With Christmas long behind us and summer too far away to even consider yet, we all need something fun to look forward to during the chilly spring months.
And what better way to escape with your closest mates and make some epic memories than by planning an Irish road trip to some of our little country’s coolest spots?
Think about it: it’s cheap (everyone chips in for petrol, then just pack a picnic or pitch a tent), easy (no flights to book or local phrases to learn,) and so much fun. You can even make it nostalgic by visiting places you used to go to as a kid -extra points if you recreate those rainy family photographs!
Here are six awesome locations to pop on your list right now:
1. The Burren, Co. Clare
A vast area of limestone rock stretching from Co. Clare into Galway, The Burren is the ideal spot to visit if you need a refresher on your secondary school geography (remember clints and grikes? Yeah… it’s full of ’em.) There are around 70 megalithic tombs in the area, which gives it a mystical, hallowed feel.
2. The Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim
This tunnel-like avenue of intertwined beech trees was planted in the 18th-century. Not only is it an epic background for an Insta, it also featured in Series 2 of Game of Thrones in an episode where Arya Stark was travelling the Kings Road to join the Night’s Watch.
3. The Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare
Rising a terrifying 390ft above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag’s Head and rising to 702ft at their maximum height, the Cliffs of Moher are a must-see for anyone who like to scare the bejaysus out of themselves every now an again. Try not to look down.
4. The Hell Fire Club, Montpelier Hill, Dublin
An oddly shaped hunting lodge built in 1725 atop scenic Monpelier Hill, the ruins of the Irish Hell Fire Club are alive with the ghosts of its debauched past. Reached by a hike through the forest, legend has it the lodge was used for occult practices and it’s said to be haunted, most notably by a large black cat.
5. Mizen Head, West Cork
Mizen Head is located at the extremity of the Kilmore Peninsula; and it feels every bit as extreme as its billing. Noted for its dramatic cliff scenery, the foot bridge is the stuff of nightmares for anyone afraid of heights but on a clear day, the vertiginous views make for selfie gold. Just watch your step.
6. The Giant’s Causeway
With 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption, The Giant’s Causeway is more alien landscape than Irish tourist spot. According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill.
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