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Driving Route 57 – The UK & Ireland’s Route 66 In April 2016, Jess Shanahan drove 2,500 miles across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in an electric car – through cities, villages,

national parks and more. Here, Jess shares her experiences and encounters of driving Route 57, the Great British & Irish Road Trip.











Experience the whole road Route 57 journey by reading through, or hop to one of the 10 sections of the road trip here:

For years people have strived to tick America’s Route 66 off their bucket list but for Brits, it’s a long and often expensive journey. Now there’s something much, much closer to home that takes in everything the British Isles has to offer. Route 57 was born out of the need for the UK and Ireland’s own bucket-list road trip and was designed using the local knowledge of hotel chain Jurys Inn. I was the first person to drive Route 57, visiting every one of its 57 destinations. It was a trip that opened my eyes to the places I knew like the back of my hand as well as places I didn’t. It was a chance to explore the UK and Ireland in its entirety and I did it all from the quiet comfort of a 100% electric Kia Soul EV, which came to be lovingly known as LoKi. One of the best things about Route 57 is that it’s broken up into 10 smaller road trips so you don’t necessarily have to tackle all 2,580 miles of it all at once. This means you can do one over a week and complete the full trip in sections or you can pick and choose the areas that interest you most.

Plymouth to Southampton

Coming from Norfolk, the trip to Plymouth in the Kia was a bit of a baptism by fire as we (myself and my very tolerant navigator/partner Ben) got to grips with charging, range and optimum driving speed. That initial trip took longer than was entirely necessary as we aired on the side of caution and visited more chargers than perhaps we needed to. Suffice to say we were very pleased to arrive at Jurys Inn Plymouth ready for dinner and the imminent beginning of this epic trip. Plymouth is a beautiful city that’s easy to navigate with plenty of parking. On the morning of day one we went for a walk while the car charged and were greeted by the beautiful waterfront, lighthouse and a passing naval ship. From there we set off to Exeter via Dartmoor and I relished in the chance to experience some really amazing roads as we silently zoomed (respecting the 40mph speed limit) through the national park. Exeter threw up its first challenge when I realised that I may have crammed too much into one day, our schedule was going to be very tight with the required charging stops. We arrived a little later than planned to the cathedral where we were greeted by Lord Mayor Olwen Foggin in her very own EV (electric vehicle), a Nissan Leaf. This was the start of a string of wonderful mayors and provosts I would meet throughout the trip. The Dorset AONB was where it hit me that an EV is the perfect companion for this kind of trip because it makes you stop and appreciate places you might not otherwise get to see. We stopped for a charge in Lyme Regis and spent 20 beautiful minutes marvelling at the ancient scenery of the Jurassic Coast. After a fleeting stop in Bournemouth to shake hands with Mayor John Huw Adams and discuss the benefits of electric travel, we were on our way to Southampton via the New Forest where fluffy ponies do indeed roam free at the side of the road. Mayor Linda Norries of Southampton and the lovely folks from SEE Southampton greeted us at the Jurys Inn (which is right slap bang in the city centre) with a glass of Prosecco – which I had to decline as I still had some driving to do to find our final charger of the day. Soton’s mayor regaled me with plenty tales of the city, a recommendation to visit the Dancing Man restaurant and bar, and she even suggested that romance could bloom between Ben and I on this kind of trip – she was pleased to hear that we were indeed already a couple of 11 years. That evening I watched the sun set over the sea before visiting the Dancing Man’s sister pub The Platform for dinner. It took me just one day to drive the first of Route 57's road trips but if you want to take this iconic first step along the route, give yourself a few days to really take in each beautiful place.

