GREAT DRIVES CROHAUN DRIVE: IN THE past I've written in this column about the Monavullagh Mountains that form the southeastern flank of the Comeragh Mountains.
There are few roads through either range of mountains and I previously wrote about the road leading to and from the Mahon Falls, a short walk from which the county council have built a car park for the convenience of visitors.
The Crohaun Drive is only a short distance to the southwest of that earlier road but is completely different in character and although it is only about eight kilometres long, it provides a contrasting experience with superb views to both the south and to the northwest.
When approaching the N25 from either Waterford or Dungarvan, you will need a map, but use the village of Lemybrien as the point to turn off the N25 towards this drive. As you leave the southern side of the village there is a short slip-road that crosses the R676 heading almost due west, follow this road until you come to a T-junction, turn left and head south. After about a kilometre turn right to begin the route featured today.
The road soon starts to rise and then runs beside the Dealgan River. By the time it reaches the attractive Dalligan Bridge, a fair bit of height has been achieved.
To the north is Farbreaga (593m) and to the south Crohaun (484m) while to the south-southeast are magnificent views out over Ballynacourty Point, Ballyvoyle Head and Clonea Bay and Strand which lie between them and on to the Celtic Sea.
This is a wild landscape, dotted with sheep. We drove this road in the early morning and the mist still clung to the hills on all sides, partially obscuring the large microwave mast on the top of Crohaun.
There are several lesser hills to the south and southwest of Crohaun that rejoice in some wonderful sounding names: Coolnasmearmountain, Kilnafrehanmountain, Monarudmountain and Deelishmountain. Crohaun and Deelishmountain both have cairns upon them and there are several standing stones close to our route. In fact, just after the end of our road, to the northeast, is a proliferation of cairns, stone circles, barrows and standing stones around the Araglin River.
After Dalligan Bridge, the road starts to drop towards fertile farmland with Clonmel some 24 kilometres in the distance. While the view to the southeast of this road was stunning, the view northwest is equally so in a completely different way. It is a reminder once again, if it were needed, that the Irish landscape is one of the most variable in the world and has the ability to constantly surprise.
Wherever we have gone in the southeast we have been rewarded with roads that have been amongst the best and most spectacular that we’ve travelled over anywhere on this island.
Do take the time to explore them making sure to bring the latest Ordnance Survey Discovery Series maps (Sheets 75 and 82) with you to maximise your enjoyment of a very special area.