Travel with Style | Chill Car Insurance AD

Today's post is a collaboration with Chill Car Insurance. They have just launched a new campaign all about exploring the most beautiful spellbinding and scenic drives that Ireland has to offer. 

I for one am so happy to be collaborating with them on this campaign as some of my favorite childhood memories are driving around the country on holidays with my family. If you knew my Dad you'd know that he loved going for 'a spin' - so naturally most of our holidays growing up involved driving around the country and my Dad always liked to take the long way around for those views.! 

We have been on countless 'spins' and holidays around Ireland (looking back a lot of my memories of them were driving around Donegal) but I have to say the one that stands out for me looking back was the time we set off from Mayo to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge near Ballintoy in County Antrim. As always we took the scenic route to get there and even caught a ferry. It did take a while but theres something nice about taking your time and enjoying the views along the way. The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is really worth the trip, crossing the bridge looking over on the crashing waves against the cliffs was really something - the views are amazing! 

Now at the time I wasn't so impressed as it started to rain while we were on the other side of the bridge and we got soaked.! And when I say soaked I mean I was as well to have jumped into the sea I was that soaked through. It was a long walk back to the car and an even longer journey back to to warm dry clothes! I always made a joke of how that trip to the bridge was a complete disaster to Dad but looking back on it now it's one of my most treasured memories I had with him 💗 

So definitely add the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge to your list and take the long way around - but learn from our mistake and check the weather forcast first.!

Another one of my favorite scenic drives is more closer to home The Atlantic Drive in Achill Co Mayo. This had to by my Dad favorite 'spin' destination - every visitor to our house would get the tour along the windy road that goes right alongside the cliffs. Honestly I've lost count of how many times I've been on that drive but it never gets old.! Me and my sister still carry on the tradition of bringing visitors the scenic route to Achill but we don't tell that to our mam though coz she hates that road as she has a fear of heights.

Chill Car Insurance have also put together some of their own drives that they think are worth adding the an extra few minutes onto your drive and I've listed them here below...

1. Wexford to Waterford via the Ring of Hook Road:

Chill suggests starting at Wexford town and taking the 95km route to Waterford through the Hook Peninsula. On the way stop off at the 13th Century Hook Lighthouse and once at Ballyhack take a detour out to Passage East by car ferry to explore the small fishing village and 15th century castle - adds an extra time to your journey but very worth it. You know what they say it's the journey not the destination that matters - so why not have an adventure on the way! 

2. The Sky Road Loop in Connemra:

Their second drive that's not to be missed is the 15km loop that is the Sky Road around the Connemara coast. With many viewing points along the way to stop and look out onto the Twelve Bens mountain range and out onto Inishturk. If you want to add a little off road adventure to your trip Chill suggests you time your drive with the tides and head out the Omey Island after the loop and 'drive over the sandy causeway from Aughus Peninsula'. 

3. Dublin to Portlaoise via the Wicklow Mountains:

Leave the busy streets of Dublin City behind and drive into the remote undulating terrain of the Wicklow Mountains. Chill advices to take a detour to the highest waterfall in Ireland at the foot of the mountains, Powerscourt Waterfall. Before you hit Portlaoise stop off at one of Ireland's best preserved monastic settlements from the 6th Century down around Glendalough Valley. 

4. The Causeway Coastal Route in Co Antrim

Trace the 'footsteps of  the mythical giant Finn McCool' this drive takes you past the '40,000 striking hexagonal columns formed by basalt'. Chill recommends to start in Belfast and follow the coast looking out for Carrickfergus Castle and for those Game of Thrones fans keep an eye out for dark hedges of the beech tree lined road that's better known as The King's Road. 

 (To any of my non-irish readers the Finn McCool reference is an old folklore story we have in Ireland. The story is about an Irish Giant Finn McCool who was having a fight with a Scottish Giant called Benandonner because he was threatening Ireland. Finn got really mad at Benandonner and started pulling off parts of the Antrim coast and threw them into the sea to make a path to go teach the Scottish Giant a lesson. This was a bad idea of course as Benandonner was way bigger than Finn and he ran back to Ireland to hide but it was his wife that saved the day and disguised  him as a baby so that when Benadonner came looking for him and only found this 'baby' he decided to leave thinking that if the baby was that big he'd hate to run into the parents! And that's how the Causeway came to be) 

This is the only one of Chill's top 5 that I've actually been on - granted I was too young to remember the drive and probably too young to appreciate the view so I'll definitely be re-visiting this one.! 

5. Fanad Peninsula in Donegal

Donegal has so many beautiful drives (don't I know.!) but one that stands out for Chill Insurance is along the Fanad Peninsula. Start this drive north of Letterkenny and do the 'loop that takes you up to Fanad Head and back to Rathmullan via the Knockalla Castle Road'. 

Of course don't forget to be safe on your road trips.! 

Before you leave check out your car to see if its ready for the long journey, take plenty of breaks along the way, take care of your speed on the country roads and plan out your routes (lord knows you may just lose your signal down along these windy roads.!). 

Please note that ALL photos taken were taken with the car turned off (yes I was NOT driving) and they were taken at safe locations - I didn't just stop in the middle of busy roads to have a photoshoot. 

To find more information on staying safe and how to plan the ultimate road trip please visit Chill Car Insurance at https://www.chill.ie/car-insurance/ you can also check out their ebook by clicking here

I really hope you enjoyed this post - I cannot wait to explore some more of these drives myself over the Summer months. There are still so many places on this beautiful island that I have yet to explore. 

Chat soon x

L

*This post is in collaboration with Chill Insurance*