Southampton to London

The next part of the journey was slightly more relaxed with an overnight stop in beautiful Brighton at Jurys Inn before we made for London. The day started with a trip to Portsmouth where we stopped for a fast charge, giving us a few hours to explore. We treated ourselves to milkshakes, did a little shopping and peered up at the striking Spinnaker tower. With the car charged, our only job of the day was to make it to Brighton to meet Latest TV who wanted to talk about the trip. The seaside resort boasts its own green credentials with eco-homes and a low carbon economy. It's also a great place to be a cyclist. Having arrived nice and early I took this chance to explore the lanes, a feature similar to those in my home city of Norwich. Here you'll find narrow streets dotted with gorgeous little shops and eateries. It was very hard to choose where to stop for dinner but thankfully we were able to take advantage of the local knowledge of food bloggers Rosemary and Pork Belly who joined us that evening. They recommended Curry Leaf Café where we took our time over tasty cocktails and some amazing South Indian street food. I was blown away by Brighton, the people are so friendly and you'll never be stuck for places to eat and drink. Brighton Pier offers fun for all the family and the Pavilion offers a gorgeous a fusion of Indian- and Asian-inspired opulence you don't get to see much of here in the UK. The following day we had to head to London and suffice to say I got in the car with a little anxiety nibbling away at me. As a previously nervous driver who has overcome pretty much every driving challenge under the sun, I had yet to tackle one of the busiest cities in Europe. I, of course, calmed myself with copious amounts of tea and breakfast at the Breakfast Club in Brighton before we unhooked LoKi from her charger and hit the road once again. London threw up a number of driving challenges beyond the sheer amount of traffic. Road closures meant we couldn't drive down Whitehall and instead had to sit on Embankment for longer than we'd have liked. Honestly, though, sitting in traffic was a doddle and there wasn't much for me to do other than talk to the camera Ben pointed at me while admiring the sights we silently crawled past. Finally the traffic broke up at the Trafalgar Square roundabout and we soared down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. While I wouldn't recommend driving in London because it's so busy (and usually unnecessary), it's not that bad as long as you've got a decent navigation system and don't hesitate too much when trying to change lane.

London to Cardiff

This road trip takes you across the middle of England into Wales, stopping at some impressive places along the way. Jurys Inn Watford was the perfect place to stay with great proximity to central London but perfect for driving out of on our way to Windsor the next morning. The countryside breathed a bit of life back into me as we headed for Windsor. Unfortunately it was a brief stop to marvel at the castle in the sunshine before we were under way again towards Swindon. Mayor of Swindon Andrew Bennett was waiting for us along with a gaggle of press at Jurys Inn in the town centre. We talked electric and combustion engine cars before posing for some photos. As it turned out, Swindon's infamous Magic Roundabout was just up the road so I had to drive it. One large roundabout surrounded by a number of smaller ones, outermost traffic going clockwise with traffic near the middle going anti-clockwise. As road layouts go, I'm not sure why it's necessary but it strangely all makes sense when you're there. Bath was slightly easier to navigate as we marvelled at the Georgian architecture before parking near the Crescent. It truly is an amazing place with soft, sandy coloured stone and open swathes of grass. This is the kind of place you can enjoy just looking around, even if you’re only stopping for a fast charge. We had a good look at the striking Bath Abbey and wished we were staying the night there so we could’ve had a relaxing dip in the Roman baths. Next time. Bristol was the next stop before Cardiff. The sun was still shining at this point as we looked over the SS Great Britain. We left the town via the Clifton Suspension bridge, which spans 412 metres across the gorge, 101 metres above the river Avon. It’s a true feat of engineering and not the last iconic bridge we’d cross on the trip. From there we drove into Wales where we were met with rain. Thankfully the kind folks at Jurys Inn Cardiff let us charge the car at the hotel. Sometimes being able to plug into a three-pin socket has its perks, even if it does take 14 hours! I wish we could’ve seen more of Cardiff. It’s a beautiful city full of interesting people. If you visit, head down to Cardiff Bay and maybe take a walk out near the water. The whole place is a must-see for Torchwood and Doctor Who fans – if you’re the latter definitely set aside some time to visit the Doctor Who Experience.

