
Driving the wild road to Mullaghanish
Ireland, europe
3.5 km
649 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, buckle up for Mullaghanish! This peak straddling counties Cork and Kerry in southwest Ireland is a must-see. Perched high in the Derrynasaggart range, you'll climb to 649m (2,129ft) on a fully paved, albeit private, road. Keep an eye on your vehicle height, maxing out at 3.5m.
The 3.5 km (2.17 miles) journey is a real leg-burner, hitting gradients of up to 14%! You'll gain a whopping 362 meters in elevation, making for an average gradient of 10.34%. At the top, you'll find a massive TV mast dating back to '62. But the real reward? Jaw-dropping, panoramic views of the Cork and Kerry mountains. Trust me, the views are worth the climb!
Where is it?
Driving the wild road to Mullaghanish is located in Ireland (europe). Coordinates: 53.1649, -8.3258
Road Details
- Country
- Ireland
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 3.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 649 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 53.1649, -8.3258
Related Roads in europe
hardHow long is Tunnel du Mont-Blanc?
🇮🇹 Italy
The Tunnel du Mont-Blanc is a wild ride straight through the heart of the Alps, connecting France and Italy beneath the majestic Mont Blanc. This isn't just any shortcut; it's a 7.2-mile (11.6 km) stretch of engineering marvel, linking Chamonix, France, with Courmayeur, Italy. Driving through the tunnel is a unique experience. It's fully paved, but be warned – it's a long, enclosed space, so maybe not ideal if you're claustrophobic. You'll need to pay a toll to use it, and keep an eye on your speedometer, as the limits are 50 km/h minimum and 70 km/h maximum. The tunnel is a single bore with two-way traffic, so stay alert. The elevation shifts, starting at 1,274 meters (4,180 feet) on the French side, peaking at 1,395.5 meters (4,578 feet) in the middle, and descending to 1,381 meters (4,531 feet) on the Italian side. The tunnel has a checkered past, with a tragic fire in 1999 that led to major safety upgrades. Now, it boasts state-of-the-art ventilation, fire suppression, and emergency shelters, making it one of the safest tunnels around.
hardWhere is Col des Laquets?
🇫🇷 France
Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! Col des Laquets is a seriously epic mountain pass perched way up high in the French Pyrenees, clocking in at a dizzying 2,637m (that's 8,651ft!). You'll find this bad boy in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of France. Heads up, this isn't your typical Sunday drive. The road is unpaved, rugged, and unforgiving! We're talking steep inclines, loose surfaces, and heart-stopping cliff edges – oh, and a couple of short tunnels thrown in for good measure! They call it the Old Toll Road, though, spoiler, it isn't one. The altitude alone will leave you breathless, and the gnarly road conditions make it a no-go for newbie drivers. There's even a gate to keep cars out, so this one's best tackled on foot or by bike. The climb from the gift shop stretches for about 5.6 km (3.47 miles), packing in a whopping 566 meters of elevation gain. Get ready for an average gradient of 10.10%, with sections that crank up to a brutal 24%! And don't be surprised if you encounter snow, even in late June. But trust me, the views are worth the sweat! Word is, there's even talk of building a hotel up there, which could mean paving the road someday. Plus, if you're feeling extra adventurous, the Pic du Midi di Bigorre is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the pass. Get ready for views that'll blow your mind!
extremePista de las Cutas: A Scenic Gravel Road in Ordesa
🇪🇸 Spain
# Pista de las Cutas: Spain's Ultimate Mountain Adventure If you're craving one of Spain's most breathtaking drives, the Pista de las Cutas in northwest Sobrarbe, Huesca, should be on your bucket list. This spectacular route—also known as the Pista Ordesa-Sierra de Cutas or Ruta de los Miradores de Ordesa—runs through the heart of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park in Aragón, right on the Spanish-French border with jaw-dropping views of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido peaks. Here's the thing though: this isn't your typical Sunday drive. This 31.3 km (19.44 miles) unpaved track is only open to bikes, motorbikes, and hardcore 4x4 vehicles with serious clearance. Private cars? Nope, they're banned. What awaits you is wild, rugged terrain that climbs through the Pyrenees like a roller coaster on steroids. Expect hundreds of turns—seriously, *hundreds*—including gut-wrenching hairpins, steep climbs, and narrow sections where one wrong move sends you plummeting off the edge. The exposed ridgeline means dizzy drop-offs on both sides, and you'll likely find yourself getting out to scout the road ahead more than once. The route summits at 2,242 meters (7,355 feet) and typically closes from November through June when snow and ice make it impassable. This is genuinely challenging driving that demands serious off-road skills, nerves of steel, and constant, white-knuckle attention. But man, the views? Absolutely worth it.
moderateAn Old Military Road to Colle di Costa Piana
🇮🇹 Italy
Colle di Costa Piana is a high mountain pass sitting pretty at 2,313 meters (7,588 feet) in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy. Nestled in Piedmont in the northern Alps, this gem is part of the legendary Assietta Road (Strada Provinciale 173), the scenic route that winds between Susa and Sestriere. Fair warning: this isn't your typical paved highway. The entire route up is unpaved gravel, following an old military ridge road from Pian dell'Alpe to Sestriere. It's rough and rocky—especially around the curves—but totally doable if you take it slow. And you'll need to: there's a strict 30 km/h speed limit enforced here, plus no overtaking or parking outside designated spots. Plan your visit wisely though. This mountain pass is only open during the warmer months, from June 1st through October 31st, so summer is your window to experience this wild Alpine drive. The views? Absolutely worth the bumpy ride.