Beautiful drives

We'll get to walking later, but here, for starters, are some wonderful drives you can take at your leisure around rural Connacht.
1. Ballina - Bonniconlon / Bunnyconnellan (don't start ..) - Tubbercurry (ca. 32 km).
Cross the wild Ox Mountains from Mayo to Sligo. Share the road with mountain sheep and few others. Pass the haunting Lough Talt, before dropping down to the sleepy town of Tubbercurry.
2. Castlebar - Beltra Lough - Keenagh - Newport - Castlebar (ca. 75 km).
Leave the bustling fast developing town of Castlebar heading west. Take the turn for Béal an Mhuirthead, pass the wonderful Beltra Lough on the left and the hulk that is Nephin on the right. Take the turn left, signposted Traenlaur Lodge, past the freezing Bunaveela Lough and on to the forest track (you'll be fine in your car). The Nephin Begs rise all around you and you are in the single largest area of land in Ireland without a road. Just as you think you're lost, lovely Furnace Lough appears in front and to the right. Soon you will reach the pretty village of Newport with its magnificent seven arched railway bridge from the old Westport to Achill line. From Newport, return to Castlebar, or onwards to Achill or indeed Westport.
3. Ballinaglera - Ballinamore (ca. 25 km).
In tiny Ballinaglera, if coming from Dowra, turn left, up an unmarked road. This truly wonderful drive brings you up through the Iron Mountains and their mountain bogs. Before heading down the other side, be sure to pull over and take in the huge vista afforded up here on bright days. You can see seven counties comfortably. Drop down into Ballinamore and have a nice glass of wine at Moo Wine Bar, Main Street.