Cardiff to Milton Keynes

The rain continued into the following day when we began to make our way north into the Brecon Beacons. We were scheduled to meet up with the National Park Authority who’d just taken delivery of their own EV, a BMW i3. Despite the weather it was still an enjoyable drive into the Brecons where we got the chance to charge up at Authority HQ, speak to the team who’d be using the new EV and take a moment to enjoy the scenery. From there we had our first EV convoy with the i3 following us down to Brecon. The Mayor of Brecon David Meredith welcomed us at the tourist information in the town centre and we took our time talking about electric cars and this beautiful part of the world. Later that day, it was in Cheltenham that we found our first non-working charger. Up until this point Zap Map had kept us on top of the points that might not be working but this was one we had to update ourselves. We consulted the Zap Map app and thankfully there was one nearby in Evesham and 20 minutes later we were topping up ready for the journey to Oxford then Milton Keynes. We took our time through the Cotswolds as the rain was easing up. We had plenty of charge so this was a time to really enjoy the roads and places along the way. That evening, Mayor Keith McLean of Milton Keynes met us for some photos outside the very central Jurys hotel. He recommended we visit Maaya, a new Indian restaurant that had opened in the square behind the hotel. This was probably one of the best recommendations of the trip. I allowed myself one fruity vanilla cocktail with my meal and was blown away by the quality of both the food and drink, as well as the service. It’s different to many Indian restaurants with a more a la carte feel to the food, definitely worth a visit if you’re staying in the area. After dinner we were looking out for a BMW i8 driven by Stephen from Drive EV. It pulled up next to our Kia Soul looking low and fierce. After an interview and some photos, I jumped at the chance for a quick passenger ride around the block. Unlike our Kia, this sports car has a 1.5 MINI engine in the back so while it’ll happily trundle along with its electric motor, when you put your foot down the two work together in a roar of exciting acceleration and piped-in engine sound.

Milton Keynes to Nottingham

Warwick's majestic castle was the first stop on this portion of the road trip. We met up with Mayor Many Littlejohn, posed in front of the medieval backdrop before returning the car to talk about Route 57 and how we were all so pleased Warwick was on the list of destinations. The photographer placed the mayor on the bonnet of the car as we posed for photos for the Leamington Courier. From here we had some free time to explore Warwick and its beautiful medieval streets. This is a really easy place to park in so if you're just passing through, find somewhere to pull up and take a walk. If you've got a bit more time, delve deeper into the history with a tour around the castle. Coventry was the next stop and we were able to park in front of the Transport Museum, joined by artist Ian Cook, a.k.a. Popbangcolour, and his Kia Soul art car. This was a great chance to speak to people about the cars and the road trip and the Lord Mayor even stopped by for some photos. We didn't get a chance to look around the museum properly but I couldn’t resist darting in to take a look at Thrust SSC, the current land speed record holding car. With no one to meet and a schedule to stick to, we made brief stops in Birmingham and Leicester to take a few photos before we made it to Derby... in rush hour. The one way system tripped us up a bit but eventually, after some clever manoeuvring, we were all set to get some photographs with mayor of Derby Paul Pegg. He forgave the fact the we needed to shoot off to our final destination for the evening and once again we were on the road heading towards Nottingham. The drive into the city was beautiful as we passed the castle. We parked outside the hotel to drop off our bags and speak to the lovely Mayor Jackie Morris who recommended we try the local Castle Brewery beers before we left the next day. We discussed food, travel, the intricacies of mayorship and how to charge the car. After we'd tucked the car away for the night we visited our room where the lovely Jurys Inn staff had left us a gift of the aforementioned beer, which post-trip we enjoyed thoroughly, and a Robin Hood keyring. The gesture was very welcomed considering we weren't going to get much time to explore Nottingham's best bits.

