WHETHER IT’S HOW you picked them up for your first date or it’s where you now load up your kids for a family picnic, the car can be an important setting for making some of your favourite memories with your other half.
Last time, we heard from parents about their favourite drives to take with their little ones. This time around, we wanted to hear from five real couples where they love to go for a spin together, whether it’s to show their childhood favourite or just to get some air every Sunday.
Here are their picks for a little roadside romance.
At least twice a month, we drive along Clontarf Road and out over The Wooden Bridge. It’s become a bit of a Sunday routine. We start from Fairview and drive all along the coast. It’s the one time I don’t mind being stuck in traffic because the views across Dublin Bay are so lovely. My favourite part though is driving over The Wooden Bridge. As soon as you turn onto the bridge, it feels like you’re out of Dublin and in another world.
The sea is on either side and it’s always a beautiful colour, whether it’s dark grey when it’s cloudy or bright blue and clear on a sunny day. It’s always a bit of a thrill going over the bridge because, as the name suggests, it’s wooden and a bit rickety. On a clear day, you can see all the way out to Howth and, to the other side, the Sugar Loaf. Once we’re there, we pull in along the Bull Wall and head to Happy Out for a toastie, a coffee and a walk along the wall. It’s just gorgeous.
- Amy and George
What’s the full route? From Fairview to the edge of Bull Island, via the Wooden Bridge.
How long does the drive take? 15 minutes (30 minutes there and back)
Can I’ve a look at the map? Check it out here.
This is a route that we take quite often as it’s a main access point to the Wicklow mountains from Dublin for hikes. As soon as you turn off the N11 you start to wind up your way up to the Wicklow plateau, passing the iconic Sugarloaf on your way. Driving along the high road, passing the Vartry Reservoir, you arrive at Roundwood village which is and has plenty of coffee shops and traditional pubs for a bite to eat.
Turning off from Roundwood the road narrows further and you’re on the edge of the mountains overlooking the beautiful Lough Tay (Guinness Lake), the peak of Luggala on one side, and steep alpine forests on the other. This is a view that we never get tired of – it always surprises you coming around the corner. The beauty is that you can peel off at any stage to go for a hike. When you arrive at the Sally Gap you come to the Old Military Road, another beautiful drive that runs along the spine of the Wicklow Mountains.
- Darragh and Ali
What’s the full route? From Kilmacanogue to Sallygap via Roundwood.
How long does the drive take? 35 minutes (or 1 hr, 10 minutes, there and back).
Can I’ve a look at the map? Check it out here.
The Slea Head drive from Dingle is fabulous, stopping off at Coumeenole Beach which is my favourite in the world (if the sun is shining). If you’re driving from Tralee, take the Conor Pass to Dingle – great views but a bit nerve wracking if it’s busy! There’s a mountain walk overlooking the beach – Mount Eagle. You can do a lovely beach walk on Beal Bán near Ballyferriter and there’s a nice swimming beach called the Wine Strand.
For food, there’s a nice restaurant called O’ Morchu’s (Murphy’s) in Ballyferriter and good pub food in TP’s in Ballydavid. We nearly always climb Mount Brandon up the pilgrim’s route from near ‘The Bóthar’ pub – challenging but spectacular views! There’s also ‘Cuas’ or Brandon Creek which is where my husband’s father is from – known to some as ‘the last parish before America’!
- Karen and Maurice
What’s the full route? From Tralee to Dingle via the Slea Head and Mount Brandon.
How long does the drive take? 1 hour, 40 minutes.
Can I’ve a look at the map? Check it out here.
A couple of times a year we make the drive from Dublin to West Cork together to stay at a friend’s holiday home by the sea in Rosscarbery. I have lots of family in West Cork so driving around here is nothing new, but doing it as a couple is always really special!
We usually stop off in Clonakilty to stock up on food for the weekend (it’s the home of my favourite supermarket in Ireland) and then soak up the views of the final ten minutes of the journey. As you come into Rosscarbery village, there’s a huge open bridge going right across the water, and you almost feel like you’re driving into the sea. It’s like coming home!
- Paula and Simon
What’s the full route? From Dublin to Rosscarbery via a food stop at Clonakilty.
How long does the drive take? 3 hrs, 45 minutes.
Can I’ve a look at the map? Check it out here.
We were going to Monart after my sister’s wedding last summer. We had an unreal couple of days so it was nice to have the drive down to have the chats, look back on the last few days and go through all the highlights from the wedding, just the two of us. We drove down to Wexford from Cliff at Lyons in Celbridge and took a detour on the way to go and visit Aughrim in Wicklow, where my mam is from.
I wanted to show my boyfriend Aughrim as we spent so much time there when we were kids and it is such a beautiful town. We ate in The Grainstore in Aughrim which is also gorgeous. It was a roasting summer day so we got ice creams and headed down to Monart. The drive was so much fun as we were still on such a high after an amazing couple of days with my family and had the relaxation of Monart around the corner.
- Mary and Mark
What’s the full route? From Celbridge to Enniscorthy via Aughrim.
How long does the drive take? 2 hrs, 5 minutes (2 hrs, 15 minutes if you’re coming from Dublin)
Can I’ve a look at the map? Check it out here.
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