South East of Ireland Itinerary

» Day 1: Wexford to Waterford 73 kms, 46 mls

The drive from Wexford to Cork offers not just great scenery but good sightseeing possibilities, too. In Wexford, head for Westgate Tower, the only remaining fortified gateway within the Norman town walls, which now houses Wexford Experience, a 30-minute audio visual description of the the town's history. See also Johnstone Castle Gardens and the Irish Agricultural Museum and, if you're in town in October, you can visit the three-week Wexford Opera Festival, offering three full operas performed at the Theatre Royal. The scenic way to Waterford from Wexford is via the R736/R733 to the Hook Head peninsula. At the pretty waterside village of Ballyhack, take the five-minute car ferry to Waterford, where you should find time to visit the landmark Reginald's Tower, the Waterford Heritage Centre and the glass-blowing workshops of the Waterford Crystal Factory. Every piece of Waterford Crystal is guaranteed since all imperfect pieces are smashed on the premises!

» Day 2: Waterford to Cork 159 kms, 99 mls

From Waterford, take the R684 coast road to Dungarvan via Dunmore East, a pretty fishing village, and Tramore, which has a long sandy beach. The coast road then continues through Annestown, Bunmahon and Clonea to Dungarvan, a good place to stop as it has some lively pubs and restaurants. Turn inland through Lismore, which has two cathedrals - a throwback to when it was an important monastic centre between the 7th and 12th centuries - before dropping down to the coast again at Cork.