Nottingham to Middlesbrough

We left Nottingham early treated to bright sunshine. We had every intention to walk around Sherwood Forest but as it didn't open until 10am, we decided to stop at nearby Rufford Abbey. This beautiful, sunny spot gave us the chance to get some fresh air and exercise. The Abbey itself is a beautifully preserved ruin surrounded by parkland and woods. It was a peaceful stop in an exciting journey. As we ascended through the Peak District the cloud came down low. It was beautiful but we were so eager to see the scenery around us. As we came down though, the weather cleared up and we stopped off in Manchester at a charger next door to the impressive Etihad Stadium. We explored and soaked up the sun for a little while before darting off to Jurys Inn Liverpool to say hello to staff and walk around the docklands. Our final stop for the day was Leeds and after we'd spoken to the Jurys Inn manager and told him a bit more about the car, we went off to find somewhere for dinner. We didn't really plan where we would eat but instead just stumbled upon Mr Nobody, an eatery that boasted concept cocktails and tapas. It was one of the stand-out meals of the whole trip and I was grateful to be able to have a few cocktails and some amazing food after such a long day of driving. The following day we were to complete the Nottingham to Middlesbrough leg of the trip and had plenty of time to do so. This meant we could spend some time in York seeing the sights, meeting Mayor Sonja Crisp and eating more cake than was entirely necessary. A walk along the city walls was a great way to start our visit as we had great views of York Minster. A friendly local gave us some fantastic advice and recommended we visited the Holy Trinity church, which was tucked away behind Goodramgate. The building dates from the 15th century, but has features from its foundation as early the 12th century. It's a small pocket of calm amongst the more well-known tourist spots. Another damp drive awaited us, this time through the North Yorkshire Moors. We spied Rosebery Topping peaking through the mist and decided the weather wasn't good enough to do some serious climbing. Instead we stopped at Guisborough Forest as they have their own charger although, sadly, it wasn't working. It was another chance for a lovely, if muddy, walk up through the forest. It was nice to get my blood pumping and give my hiking boots a bit of a work out. When you're doing long road trips, it's so important to get out and exercise so make the effort to stop and walk up a good looking mountain, your body will thank you for it.

Middlesbrough to Edinburgh

The next morning we awoke in Middlesbrough ready to head into Scotland but before we began the journey to Edinburgh, we met up with Yaffa from Love Middlesbrough for a walking tour of a place I knew nothing about. We learnt about the history, the architecture and the funding behind new developments. We also had a chance to go to the top of the gigantic blue transporter bridge. I’ll admit, I was nervous as I’m a bit scared of heights but the views were amazing. It wasn’t the clearest of days but you could still see the outline of the North Yorkshire Moors and Rosebery Topping in the distance. It was a nice reminder of where we’d driven from the day before. Durham was the next stop of the day where we drove right up to the square that’s home to the cathedral and the castle, paying the necessarily congestion charge that keeps the city centre quiet and green. It was here we experienced the real problem with an electric car, pedestrians don’t hear you coming. While we didn’t have any near misses, there were a couple of times when people would just step in front of silent, slow moving car. We had to resort to rolling down the windows and cranking up the volume on the Route 57 Road Trip playlist. We enjoyed the sunshine for a while and spoke to the press before I met Deputy Mayor Bill Moir. From there we continued north when it started to rain but we were warmly welcomed by the team at Jurys Inn Newcastle. The Lord Mayor and Mayoress also turned up in their very own Nissan Leaf and I had a lovely chat with their driver about the joys of driving an EV. The North Pennines then threw up a bit of a challenge. I am a car-loving motoring journalist that is more than happy to drive on track, off road and in most weather conditions. One thing I haven’t had the chance to power through is snow as I don’t really need to drive in it, if it ever does turn up. However, as we ascended to 1600 feet to Hartside summit, it really started to fall. My nerves warred with the sheer beauty of the snow covered mountains. I needn’t have worried, though, as we reached a very snow, windy summit without the Soul putting a foot (wheel) wrong. As we descended, the snow eased and we came out the other side with the verdant rain-soaked landscape of the Lake District to welcome us. Snow covered the grassy verges but the roads themselves were clear and I gave myself a big pat on the back for handling the minute amount of snow that had crossed our path. That evening we took a walk around Keswick and it was surprisingly cold. I wondered if this was a sign of things to come once we got into Scotland. We ate at a beautiful restaurant called Merienda. I’d visited before on a hiking trip and it was so good it warranted another visit. The next day we took some time to explore the market in Keswick’s town centre and this time the sun was shining. I resisted the urge to buy armfuls of local produce as none of it would’ve lasted in the Soul as we completed our trip. We travelled through Northumberland and north to Edinburgh on some of the most spectacular roads I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving. The scenery of rolling hills, green fields and glorious blue sky warmed my heart and made me a little bit emotional about road trips. We found a fantastic place to stop where I filmed an impromptu video that fully summed up how I was feeling in that moment. Charging got a lot harder in the north of England as we desperately tried to make it to Scotland. We were tripped up by charger after charger just not working. It really wasn’t our day but eventually we made it to Edinburgh and I hastily tucked myself away and ordered room service.

Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Unfortunately we’d chosen to stay in the historic city on the day of the Great Edinburgh Run and the road outside the hotel would be closed. We left early to avoid these road closures but took the scenic route out of the city so we could glance upon the castle that overlooks Scotland’s capital. Next time I'll plan my trip to coincide with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival instead. Perth, former Scottish capital, gave us the chance to charge the car and give it a well-needed clean before meeting Deputy Provost Bob Band. He was keen to learn how the cars were charged and even had a go at unplugging the car himself when we were ready to head off. I wish we could’ve seen more of Perth, it’s another place to add to the gigantic list of Route 57 stops I need to visit again. The next stop was Dundee and it was a surprising place. There were plenty of chargers around but the first bank of fast chargers we tried were all occupied. We eventually charged up in a lay by not far from the historic waterfront area. This seemed to be the theme throughout Dundee, there were so many more chargers around than those we’d normally be searching for in multi-storey car parks. We later learned that Dundee is very progressive in terms of its charging infrastructure, a fact that was quite obvious to us as we explored, but there’s even a fleet of electric taxis in the city too. Whether you are an EV driver or not, it’s a beautiful place with so much to see and do. Look out for the interesting sculptures and statues dotted around the city when you visit. Once we were fed, watered and charged we continued along the coast with some amazing views out across the sea as we travelled to Stonehaven. This seaside town offers some breathtaking scenery and despite it being a bit windy, it was the perfect excuse to have an ice cream from E. Guilianotti. I was a little sad to leave Stonehaven but the road to Aberdeen, our final stop for the day, was just beautiful. I had a lot of fun with the EV as we headed straight for the multi-storey car park that housed a shopping mall and our hotel for the night. We took a little time to get some work done, edit pictures and update all the #Route57 social channels before meeting Lord Provost George Adam who was keen to take a look at the car. We posed for a few photos as the car quietly charged before picking his brain for some restaurant recommendations. He recommended Musa but as it was Sunday there was no food on offer, however, there was a charity gig going on. We stayed for the amazing music and extensive beer list, it’s definitely on my list of places I want to eat at in the future. I’ve heard all sorts of things about Aberdeen but the thing that struck me was the architecture. Take some time to go for a walk and experience the city, you never know what you might find. Before dinner we went for such a wander and came across a cat cafe. This is the perfect stop for anyone who is having serious kitty withdrawal part-way through a three week road trip.

