Great Roads: The Vee in the KnockmealdownsDriving on with his Great Roads, Bob Montgomerynavigates the R668 - The Vee - through the Knockmealdown mountains of Waterford and Tipperary
Known locally as The Vee, this road, the R668, carves its way through the picturesque Knockmealdown Mountains between Waterford and Tipperary. It's a well-travelled road which carries a fair amount of traffic, but nonetheless is well worth seeking out, particularly for the descent from its highest point to its finish at the village of Clogheen.
The Vee is best approached from the south and there are two alternative starting points, the towns of Cappoquin and Lismore. We choose to start from the pretty town of Lismore, dominated by the massive square towers and battlements of Lismore Castle.
Lismore Castle dates back to 1185 when Henry II's youngest son, Prince John, chose the site for a castle. The present castle was largely rebuilt in the 19th century by the sixth Duke of Devonshire, and today his descendants still live there.
The R668 from Lismore is signposted for Clogheen and The Vee, and runs through pretty woods, initially accompanied on its western side by the river Owennashad flowing beside the road.
At first the road is twisty but well surfaced, and culminates in a deep gorge with heavily wooded slopes. The landscape then begins to give way to a more barren mountainous vista as we climb gently towards the Knockmealdown Mountains now visible ahead. Do watch out for sheep straying on to the road, particularly on some of the hidden corners.
There are plenty of viewing points along the climb and the view in both directions - north towards Clogheen and south towards Lismore, from whence we have come - is spectacular.
Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but there's a new sign in many of these parking areas, warning visitors of the danger from thieves to any belongings left in their cars. As I said, a sign of the times in which we live.
In the biggest of these viewing areas one can look down on a road far below twisting its way through a deeply wooded landscape. It's a surprise to realise that this is the same road, the R668, which has spectacularly wound its way down to a much lower level in a short distance from the highest point of The Vee.
Before we begin that descent, we pass a small lake to the west of the road - Bay lake, and as we start our descent the lonely outcrop of Slievenamon (719m) is prominent to the northeast, while directly to the east of the R668 the main range of the Knockmealdown mountains rises to 793m.
Following a number of hairpin corners, the R668 now descends swiftly through the heavily forested Killballyboy Wood before coming to our journey's end at the village of Clogheen. This is a surprisingly satisfying road to travel, and once again our Audi TT has provided us with a near ideal means of transport with which to explore it.
If you don't know The Vee seek it out; if you do know The Vee then return to it, and remind yourself what a fine road through spectacular landscape this is.