Mount Leinster in Ireland: a steep road to the summit

Mount Leinster is a mountain peak at an elevation of 786m (2,578ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Carlow and Wexford counties in southeastern Ireland. It’s said to be the highest paved road in Ireland.

Can you drive to Mount Leinster?

Set high in the Blackstairs Mountains, the road to the summit, also known as Stua Laighean, is totally paved but in awful shape, and chains or snow tyres can be required anytime. It’s called 2RN access road. The road runs to the top in order to service the array of masts on the summit, A tall RTÉ television transmitter tops the peak with a mast height of 122m. The steep RTÉ access road to the summit is closed to normal traffic and RTÉ have now fenced off the transmitter tower from public access to prevent vandalism.

Is the road to Mount Leinster worth it?

The drive offers fantastic views of the Irish countryside. Look out for wildlife. It’s a popular location for hang-gliding enthusiasts to launch from. Inclement weather, such as high winds or rainstorms is common.

Is the road to Mount Leinster steep?

The road to the summit is very steep, hitting a 17% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at Nine Stones, a landmark point at the foot of Mount Leinster, the ascent is 2.6 km (1.61 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 335 meters. The average gradient is 12.88%. Mount Leinster has been used in stages of the Tour of Ireland.