Aberdeen to Glasgow

From Aberdeen we needed to head to Inverness and thankfully there’s the really beautiful Highland Tourist route that was made for people just like you and me; road trip lovers. It takes you through the stunning scenery of the Cairngorms. We climbed and climbed thankful that there was no snow as we reached the ski resort of Lecht. It’s a strange sight in the summer with the lifts running up the green mountains. It was also very, very windy. It was a two-person job to open the car door for some quick photographs before we continued down into the Glen Livet estate and then onto our Highland charging stop of Grantown on Spey. We were greeted by Bill Sadler of The Grantown Society who was dressed in Georgian costume ready to tell us the history of the Scottish town. We learnt so much about the beautiful place and even got a special tour of the museum. I left with a book on the town’s history as well as my own engraved whisky glass. With LoKi charged in perhaps one of the prettiest locations we’d visited thus far, we headed onward to Inverness. More gorgeous roads lay ahead of us as we snaked down through the mountains. After some time sipping Speyside whisky and watching the River Ness flow past, we headed for dinner at the very welcoming Rocpool restaurant. Inverness is a great place to visit if you want to spend some time exploring Loch Ness with all the amenities of a city at your disposal. The next day came one of the most exciting drives of the trip as we skirted around Loch Ness. Alas, we didn't spot the famous monster but we did get to admire the views from Urquhart Castle across the water. The roads that run around the loch are something to be experienced. They're windy and narrow in places but each one is banked by views of the water and the mountains towering above on the other side. Take your time on this part of the journey because you'll be stopping at the viewing spots to admire the scenery every few miles. Fort Augustus is easy to find on the route down Loch Ness. It's a quaint town built around a stunning system of locks on the Caledonia Canal. This is the perfect place to stop if you want to get out on the water as a number of boat trips run from here. If you're looking for a bite to eat, visit the Lovat Brasserie for a range of beautifully presented local food. It's another short drive down to Fort William where we spent the night. The town overlooks Loch Linnhe and has a long high street that's full of places to eat and drink. This is a good base for anyone who wants to climb Ben Nevis and you can see it looming above the town. Fort William is classed as the outdoor capital of the world so spend a few days here climbing, skiing or visiting nearby sights such as the Nevis Distillery. The drive from Fort William to Glasgow only went and blew Loch Ness out of the water, just when we thought the scenery couldn't be any more beautiful. The views as we travelled through the Trossachs National Park alongside Loch Lomond were like something off a postcard. Clear blue skies above the mountains, all reflected in the stillest water I've ever seen. This part of the journey absolutely took my breath away, every corner we turned had me gasping with utter joy. The peace and quiet afforded to us by our spectacular Soul just added to the tranquillity of the surroundings. We arrived early into Glasgow and while the longing for mountains and fresh air lingered, we soon forgot about it as we were welcomed at the Riverside Museum by staff and Depute Provost Bailie Eva Bolander. With the import task of interviews and photographs out of the way, we took some time to explore the museum. It houses some of the world's finest cars, bicycles, motorbikes, trams and trains. It's great fun for all the family with a wide range of interactive displays. I was particularly excited to see the BMW motorcycles of fellow road trippers Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from Long Way Round, a show that inspired many of my travel aspirations. Deciding where to eat was difficult but we eventually settled on Porter & Rye, a restaurant serving delicious dry aged beef and a range of wild food. It was a unique experience with so many unusual cuts of beef on offer, my only regret is not trying the bone marrow mac and cheese.

Glasgow to Galway

This is the final road trip in Route 57 but for us the adventure was far from over as we still had Ireland to explore. We woke up early in Glasgow and made our way to Cairn Ryan to catch the ferry over to Northern Ireland. On the way we stopped off to charge and had to get some help from a Nissan Leaf driver. As it turns out, he'd popped down to greet the Route 57 car after hearing about our journey online. It was great to be able to meet EV enthusiasts who'd been following the trip so closely. I then had a little time to relax as we travelled without the need for me to be behind the wheel. After 2000 miles it was quite nice to sit on a ferry, get a bit of work done and eat all the food the Stena Plus Lounge had to offer. There is, of course, no rest for the wicked and it was soon time to disembark onto Northern Irish shores. Our first stop in Belfast had to be the Titanic Museum. It's a beautiful building on the spot there the Titanic was built. Inside you'll find the history of the boat and its builders as well as those who were aboard on that fateful night in 1912. It's a moving journey that remembers all those who lost their lives while celebrating the feat of engineering that was the Titanic and its sister ships Olympic and Britannic. Feeling slightly emotional we returned to the car and headed into central Belfast and our hotel for the night. If you visit the city, explore and drink in its culture but do visit the Titanic Museum as you'll learn a lot, not only about the ship but also about Belfast's history. From Belfast we journeyed into Ireland with a plan to get some euros once we reached Dublin. This was a problem when we came across a toll that didn't take card. I explained to the attendant that we didn't have euros yet. He said: “How much sterling do you have?”. I checked my purse, then explained I had less than one pound to pay for the 5 euro toll.

“That's fine,” he said, staring straight ahead. “Just pass it to me.”

