donegal the inishowen peninsula

Leaving Downings and returning to Carrigart we travel along Mulroy Bay to Milford and Ramelton. Ramelton, a planter's town was begun in the early 17th century and has a lot of character. Continuing along the Western shore of Lough Swilly we arrive at Letterkenny, the most populous town in the county. To reach the Inishowen Peninsula we take the Western road from Letterkenny to Buncrana, namely the N13.

Our first stop is Manorhamilton on the east of the river Swilly estuary with the Doorish Mountains rising to the east. From here we make our way northwards for approx. 8 km before turning off for a 2 km uphill drive to the Grianan of Aileach. Here on top of Grianan Mountain (250m) is a stone fort enclosed within three earthen banks, the site of a tumulus and of an ancient approach road. What dominates is the reconstructed (1870s) stone fort. The diameter of the Cashel is over 23 m. The interior of the wall is stepped in three terraces with four flights of steps. There are two passages within the wall, one from the south and one from the Northeast. The place has been used for a long time and the earthen enclosures dates from the iron age when it was used as a temple of the sun. The stone fort is much later and dates from historical times. Ptolemy of Alexandria noted its position in the 2nd century A.D. Exquisite views of the surrounding countryside are offered to the naked eye from atop the walls. From the Grianan we return to the N13 and continue to Fahan where we find a few traces remaining of St. Muran's Abbey. The most interesting item is a flat two-faced cross. Archaeologists have deciphered the writing on the north face. It is a Greek version of the Gloria Patria dating from the mid-7th century. Travelling along the eastern shore of Lough Swilly from Fahan we arrive at Buncrana, a seaside resort and excellent shopping centre. There is a fine beach at nearby Lisfannon. The road north climbs through beautiful vistas of sea and mountainside to the Gap of Manore. At the summit breathtaking views of the Lough Swilly area and Atlantic beyond are offered. We descend to Clonmany to view the waterfall nearby at Glenview.

A little further on is the delightful village of Ballyliffen with a fine sandy beach at Pollan. Veering due east at Ballyliffen we travel to Carndonagh, an important ecclesiastical site dating from the 5th century. Its 1945 catholic church is a good example of modern church architecture in Ireland. Less than one kilometre away we find St. Patrick's Cross, which expert opinion holds to be the oldest standing cross in Ireland. It is by the roadside opposite the Protestant church and is one of the most important examples of early Christian crosses outside mainland Europe. Leaving Carndonagh we go through comparatively good land to reach the village of Malin (17th C.) the most northerly settlement in the Irish Republic. On the nearby Hill of Dean is a well preserved monument called the Temple of Dean. 13km further on we reach Malin Head where we find an early 19th century signal tower and a ship's radio station which is still in use. Spectacular seascapes are offered from the Malin Head looking out to the wild Atlantic Ocean. The 'wee' house of Malin is a rock cell cut into the cliff. It may have been an anchorites cell. Returning via the coast to Culdaff we spot several fine sandy beaches which are safe for bathing. Three km south of Clonca is the impressive shaft of St. Boden's cross rising to a height of 4 m. Close by we find ruins of a 17th century planter's church and a further on between Culdaff and Moville we can see an example of an ancient sweathouse with a circumference of 12 m. Moville on Lough Foyle was once a port of call for transatlantic liners but has found a new role as a leisure centre. The drive between Molville and Muff takes us along the western shore of Lough Foyle looking onto Derry and Northern Ireland. From Muff, a small border village, we make our way back to Letterkenny via Newtown Cunningham and Manorcunnigham.

Total distance: 250 km.

Public transport: Regular bus services between Letterkenny and Buncrana. This trip is not easily made by public transport.