeling

adventurous? Make the most

of all the watersports in the Boyne

Valley, or explore Trim Castle – the

largest Norman castle in Ireland

• and the quaint village of Slane.
  TOP TIP: Grab a drink at Seán’s
  Bar, Athlone: one of the oldest in
  Ireland, from the 10th century.

Piqued your

curiosity?

If you want to find out

about these routes in more

detail, we’ve created a

Wanderlust online guide for

each journey. Head to

wanderlust.co.uk/

IrelandRoadTrip now.

It’s never been easier to

explore Ireland. With British

Airways, you can book a

combined fly-drive trip:

return flights + 3 days car hire

from just £129 per person.

(Terms and conditions apply:

£129pp fly-drives are based

on November travel. Subject

to availability. For full T&Cs

visit ba.com/ireland.)

Emerald gem

Waking near Trim

Castle – Ireland’s

largest Norman castle

Fountain of knowledge

Experience 800 years of

history at Powerscourt

House and Gardens

Twist and turn

The winding road

alongside Donegal’s

Ballymastocker Beach