I did as I was told, the barrier lifted and I drove away suspecting I'd just bribed a toll attendant with 40 pence. Safely through we continued on to Dublin where we got caught up by a city centre full of road works. It took us a little time to find our hotel but once we were there, we had some time to relax before heading out to explore. If you get time visit the impressive city hall, explore Dublin castle and head down to the Temple District. This is where you'll find the lively Temple Bar, where you can stop off for a drink or three. The whole area pulses with a raw energy and any one of the bars will guarantee you a good night. With a lot of driving ahead I skipped the drinks and went straight for dinner. We stopped at Elephant & Castle near the Temple Bar and it was here that I had some of the best chicken wings of my life. (They've actually sparked a bit of a wing-shaped obsession.) The following day I was a little sad to leave Dublin. I wanted to further explore everything this vibrant city had to offer but Route 57 had to continue. Wexford was the next stop but not before we'd traversed the Wicklow Mountains. These roads were narrow, winding and utterly glorious. While I love the energy of a city, being able to get out into the most rural parts of the British Isles was a true joy. I took my time was we traversed the mountains, stopping frequently to take photos and admire the views all around us. I was baffled at how many cyclists were also tackling the hills. If you've got strong legs and oodles of willpower then this is the perfect route to take on a bike. Those hills aren't for the faint-hearted though and I was thankful for my electric motor. We paused in Wicklow, getting a true idea of why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. Not only are the fields an amazing shade of green but the Irish Sea is too. Eventually we got to Wexford and had some time to relax and explore the town, which is nestled on the waterfront. While the whole trip was amazing, I have to admit, that evening looking out on the water was one of the best of the whole journey. The sea and sky met, creating a vast swathe of pastel hues with no horizon. The boats docked near the bridge were reflected perfectly in the calm water below. The colours and textures evolved as the evening went on and about 500 photos later I had to drag myself away to bed. The following day we headed to Waterford and the Institute of Technology to film a segment about the most commonly asked question during the trip. Here I covered everything from range, through to how to charge our 100% electric car, which you can see in the Route 57 video. We parked up in the town centre where a parade was going on. Of course, with an EV it was easy to find a parking space in front of our chosen charger. We caught the tail end of the parade before going for a walk to learn a little bit more about how the town came to be. Lunch was had in a little Italian place before it was time to hit the road once again. We travelled across to Cork and had a little time to explore. We chose our drinking establishment on name alone because who wouldn't want to drink at Fred Zeppelin's? It was a dark little rock bar with a wide selection of beers on offer, the perfect place to recover from a day's driving and get some social media done! It then made perfect sense to eat at the nearby Electric restaurant followed by a short walk. We turned in early because the following day we'd complete Route 57. The last day had simultaneously come around very fast but also the start of the trip three weeks previous seemed like an age ago. The mood in the car was a quiet excitement. I was going to be the first person to drive this bucket-list road trip in its entirety and in an electric car no less! On our way to Limerick the mood was bolstered with attempts to create fun limericks about the trip. Although this was cut short when the navigation on my phone played up and we arrived in a place called Hospital. Now all hospitals will forever be known as 'fake Limerick'. Galway welcomed us with bright sunshine, plenty of press to talk to and the team at Jurys Inn greeted us with Prosecco. I was emotional and continued to be overwhelmed by the support we'd got throughout the whole trip. Galway was a glorious place and I took my time to enjoy it, still reeling from completing such an amazing trip.

Thank you to hotel group, Jurys Inns, for putting together this route and giving me somewhere comfortable to rest my weary head at the end of each day's adventuring. Thank you also to Drive Electric for allowing me to fall for this spectacular EV and to Zap Map for making sure we knew where we could charge throughout the trip.



Jess Shanahan Jess Shanahan is a freelance motoring and travel journalist who loves nothing more than exploring the world from behind the wheel of a car. She writes regularly on the topics of autonomous vehicles and the future of the motoring industry. She is always keen to investigate and try out the latest technology in order to see how it affects how we travel. While her domain is usually hot hatches and muscle cars she's fallen for the serenity of an electric vehicle. Jess also runs the Porsche race team Turn Eight Racing and most weekends can be found at race tracks around the UK. Find out more about Jess here.