Your Guide To A Mini Donegal Roadtrip

Ireland’s northern-most county is one I have long wanted to visit. But even though Ireland really isn’t that big, Donegal is still a ways away, making it hard to visit for a short break. And once you get there, there’s so much to see it would take weeks to get to it all. At 17% of the country’s total length of coastline, it’s no wonder Donegal’s section of the Wild Atlantic Way has so many destinations worth checking out. But how to choose which places to see if you only have a short amount of time? On a recent trip with my mom, we picked a small number of the many beautiful sights and had ourselves a little Donegal roadtrip.

This is by no means a definitive guide to Donegal, but in my opinion it’s a good place to start. Between beautiful beaches, pretty peninsulas, epic hikes and a dash of cliffs and waterfalls, my guide covers a range of sights. This trip took us two days, which gave us plenty of time to take it all in.

Slieve League cliffs

Irish: Sliabh Liag

The first stop on our Donegal roadtrip is one of the most dramatic. While the Cliffs of Moher in Clare to the south are far more famous, the Slieve League cliffs are actually much higher. Three times higher, in fact. So you know they’re impressive. Walking from the car park to the edge of the cliffs takes about twenty minutes, and is seriously gorgeous.

Keep an eye out on your left along the way, and you might even spot a very cool piece of Irish history: large letters and numbers spelled out in rocks on the green grassy hill. EIRE 71 is a relic of the Second World War. As Ireland was neutral throughout the war, of course the country didn’t want to be accidentally bombed by German bombers. So all around the coastline, these large EIRE signs were placed. It’s the Irish word for Ireland, and the numbers were soon added to help Allied Forces in their navigation as they flew overhead.

Extra Stop: Malin Beg

Irish: Málainn Bhig

This tiny village is home to one of Donegal’s most famous beaches: Silver Strand. Nestled in a horsehoe-shaped bay, swimming and snorkelling are both popular activities here.

Assaranca Waterfall

Irish: Eas a’Ranca

If you weren’t looking for it in the first place, you might never know this Donegal waterfall even existed. As I drove along the winding, narrow roads with my mom, she kept asking if we were going the right way. She was imagining a small trickle on the side of the road and wondered if it was even worth the effort of finding it.

Yes, yes it was. We suddenly turned a corner and there it was, a rushing torrent of water tumbling down over a cliff. It wasn’t even signposted. I smiled at Mom and told her she should have had more faith in my travel planning abilities. We stood by the waterfall for a few minutes, having it almost entirely to ourselves. The water from the falls flows under the road to the bay on the other side. It’s a perfect Donegal roadtrip spot because unlike many other places, Assaranca Waterfall will generally be pretty quiet. It reminded me a lot of Torc Waterfall, way down south in Killarney National Park, only without all the people.

Extra Stop: Caves of Maghera

Irish: Trá an Mhacaire

Located on the beautiful Maghera Strand, these caves can only be explored at low tide. Due to lack of time and not getting the timing right, we didn’t get a chance to visit, but exploring sea caves is one of my favourite things to do at the beach.

Mount Errigal

Irish: An Earagail

We were so lucky with the weather the day we hiked Errigal. Even though it’s just three hours up and down, the highest mountain in Donegal isn’t the easiest hike I’ve ever done. But though it rained that morning, by the time we reached the tiny car park at the start of the Errigal trail, the sun was out and the clouds were starting to disappear.

The first hour of the hike is up an extremely wet bog. The trail was hard to follow, and most of the people around us very quickly gave up trying, instead making straight for the peak. It’s a hard slog, and more than once I felt like turning back. And once we left the bog behind and reached the rocky upper slope of the mountain, it just got harder. But the higher you go, the more stunning the surroundings get. With Glenveagh National Park on one side, the Atlantic on the other and smaller mountains all around, by the time we reached the top, the hard slog had become the most satisfying hike I’d done in a long time.

To do Errigal, you definitely need proper hiking boots, preferably waterproof ones. Warm layers for the wind and lots of water are also a good idea.

Extra Stop: Glenveagh National Park

Irish: Pairc Náisiúnta Gleann Bheatha

The second largest national park in Ireland, Glenveagh by itself could take up a few days. With a 19th century castle, gardens, a beautiful lake and multiple walking trails, there’s loads to do here.

Horn Head

Irish: Corrán Binne

If the drive around Horn Head doesn’t make you fall in love with Donegal, then I don’t know what would. Taking about an hour, starting and ending in the lovely seaside town of Dunfanaghy, the loop around the peninsula has some of the most beautiful views and is a must-do on any Donegal roadtrip.

Prepare for narrow, winding roads and spectacular Atlantic lookout points. The cliffs at Horn Head are home to internationally important bird colonies, and are an Irish Natural Heritage Site. There are also several tower ruins sitting dramatically near the edge of the tall cliffs, and even some Neolithic stone circles and tombs in the area.

Finish out the drive with a walk along the beach at Dunfanaghy and you’ve got a seriously memorable day on your hands.

Doe Castle & Lookout

Irish: Caisleán na dTuath

Built in the 1420s, Doe Castle was the medieval stronghold of the MacSweeney family. Sitting proudly on a small peninsula in Sheephaven Bay, water on three sides, the castle has seen many participants of Irish history pass through its doors. Nowadays the grounds are free to enter and guided tours are sometimes available of the four-storey keep.

If you don’t have the time to actually visit the castle, you can still take it in from across the bay, at the Doe Castle Lookout. There, on the information sign, you can read about Donegal’s very own Romeo and Juliet. Aileen was the daughter of the castle’s Clan Chief, but she fell in love with a man her father would not let her marry. When her love died in her father’s dungeon, Aileen threw herself from the tower to her death. A tragic story in a beautiful location.

Fanad Lighthouse

Irish: Teach Solais Fhánada

Fanad Lighthouse isn’t just a tourist sight, it’s a fully working lighthouse. Sitting at the head of Lough Swilly, one of Ireland’s three fjords, it has been voted one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world. It only takes one look to understand why.

I mean, just look at that view! On a Donegal roadtrip, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Fanad Head is also the location of one of the last Gaeltacht areas in Ireland, which is an area where Irish, not English, is the main language spoken by the local population. With Gaeltachtaí on a continuous decline over the last hundred plus years, it’s important to savour these parts of Ireland while they’re still there.

Portsalon Beach

Irish: Trá Port an tSalainn

One of my favourite things about the Irish coastline is that even in the rain it’s still beautiful. The last stop on our Donegal roadtrip would have been glorious on a sunny day, but even with a cloudy sky and a bit of drizzle, we couldn’t resist hopping out of the car for a quick stroll along the strand.

Clearly popular with locals jogging or taking dogs for a walk, Portsalon Beach was surprisingly busy on our windy day. I spent half an hour exploring the rock pools, walking along the hard sand exposed by the low tide, giggling at the sight of an older man getting a piggyback across the beach’s little river, hanging on tight to the younger, barefoot man struggling through the water.

Just a short distance from Fanad Lighthouse, on the shores of Lough Swilly, Portsalon Beach is just one of many, many beautiful beaches Donegal has to offer. No matter which one you choose to visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Donegal is often called Ireland’s forgotten county, it’s hidden gem, and its location at the northern tip of the country does make it a bit harder to get to. But it’s absolutely worth making the effort to visit this gorgeous part of Ireland. Beyond this list, Donegal has plenty more to offer if you have more time, and the Discover Ireland Donegal page is a great resource.

Have you ever been to Donegal?

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