Sperrin Mountains Scenic Loop

The Sperrin Mountains Scenic Loop explores one of Ireland's largest and least visited upland wildernesses — 122 kilometres of quiet roads through County Tyrone's Sperrin range, where neolithic stone circles sit on open moorland and the only traffic is sheep. The Sperrins were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but remain genuinely off the tourist map compared to the Causeway Coast or Mourne Mountains, making this one of the best routes in Northern Ireland for travellers who value solitude above spectacle. For a classic campervan, the roads are entirely manageable — narrow in places but with gentle gradients and excellent surfaces on the main loop.

The route begins in Omagh and heads northeast into the foothills via the A505 and mountain roads toward Beaghmore Stone Circles — seven bronze-age stone circles and cairns discovered during peat cutting in the 1940s, sitting on a remote moorland plateau with views across to the High Sperrins. This is a place to stop, walk among the stones, and feel the silence.

Gortin Glen Forest Park offers marked forest drives and waterfall trails in a managed woodland setting — a gentler interlude before the route climbs toward Davagh Forest, home to a Dark Sky Observatory and mountain bike trails on the lower Sperrin slopes. The observatory runs public stargazing evenings and the Sperrin dark skies are among the best in Northern Ireland.

The return leg via Plumbridge and the Glenelly Valley follows the Owenkillew River through a glaciated valley of extraordinary quiet beauty. The Sperrins have no major tourist infrastructure — bring supplies from Omagh, fill fuel before leaving town, and embrace the emptiness. Spring brings lambing season and skylarks; autumn turns the moorland copper and gold. This route pairs naturally with the Fermanagh Lakelands to the south for a full week of inland Northern Ireland exploration.

Fill fuel and stock food in Omagh before the empty plateau — services vanish on the Beaghmore and Davagh approaches. Gentle grades and good A505 surfaces suit classic campervans; moorland lanes need passing-place etiquette. Do not wild camp on open moor around the stone circles. Davagh Dark Sky evenings are worth building a night around in clear weather. Spring lambing and autumn copper moorland are the photogenic seasons. Pair with Fermanagh south for a quiet inland week away from Causeway coaches.

The Sperrins offer quieter mountain driving than the Mournes — still use low gears on the steeper moorland climbs and watch for sheep. Services are sparse between villages; fuel in Cookstown, Draperstown, or Derry before committing to the high loops. Overnight at campsites or B&Bs with parking — no wild-camping right. Classic and low-power campervans find this manageable with patience; fog and single-track sections are the main hazards. Pair with the Causeway finish in Derry for a north-to-west NI arc. Glenelly and Owenkillew valleys reward the slowest pace — stop for tea in village halls when open and ask about roadworks after winter storms. The Sperrins rarely feel crowded; keep that quiet by using campsites and leaving gates as you find them. Finish toward Derry if you are linking to the Causeway’s western end.