The Loughcrew Hills Drive
4 stops · 22 min driving · Meath · Updated August 2026
Open in Google MapsLoughcrew is the great prehistoric ridge of Meath — four summits crowned with 5,000-year-old passage tombs, the highest ground in the county. This short drive begins at the cairns themselves, drops to the visitor centre at their foot, continues to the estate gardens below, then heads for the lakeside woodland at Virginia. The first three stops share one landscape and one story; the forest is a calmer, greener finish. Expect a steep uphill walk at the start, narrow approach roads, and a route that rewards layers and sturdy footwear. Visit around the equinoxes to catch the solar alignment in Cairn T, or in summer when guides are on site.
1.Loughcrew Cairns
Neolithic tombs on the skyline
The route starts at the top. A steep 20–25 minute climb up Carnbane East reaches Cairn T, the largest of the tombs and the highest point in Meath at 275m, with views across 18 counties on a clear day. Around the equinoxes a beam of sunrise light still creeps along the passage to illuminate the carved backstone — the phenomenon this entire landscape is organised around.
- Tip
- The trailhead car park holds only about ten cars and the approach road is very narrow — if it's full, the visitor centre below is the walk-up point.
↓ 1 min drive · 0.2 km
2.Loughcrew Megalithic Centre
Base camp for the tomb walk
The centre sits at the foot of the hill the tombs crown, and it is the practical heart of the visit: free parking, Nelly's Kitchen café for post-climb cake, and Maggie Heaney's 1700s thatched cottage — a step into the lives of the people who farmed beneath the cairns. Guided walking tours of Cairn T leave from here.
- Tip
- On equinox mornings the centre serves breakfast at sunrise — worth knowing if you're up the hill for the dawn illumination.
↓ 5 min drive · 3.3 km
3.Loughcrew Estate, Coffee Shop and Gardens
17th-century gardens below the ridge
Five minutes on, the drive swaps archaeology for horticulture. The estate's pleasure gardens hold a yew walk planted in 1670, water gardens, the 17th-century family church of St. Oliver Plunkett, a medieval motte and an interactive fairy trail. A longer loop around Lough Creeve and the Limetree Coffee Shop make this the natural pause before the final leg.
- Tip
- The gardens are daily only from mid-March to October and weekends-only in winter — book online in advance for the best rates.
↓ 16 min drive · 14.8 km
4.Deerpark Forest
Lakeside loops and a castle boathouse
The drive ends in 160 hectares of Coillte woodland on the shore of Lough Ramor, a complete change of pace. Easy, flat loops follow the park river out to the lake, past a castle boathouse, ruined cottages and old stone and steel bridges. A wheelchair- and buggy-friendly multi-access trail makes the woods work for everyone.
- Tip
- There are no toilets on site — Virginia, about 1 km away, has cafés; on Saturday parkrun mornings the rugby club car park is free until 10:30.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside Cairn T?
Walking the cairns hill is free. The interior is normally reached on the guided tour from the Megalithic Centre — €60 for 1–2 people plus €6 per extra person, booked by email — though it is currently closed for conservation works, so check before you go.
When can I see the equinox sunrise at the cairns?
Around 21 March and 23 September the rising sun illuminates the decorated back stone of Cairn T. The OPW opens the cairn before dawn and visitors queue in small groups; arrive about 45 minutes before sunrise. The Megalithic Centre serves breakfast at sunrise.
Are Loughcrew Estate's gardens open all year?
The gardens and coffee shop open daily from mid-March to October, and weekends only (11am–5pm) from November to mid-March, so check winter hours before you plan this stop. The Fairy Trail is open all year round, so families can still visit out of season; pick up an activity booklet from the ticket office.