West Waterford
The West Waterford Driving Trail
Taking the N72 out of Dungarvan will bring you in a western direction. Taking the R671 off this road will bring you into the quaint little village of Aglish which gets its name from the 19th century Catholic church which resides within it.
Passing through Aglish will bring you into Villierstown which is famous as the birthplace of Olympic silver medallist, John Treacy. The village also lies on the banks of the River Blackwater and has won numerous prizes in the national tidy towns competition.
The drive west from Villierstown towards Cappoquin is known as the Dromana drive as it passes by Dromana House, an oriental-style lodge in the middle of a rural Irish countryside. Legend has it that it was erected to welcome home a honeymooning couple who loved it so much that they made it permanent. Cappoquin is also situated on the banks of the Blackwater and is an ideal location for game and coarse fishing.
Continuing west out of Cappoquin is a scenic drive along the banks of the Blackwater eventually landing you in the beautiful town of Lismore. The town itself is dominated by the huge castle which you pass on the way into the town. A walk around the castle gardens is a must for any visitor to Lismore. A visit to the town’s impressive heritage centre is also a must and here one can purchase some fine examples of Irish art, crafts.
Leaving Lismore on the R666 will bring you into the scenic village of Ballyduff, the home of excellent fishing facilities.
Taking the R665 from Ballyduff to Riverview you can take the R668 North towards the border with Tipperary. Here in the middle of the mountains is the Vee gap which gives you a stunning view of the valley below and onto the Galtee Mountains to the north. From here, you have excellent views of Waterford, Tipperary and even Limerick can be seen in the distance.
Going back down the way you came, you can take the road to Ballymacarbry which brings you along the Nire Valley. Here you can take a scenic walk around the Nire Valley lakes where you will witness stunning mountain scenery.
