There was a time when every good Irish weekend involved throwing a bag in the boot, filling the tank, grabbing a Tayto sandwich for the road and simply seeing where the day took you. No complicated itineraries. No airport queues. No colour-coded travel spreadsheets. Just a stretch of road, good company and the promise of finding somewhere you’d never been before. Thankfully, that style of travel is making a comeback.
More and more people are rediscovering the joy of the Irish road trip, and if there’s one county perfectly suited to it, it’s Cavan. Often overlooked in favour of Ireland’s coastal hotspots, Cavan quietly delivers everything you could want from a great day on the road – winding country roads, hidden lakes, fascinating history, mountain views and enough scenic stops to turn a quick drive into a full day of adventure.
From our base here at the Bailie Hotel, we’ve welcomed plenty of guests over the years who arrived planning a simple overnight stay and ended up extending their visit after discovering just how much there is to see around the county.
One of the best things about exploring Cavan is that nothing feels rushed. The roads are quieter, the scenery changes every few kilometres and there is always another viewpoint, village or hidden gem waiting around the next bend.
If you’re planning a classic Irish road trip, here are some stops that deserve a place on your route.
Start with the lakes. After all, Cavan isn’t known as the Lakeland County for nothing. The county famously boasts hundreds of lakes scattered across its landscape, creating some of the most peaceful driving routes in Ireland. As you travel through the countryside, you’ll find yourself constantly pulling over for “just one photo” before spotting another view a few minutes later.
The roads around Killeshandra, Ballyconnell and Belturbet are particularly rewarding. They’re the kind of roads where the destination almost becomes secondary because the journey itself is so enjoyable.
Next, head west towards the incredible Cuilcagh region.
Even if you’ve never visited, you’ve almost certainly seen photographs of the famous boardwalk climbing into the clouds. The Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail, often nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven, has become one of Ireland’s most popular outdoor attractions, offering visitors the chance to walk through protected blanket bog before climbing towards spectacular mountain views. On clear days, the views stretch across several counties, while misty mornings create an atmosphere that feels almost otherworldly.
The drive itself is worth the journey. As you approach the mountain, the landscape becomes wilder and more dramatic, giving you that wonderful feeling that you’re heading somewhere special.
Just down the road, you’ll find another stop that feels like stepping into another world entirely. The Marble Arch Caves have been fascinating visitors for generations. These remarkable underground caves were carved by water over millions of years and remain one of the most unique visitor experiences anywhere in Ireland. Exploring the caverns, underground rivers and ancient rock formations feels like discovering a hidden world beneath the landscape you’ve just driven through. The beauty of this part of Cavan is that nature and history seem to blend together at every turn.
A perfect example is Cavan Burren Park. Many visitors arrive expecting a pleasant walk and leave completely surprised by what they find. The park combines limestone landscapes, ancient tombs, glacial boulders and archaeological sites that date back thousands of years. Walking through the trails feels less like a park visit and more like wandering through a giant outdoor history book. The landscape itself was shaped hundreds of millions of years ago, while the monuments scattered throughout tell stories of the people who lived here long before modern roads existed.
Of course, no proper Irish road trip is complete without a stop somewhere unexpected. One of our favourite detours is Shannon Pot. It may not be the biggest attraction you’ll visit all day, but there is something incredibly satisfying about standing beside the traditional source of Ireland’s longest river. From this quiet spot in the countryside begins a journey that eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It’s one of those places that makes you appreciate how much history and geography can be hidden in the most unassuming locations. The real magic of road-tripping around Cavan, however, isn’t just the attractions. It’s the moments in between. It’s finding a lakeside viewpoint that wasn’t on the map. It’s stopping in a village because a bakery smells too good to drive past.
It’s taking a wrong turn and discovering a road lined with stone walls, sheep and scenery that deserves to be on a postcard.
Some of the best stories our guests tell us aren’t about famous landmarks at all. They’re about the unexpected moments that happened between them. That’s what makes the return of the classic Irish road trip so enjoyable.
In a world where everything seems carefully planned and documented, there’s something refreshing about simply getting behind the wheel and exploring.
And when the day is done, there are few better feelings than returning to the Bailie Hotel, kicking off your shoes, enjoying a well-earned meal and sharing stories about the places you’ve discovered along the way.
Because the best Irish road trips were never really about getting somewhere.
They were always about enjoying the road itself.
• Leave room in your schedule for spontaneous stops – they often become the highlight of the day.
• Bring layers, even during summer. Cavan’s weather can change quickly, especially in upland areas.
• Start early if you’re visiting popular attractions such as Cuilcagh during weekends.
• Keep your phone charged, but don’t spend the entire journey looking at it. Some views deserve your full attention.
• Take the scenic route whenever possible. In Cavan, it’s usually the better route anyway.
• Finish your day with a comfortable overnight stay rather than rushing home. The county has far too much to see in a single afternoon.