Corkscrew Hill Touring Route

The Corkscrew Hill Touring Route follows a stretch of the N67 through the Burren in County Clare, linking the coastal village of Ballyvaughan with the spa town of Lisdoonvarna. True to its name, the narrow road folds back on itself through a series of tight hairpin bends as it climbs the hillside, making for a slow and memorable drive through one of Ireland’s most distinctive limestone landscapes. It is a popular challenge for cyclists too, with a steep ascent rewarded by a fast descent.

A viewing area near the top of the hill is the highlight for many visitors. From here the road looks out over a broad glacial valley shaped by ice sheets thousands of years ago, framed by Aillwee Mountain to the east and Cappanwalla Mountain to the west. On a clear day the view opens northwards across the fields and pavements of the Burren all the way to Galway Bay. In the valley below sits Gregans Castle Hotel, an 18th-century house long associated with the writer J.R.R. Tolkien.

The road is widely said to date from the years of the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, when it was built as part of a relief scheme that gave local people work in return for wages or food. Today it forms part of the wider network of scenic drives through the Burren. The route is narrow, steep and winding, so unhurried, careful driving is advised, particularly in poor weather.