Southwest & “Midwest”
The Southwest can safely be defined as Co. Kerry, the western (including northwestern) areas of Co. Cork and much of Co. Limerick.
Indented with long narrow fjord-like bays and taking in Ireland’s highest mountains, this is widely regarded as the most scenic Irish region. While Atlantic rainclouds carried by the prevailing southwesterly wind make this the wettest part of the country, the Gulf Stream flowing across the ocean from Mexico tempers the climate and adds to the lush greens of the landscape with exotic semi-tropical plants such as palm trees, fuschia and bouganvilla.
ByRoute 1 follows a mainly coastal route from Passage West on Cork Harbour to Tralee & Environs, which has a page of its own, and continues northwards to Tarbert.
Special pages are devoted to Co. Cork’s beautiful archipelago and Southwestern Peninsulas, to the Beara, Iveragh and Dingle Peninsulas and Co. Kerry’s famous offshore islands, the Skelligs, Valentia and the Blaskets.
Inland, ByRoute 3 takes in, ByRoute 4 covers, ByRoute 5 includes, and ByRoute 6 describes, while the hilly regions along the Cork / Kerry border and Killarney also have pages of their own.
The “Midwest” refers to the Shannon Industrial Zone, hideous but apparently necessary for Ireland’s economic wellbeing; centred on “ghastly” Limerick City & Environs, its tentacles extend into pleasant adjoining areas of Co. Tipperary and Co. Limerick, explored by ByRoute 7 from, and ByRoute 8 between, and southeastern Co. Clare, where ByRoute 9 includes, and ByRoute 10 extends from towards Ennis, which is covered separately.
