- Created: November 6, 2016 4:02 pm
- Updated: December 12, 2017 10:57 am
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 278 km
- Time 0 s
- Speed 0.0 km/h
- Min altitude 3 m
- Peak 204 m
- Climb 1099 m
- Descent 1088 m
Follow in the footsteps of Irelands ancient High Kings and wander through 9,000 years of rich Irish history on the 190km or 120mile Boyne Valley Scenic Drive, County Meath. The epicentre of Irelands Ancient East, county Meath is still known as the Royal County as High Kings have sat here since the second century AD. You can start at any point along the route but for now we will start in the historic town of Drogheda, in which a St. Peters church actually contains the real head of Oliver Plunket, an Irish saint from the 1600's. Take the Boyne Valley driving route with you on our free App for iPhone and Android and share your photos on the ActiveMe facebook page.
This road trip will let you experience the magic of Irelands ancient landscape and some of Ireland’s greatest heritage sites. The pure number of historic monuments show how important this area is now and and for the ancient people of Ireland. Leaving Drogheda, the tour starts with a bang, visiting the 1690 Battle of The Boyne site and nearby the prehistoric passage tombs at the UNESCO World heritage site at Brú na Boinne. Here you visit some of the oldest man made structures in the world, the Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth burial mounds were built over 5,000 years ago. Arrive early at the Brú Na Bóinne Visitor Centre to avoid queues and get the best views.
Mixing ancient history with hollywood history, next on the tour is the impressive Trim Castle. Built in 1172, Trim Castle is the largest and best preserved Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland and was used in the movie ‘Braveheart’ by Mel Gibson where it was filmed as the fortified town of York among other locations.
Considered slightly older than Newgrange, the impressive Loughcrew Cairns and passage tombs are said to have been built nearly 6,000 years ago and are the hidden gems of Ireland's Neolithic era. Visit and experience the amazing ancient artwork representing astronomical changes, the Hag's Chair and more.
Visit the glorious monastic age of Ireland in the village of Kells. Now housed in Trinity College Dublin, the world famous Book of Kells, one of the oldest books in the world at over 1200 years old was here in Kells village. Nobody knows for sure where it was first written but one theory is that is was written around 800 AD in a monastery founded by St Colum Cille around 561 on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. Following a Viking raid on the island In 806, which left 68 of the community dead, the Columban monks took refuge in a new monastery at Kells, County Meath where you can also visit the High Crosses of Kells built in the 9th century by the same monks of St Colmcille.
Follow in the footsteps of Irelands ancient High Kings and wander through 9,000 years of rich Irish history on the 190km or 120mile Boyne Valley Scenic Drive, County Meath. The epicentre of Irelands Ancient East, county Meath is still known as the Royal County as High Kings have sat here since the second century AD. You can start at any point along the route but for now we will start in the historic town of Drogheda, in which a St. Peters church actually contains the real head of Oliver Plunket, an Irish saint from the 1600’s. Take the Boyne Valley driving route with you on our free App for iPhone and Android and share your photos on the ActiveMe facebook page.
This road trip will let you experience the magic of Irelands ancient landscape and some of Ireland’s greatest heritage sites. The pure number of historic monuments show how important this area is now and and for the ancient people of Ireland. Leaving Drogheda, the tour starts with a bang, visiting the 1690 Battle of The Boyne site and nearby the prehistoric passage tombs at the UNESCO World heritage site at Brú na Boinne. Here you visit some of the oldest man made structures in the world, the Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth burial mounds were built over 5,000 years ago. Arrive early at the Brú Na Bóinne Visitor Centre to avoid queues and get the best views.
Mixing ancient history with hollywood history, next on the tour is the impressive Trim Castle. Built in 1172, Trim Castle is the largest and best preserved Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland and was used in the movie ‘Braveheart’ by Mel Gibson where it was filmed as the fortified town of York among other locations.
Considered slightly older than Newgrange, the impressive Loughcrew Cairns and passage tombs are said to have been built nearly 6,000 years ago and are the hidden gems of Ireland’s Neolithic era. Visit and experience the amazing ancient artwork representing astronomical changes, the Hag’s Chair and more.
Visit the glorious monastic age of Ireland in the village of Kells. Now housed in Trinity College Dublin, the world famous Book of Kells, one of the oldest books in the world at over 1200 years old was here in Kells village. Nobody knows for sure where it was first written but one theory is that is was written around 800 AD in a monastery founded by St Colum Cille around 561 on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. Following a Viking raid on the island In 806, which left 68 of the community dead, the Columban monks took refuge in a new monastery at Kells, County Meath where you can also visit the High Crosses of Kells built in the 9th century by the same monks of St Colmcille.
