Author Nicola Brady shares a chapter from her new book, Great Irish Road Trips, which is an essential guide to discovering Ireland’s most unforgettable journeys – from iconic coastal drives to hidden gems off the beaten track.

Here, she outlines the best trip northwards from Leinster, towards the Cooley Peninsula, taking in sights like the Omeath Greenway, the ancient Hill of Faughart and stopping for the best seafood in The Glyde Inn…

THIS LESSER-TRODDEN CORNER of the country is an excellent spot for a chilled-out drive, where you won’t be covering a huge amount of ground but will stop at lovely spots along the way.

Bring a bike with you to cycle the Omeath Greenway; pause for a walk on the beach, and explore the ancient Hill of Faughart. But whatever you do, be sure to factor in a seafood feast at The Glyde Inn, right on the water’s edge with the Cooley Peninsula in the background.

Great Irish Road Trips is out now. Gill Books Gill Books

You could also start this route in Dublin, weaving up the north county coast through Rush, Lusk and Skerries. However, that’s one of those few routes that’s almost better by train, the railway line passing right alongside the shore (and even over the water itself, between Malahide and Donabate). So it’s probably better to head up the M1, and you’ll be in Drogheda in less than an hour.

- **Duration:** 1 day - **Distance:** 148km/92 miles - **When to go:** Winter, when the roads are quiet - **Start at:** Drogheda - **Finish at:** Drogheda

Day 1: Start off in Drogheda before driving up the Louth coast through Clogherhead and Blackrock, then circumnavigate the Cooley Peninsula before driving back down to Drogheda.

Before you set off from Drogheda, take some time to explore the museums that are right in the middle of town. The Millmount Museum is set inside a giant Martello tower, standing on top of a 3,000-year-old mound, which some believe to hold the burial remains of the warrior poet Amergin.

Here, you’ll find plenty of wartime memorabilia, like muskets used in the Sieges of Drogheda and bayonets from the Battle of........

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