B48 (Northern Ireland)

Dunnamanagh

The B48 is a longer alternative to the A5 between Derry and Omagh.

The road starts at Newbuildings, to the south of Derry, at traffic lights on the A5 and heads south through town, quickly reaching open country. As the road continues it moves further and further east. It crosses the Burn Dennet at Mountcastle before reaching Dunnamanagh. Here the B49 is crossed via a long staggered crossroads in the village centre.

The B48 continues southeastwards into the Sperrin Mountains. The climb is fairly gentle but the descent does require a couple of sharp bends. Presently the road reaches Plumbridge. It TOTSOs left on meeting the B536 at a T-junction then meets the B47 end-on and TOTSOs right onto a short multiplex which, according to the road signs, is given both numbers. On the far side of the Glenelly River the B47 turns off to the right and the B48 continues ahead. It crosses a moor before descending into the next river valley. After crossing the Owenkillew River the village of Gortin is reached, where the B46 is crossed at a staggered crossroads.

The B48 once again climbs into the hills. It passes through the Gortin Glen Forest Park before continuing southwest across the fields, with the mountains receding in the background. Presently the road reaches the outskirts of Omagh. It enters town from the north, along Gortin Road and reaches a set of traffic lights. This is the original end of the B48, on the original line of the A5. However, that road now bypasses the town so the B48 has been extended in both directions (although some maps claim only to the left) along its former route to reach the current line of the bypass.