Copper Coast 2018

Car Rental Ireland is an Irish owned company, based in Dublin City offering luxury car rentals in Ireland. These Luxury car hires can be made through our online booking service. We provide informational guides on Irish destinations, activites and, attractions for your holiday planning & resources.

Whether you are traveling from Dublin Airport, Cork Airport, Galway or any Irish Airport we would highly recommend you include a trip to the Copper Coast in Waterford while in Ireland, it's a small route and could easily be completed in a day when travelling from Dublin City or Cork City.

We would begin by suggesting you hire a car from Car Rental Ireland, this will give you the freedom to travel this route at your own pace and you won't have to rely on public transport.

This route will bring you and your rental car over beautiful scenic roads, through stunning beaches, and through mountain gaps. This is a good introduction to County Waterford’s landscapes and beaches in all their splendour. We recommend having the cameras or camera phones at the ready, this is quite a beautiful scenic route.



The Dungarvan & The Copper Coast Drive embraces the panoramic seascapes, cliffs, bays and coves between Dungarvan and the major seaside resort of Tramore. The route takes extends onwards to Dunmore East, passing Waterford City, down to the Hook Head Peninsula and Lighthouse, Tintern Abbey Kilmore Quay and finishing in Rosslare Co. Waterford.

Hook Head Peninsula
Credit: Andrew Sykes.

We suggest you depart from Waterford, the R675 road brings you to Tramore, Ireland’s quintessential Victorian seaside resort, this will be first stop along this trail of coastal and mountain scenery. This area has a wealth of beautiful yet undiscovered secluded coves and beaches, each with a story to tell. It took more than 460 million years to create the Copper Coast, so take your time to visit and explore it in all its splendour! After breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the views, hop back in the rental car and drive towards Newtown Head. Take in the spectacular views along the way, making sure to keep an eye out for the Metal Man perched on one of three pillars on the headland.

Newtown Head's Metal Man
Credit: Mike Searle.

From New Town, continue west along the Copper Coast, a UNESCO European Geopark named for its 19th-century mining heritage. The Copper Coast Geopark is an outdoor museum of geological records and beauty. Volcanoes, oceans, deserts and ice sheets all combined to create the rocks which provide the physical foundation of the natural and cultural landscapes of the area. When you’ve enjoyed the walking trails and geo tours, we can continue on for the final leg of the journey towards Dungarvan.

This is a hypnotic route, freckled with Blue Flag beaches, stunning views and pretty villages like Annestown and Stradbally. Feel free to stop along the way to take in the views, or for some tea in one of the quaint, beachside, café’s along the way. Continue on along this route until you finally arrive in Dungarvan. Dungarvan is a charming little harbour town located at the heart of County Waterford. It is an ideal base for any tourist wishing to take a break and soak up some sun in Ireland's 'Sunny South East'. We suggest spending the night in this little town, you will feel right at home from the moment you drive into it. The people of Dungarvan are warm and welcoming, and the town itself is a magnificent cove full of scenic views and picturesque little bungalows.

Dungarvan Harbour
Credit: Janathan Thacker.


If you want to keep traveling around Ireland, why not take take your rental car and have a look at our other suggested driving routes. If you have any questions regarding car hire, please take a look at our car rental guide. There is so much beauty around Ireland just waiting for you to capture it on your cameras. Don't forget to send in your pictures and review of any of the trips you've taken, we love getting feedback from our customers.