During our recent road trip exploring the beautiful Munster Vales region with Europcar , we were amazed at the amount of spectacular scenic drives we stumbled upon along the way. We are delighted to share with you a blog post of our favourite breathtaking scenic drives in the Munster Vales. You can also check out the video of our adventures here.
We started our road trip from Europcar in Clonmel. The Clonmel Europcar branch is one of two locations recently opened by Europcar in the Munster area, with the other in Limerick city. It is also currently the only rental car company in Clonmel town. Nothing beats picking up your rental car and the excitement of a road trip. The Munster Vales stretches over 1100km of trails, over five mountain ranges and onto the Irish sea. The Munster Vales crosses the counties of Limerick, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford and is bursting beauty around every corner.
Below are 5 of our most memorable drives from the Munster Vales region.
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Comeragh Drive
The Comeragh Mountains stretch from the coast near Dungarvan as far as Clonmel and the Comeragh Drive is one that just took our breath away. The Comeragh Drive is a remarkable drive which brings you along the mountain range from Dungarvan, up to the breathtaking Mahon Falls. This drive captures the beauty of the mountains, the splendour of the falls and the spectacular scenery around every corner. The drive up to the Mahon Falls is one you will remember forever, a beautiful scenic drive with the sun glistening on the mountains. Mahon Falls is an 80m waterfall situated in the Comeragh Mountains near Lemybrien, Co. Waterford. When you get to the carpark, I would recommend doing the Mahon Falls hike. It is an easy family walk and a very popular one all year. It is a linear walk to the foot of the breathtaking Mahon Falls. The water falls from the highest point in the Comeragh Mountains and makes for a spectacular view. If you are a waker, the Comeragh Mountains are one of the great mountain ranges of Ireland. It has over thirteen corrie lakes and offers a lots of walks to enjoy.
During the Comeragh Drive, you must stop off at the magic road. The magic road is located close to Mahon Falls. A small road, located off the beaten track, where if you stop the car and let the handbrake off, the vehicle will magically roll uphill. A touch of magic on your road trip! I would highly recommend Mahon Falls and the Comeragh Mountain drive in the Munster Vales region, it is definitely one to add to your bucket list.
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Nire Valley Drive
The Nire Valley is located in the heart of the Comeragh mountains in Co. Waterford. It is known for its picturesque location full of charming woodland, breathtaking mountain scenery and a stunning river. It is a picture perfect drive packed with beauty around every corner. Start in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and take the R672 to Ballymacarbry village. As you enter the village you will a right turn which take you to the Nire Valley. Alternatively, you can start your journey like us in Clonmel and drive through the breath taking Nire Valley. The Nire Valley is a walking wonderland for people and makes for both a specatualar walk or a drive like us. As you drive through the mountains, you are met with spectacular scenery, breathtaking views and you may even meet a few of the local sheep along the way.
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Knockmealdown Drive
The Knockmealdown Mountain are a mountain range located on the border of counties Tipperary and Waterford. The Knockmealdown Drive is one that will take your breath away. One of the highlights along the drive is The Vee which is known for its picturesque panoramic views. The drive rises to about 2,000 feet above sea level above Bay Lough. It gives the most spectacular views of the ‘Golden Vale’ between the Knockmealdown and Galtee Mountain Ranges. If it is a very clear day, you can see all the way across the valley to Clonmel, Cahir, Ardfinnan, Clogheen, Ballyporeen and even Cashel.
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Copper Coast Drive
Located just west of Tramore is one of the most spectacular coastal stretches in Ireland. It captures panoramic views of cliffs, bays, beaches and coves between Dungarvan and the seaside town of Tramore. The Copper Coast is an outdoor museum of geological records which stretches along the coast from Kilfarassy Beach, near Fenor in the east to Ballyvoile Beach near Stradbally to the west. It was given its name from a tradition of Copper Mining in the area. The area has a wealth of beautiful, secluded coves and beaches, that took more than 460 million years to create. The stunning landscapes, hidden beaches and beautiful coves as we drove along the Copper Coast were located around every corner. I would recommend stopping off in the geographical park which was both educating and interesting as we walked right through 460 million years of evolution. I would highly recommend a trip to the Copper Coast uncovering some truly stunning hidden gems.
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Slievenamon Drive
The Slievenamon Drive is approximately 53km long. Start your drive in Clonmel and head out the N24 turning onto the N76 towards Kilkenny at the Kilheffernan Roundabout. This road turns left towards the mountain and Kilcash village. Kilcash is known due to the great 18th century lament poem, which mourns the loss of the Gaelic Irish culture and also the destruction of the great oak woods of the area. From Kilcash we travel along the N76 through Grangemockler and Ninemilehouse. The “Grand Inn” in Ninemilehouse was an Inn situated along one of the routes of the Bianconi coaches of the eighteen hundreds. From Kilcash travel along the R690 towards Mullinahone. Travel along the R692 through the village of Cloneen, possibly making a detour to visit the historic town of Fethard where you can view the Medieval walls surrounding the town. The old parish church (circa 1200) and the Augustinian Abbey (circa 1300) are still in use today. From Cloneen the route travels along the west of the mountain, following the course of the river Anner which joins the Suir near Clonmel. Slievenamon is one of the most famous mountains in Ireland. The Slievenamon mountain is 721m and if you are feeling adventurous, you can climb it from above Kilcash village. The return walk should take 3-4 hours.
