Your accommodation at the Midway Bar and Guesthouse in Dungloe is the perfect location from which to investigate North West Donegal.
We suggest Errigal for the start of your tour of north west Donegal.
It is easy to get here from Dungloe, simply take N56 to Gweedore and drive on until you meet the R251 to Dunlewey (24 mins). Errigal (751m or 2464ft in height) would be considered hill climbing if you are from the Alps or mountain climbing if your homeland is Poland, but if either is your pleasure, the views will be so rewarding as to claim many megabytes on your mind’s eye storage centre.
The beginning of the trek can be very wet and boggy and near the summit is an area of shale so appropriate climbing boots are essential, and a hiking pole is advisable. Taking it easy and stopping for photos along the way should have you at the summit in around 1.5hrs. Included in the panorama can be seen Dunlewey, where you would have begun your ascent, the Poison Glen, Donegal’s Taj Mahal, Errigal’s six other sisters and the islands of Tory and Arranmore.
The view from the Wild Atlantic Way scenic viewing point, on the R251, outside Dunlewey is stunning. It is nature’s way of forgiving those who did not make it to the top of Errigal. It takes in the Poison Glen nestling in the arms of the Derryveagh mountains, the ruined church of Dunlewey (Donegal’s Taj Mahal) and lough Nacung. Together, they form a truly magnificent panorama (weather permitting) and the next addition for the mind’s eye memory bank. The mythological god Lugh, who you will soon be introduced to, is said to have had his stronghold here.
Coming out of the car park, turn left and Errigal is to your right so take the next left, and a narrow road will bring you to the ruined church. Welcome to a time warp where living history enshrouds you. Donegal and Ulster are an intricate part of Irelands’ history from the time of the first inhabitants to the present day.
Mythology of North West Donegal
It is generally accepted that mythological stories have a semblance of truth attached to them. I will not relate the tale of what occurred (it can be read if you search for Balor’s death by Lugh, his grandson). Suffice to say, Tory, the island visible to the north of Errigal was the home of the giant Balor a warrior of the Fomorians. Balor’s main weapon was an evil eye capable of causing instant death. Lugh killed him by casting a spear with such force that it hit the evil eye and forced it straight through the back of his head, spreading its poison around the whole area.
This is still known as the Poison Glen, just north of the ruined church. It is an area of sweeping valleys, imposing mountains, and shimmering lakes, and if that is not enough, the Bearnas Buttress is located here (Irelands largest continual rockface) where rock climbers can demonstrate their skills. The poison has long left the glen now, and it is part of one of many beautiful walks located around Dunlewey.
The church itself, built by Jane Sarah Russell, wife of the landlord of Dunlewey was constructed as a memorial to her beloved husband. Locally quarried white marble and blue quartz were used and the red brick in the window arches was produced locally. James Russell lies at rest in a vault under the church floor.
North West Donegal was desecrated by the famine during this time and only started its recovery many years later. The community centre, Ionad Cois Lacha, based around the friary cottage, shows through old photographs the utter desecration of this beautiful area.
The famine aided the objectives of colonial rule which was at the time bestowing power on landlords to acquire lands and form large estates from which they ruled over tenants who had lived and farmed these lands for generations before their intrusion. The locals suddenly became tenants and were subjected to new laws and taxes which were alien and abhorrent to them.
For more information on Ionad Cois Lacha, click here
Summer evenings are long in north west Donegal, so we can continue our journey back to the N56 and straight up further north to Dunfanaghy, where the L3213 will take you around the Horn Head loop. This is a loop drive over a steep headland that is proud of the outrageously beautiful scenery it releases to you round every bend you take on the road.
On the descent prepare to make a short stop for photos of the dazzling beaches below you at Dunfanaghy and on the far side of Sheephaven Bay. You will even find some sheltered picnic tables dotted along the route at scenic spots, so feel free to take a welcome break and admire the north west Donegal views.
If you are blessed with warm sunny weather why not take an hour to indulge yourself with a quick swim in the clean, clear waters around Dunfanaghy at Killahoey beach.
If utterly memorable photographs are the focus of your holiday, some research of north west Donegal is essential because I have left out phenomenal places that will be on the MUST-SEE list such as McSwynes gun and the Crohy sea arch to mention but a few but there is not enough time in a single day to see everything. You will have noticed I have left out walks and have not named the beaches but this is where local bias comes into the equation. It is better if you ask locals for their opinion as there are just so many in this small region and they are all magnificent.
I have also omitted trips to Tory and Arranmore island because both are day trips in their own right. Tory, a rugged island off the coast of north west Donegal, is where evil eyed Balor had his bastion of safe keeping, it is the furthest inhabited island from the mainland and radiates a feeling almost of being in a different country, which the islanders would probably like to endorse. They even had their own king until 2018 who was and will again be elected by the community themselves. A new election is imminent, should you feel you possess the right credentials!!!
In the evening, back in Dungloe, take your pick of the pub and/or restaurant that takes your fancy for entertainment and a delicious evening meal to round off your day in north west Donegal.