Page 159 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

DRIVE 15: Valley of the Kings 157

PLAN YOUR DRIVE

Start/finish: Drogheda to the Hill
of Tara.
Number of days: 3.
Distance: 137 km (85 miles).
Road conditions: Some surfaces of
minor roads are poor and uneven (for
example, the road to Mellifont Abbey).
When to go: Most of the main sights
on this drive are outdoors, so spring,
Above Trim on the banks of the Boyne. The ruined Belfry Tower on the left-hand side is one of summer or autumn are preferable.
several medieval monuments in the town, see p161 Whatever the season, rain gear and
comfortable walking shoes are a must.
Opening times: Most shops and
0 kilometres 5
attractions open 9 or 10am–5 or 6pm.
Virginia Shops open Mon–Sat; in large towns
Virginia
Smarmore
Castleranan Smarmore Ashville Philipstown 0 miles 5
Castleranan
Eighter Eighter Ashville Philipstown also 12–6pm on Sun. Convenience
Lough
Knockatemple
Barconny Knockatemple Lough Siddan Siddan White White White River Mullary stores in villages open 8am until late.
Barconny
Ramor
Ramor
White River
Mullary
Mountain
Cloghbally
Bracklorey Cloghbally Mountain Cross Cross Tinure Tinure LOUTH Main market days: Drogheda: Sat;
Bracklorey
LOUTH
Lobinstown
Thomastown
Ryefield Moynalty Thomastown Lobinstown Brownstown Leahby Leahby MONASTERBOICE Kells: Farmers’ Market Sat am.
Moynalty
Brownstown
Ryefield
MONASTERBOICE
Cross Cross
Kellystown
Castletown Kellystown
Castletown
Castlecar Oldcastle Virginia Togherstown Collon Collon Newtown Major festivals: Drogheda:
Castlecar
Oldcastle
Togherstown
Virginia
Newtown
Monasterboice
Termonfeckin
Loughan
Ballinvally Road Road Loughan Hoardstown Starinagh Monasterboice Termonfeckin Arts Festival, Apr/May; Irish Maritime
Hoardstown
Ballinvally
Irishford Starinagh
Irishford
Ballymakenny
Carlanstown
Mill Brook LOUGHCREW Carnacross Carlanstown Ballymakenny Festival, Jun; Loughcrew:
LOUGHCREW
Mill Brook
Ballynacree Carnacross Creewood Glassallen Mellifont Tullyeskar
Ballynacree
Glassallen
Mellifont
Tullyeskar
CAIRNS Creewood Opera Festival, May/Jun; Trim:
CAIRNS
Rathkenny
Castlekeeran
Tullyallen
MELLIFONT ABBEY
Loughcrew Ballinlough Castlekeeran KELLS KELLS Wilkinstown Rathkenny MELLIFONT ABBEY Tullyallen Mell Mell Baltray Baltray Swift Festival, Jul.
Loughcrew
Wilkinstown
Ballinlough
Springhall
Springhall Oristown
Oristown
BATTLE OF THE BOYNE
Drumone Blackwater Clongill Hill of Slane BATTLE OF THE BOYNE
Drumone
Clongill
Hill of Slane
DROGHEDA
Corballis
Ardglassan Ballally Ballally Corballis Harlinstown SITESITE DROGHEDA
Harlinstown
Ardglassan
Blackwater
Crossakeel Calliaghstown Rossin Rossin Donacarney DAY TRIP OPTIONS
Crossakeel
Calliaghstown
SLANE
White White Barfordstown SLANE Donacarney
Roachtown
Kilberry
Lough Lough Ballany Ballany Roachtown Creevagh Barfordstown Donaghpatrick Kilberry Stackallan Knowth Knowth Dowth Dowth Painestown
Stackallan
Creevagh
Donaghpatrick
Painestown
Newgrange
Cross Keys MEA TH Boyne Boyne Newgrange Donore Visit three of Ireland’s best historical
Donore
Cross Keys
Kilskeer
Fore Fore Kilskeer Piercetown MEA TH sights, all within a short distance
Piercetown
Lough Lough Mullaghard Beau Parc BRÚ NA
Mullaghard
Beau Parc
BRÚ NA
Bare Bare Oldtown of each other. Those fascinated by
Oldtown
BÓINNE
Glenidan Killacroy Girley Girley Fordstown Windtown Hays Hays Yellow Yellow Lougher BÓINNE Beaumont Julianstown Ireland’s Celtic High Crosses and
Glenidan
Fordstown
Julianstown
Beaumont
Lougher
Killacroy
Windtown
Bohermeen
Clonmellon Bohermeen Furze Furze Duleek Duleek round towers should head for
Clonmellon
Jamestown
Archerstown Mooneystown Jamestown Navan Navan Lisdornan Monasterboice for impressive
Lisdornan
Archerstown
Mooneystown
Collierstown
Harristown
Ballinlig Neillstown Harristown Collierstown examples of both. Romantics can
Ballinlig
Neillstown
Boyerstown
Johnstown
Martinstown Boyerstown Johnstown Sicily Sicily
Martinstown
Carness
Cloran Cloran Tullaghanstown Brownstown Kentstown Carness spend a day exploring the medieval
Tullaghanstown
Brownstown
Kentstown
Halltown Kilcarn Kilcarn Balrath Balrath town of Trim. For full details, see p161.
Halltown
Loughanstown Wardstown
Loughanstown
Wardstown
Athboy Walterstown
Athboy
Walterstown
Irishtown
Philpotstown Irishtown
Philpotstown
Dunderry Bellinter Below The area around Newgrange is dotted with
Dunderry
Stonestown Bellinter underground passage tombs, see p160
Stonestown
Rathfeigh
Skryne Hill
Robinstown Skryne Hill Rathfeigh
Robinstown
Bective Bective
HILL OF
Kildalkey Boyne Boyne HILL OF
Kildalkey
Stonyford
TRIM TRIM TARA TARA Tara Tara
Stonyford
Kilmessan
Kilmessan
Portanab
Portanab
Teaguestown
Teaguestown
Dunsany
Dunsany
Walterstown
Walterstown
Laracor Laracor
KEY
Drive route
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