We had a wonderful 11-night break in September, and the house is a perfect base for exploring the northwest corner of Donegal. The house has everything you need, and is beautifully decorated, furniture and furnishings are both comfortable and stylish. The welcome basket was a great surprise, with local produce and treats, while milk, butter and eggs had thoughtfully been placed in the fridge. The outside area has a table and seating where we enjoyed clear starry nights. From the house, Ards Forest Park is a short drive away, and an annual pass is helpfully available, which allows access to the car park. There are various trails but the one which leads from the woods to join with the marine trail was our choice, allowing access from the dunes onto a string of soft sandy beaches. Ards Friary allows access to the same beaches from the other end; the Friary is nearer the house, parking is free, (as it was everywhere) and there is a path along the sea leading back into the forest park. Dunfanaghy itself is a pretty seaside town. Covid restrictions were in place but it was still possible to enjoy a range of places to eat and drink, including Patsy Dan’s and the Rusty Oven pizzeria behind the pub. The Rusty Oven is a very pretty place, ramshackle in the modern sense, some seating inside, but some outside with fairy lights in the trees, lanterns on tables, excellent pizzas and salads.
Recommended trips include the drive from Dunfanaghy to Horn Head, for dramatic panoramic views, and the 20 minute or so walk from the car park near Dunfanaghy over the dunes to Tramore beach, a long expanse of soft sand, which was more or less deserted both times we visited, despite bright sunshine on our second visit. We had expected changeable weather, lots of cloud, rain and wind in mid-late September, but we had four straight days of cloudless blue skies, and temperatures mild enough for shorts and t-shirts, with layers always to hand. Other days were changeable as expected, but we saw the sun every day bar one. Other highlights included a drive along the road by Dunlewey, a beautiful long loch with Mount Errigal at one end.
Ballymastocker beach near Port Salon was another long deserted beach, while the beaches at Carrickfinn and Mullaghderg near Donegal airport are also worth a visit. If you’re interested in seabirds as we are, bring binoculars to see large groups of oyster catchers, curlews, guillemots, plovers, gannets and others, congregating around the sea shore. The road marked ‘Trail Head’, a left turn opposite the cemetery near the house, leads up to a walk along the Burtonport disused railway line. It is a flat straight walk through heather-covered fields, alongside Loch Achair, with great views of Muckish and mountains.
Marble Hill beach near the house is a peaceful spot, while Glenveagh National Park is definitely worth a visit, and is just a 15 minute drive away.
After a drive over to Rathmullan one day, we came back over a mountain road to Glen, and had lunch in the Olde Glen which is both traditional in style but up to date in terms of catering to modern food tastes - highly recommended ‘gourmet’ sandwiches from the Bia Bar outside which caters for lunchtimes, while there is an evening restaurant. The Singing Pub near Downings is also worth a trip for the scenic drive as well as for the atmosphere and food. The Galley in Downings by the beach is also great for food at lunchtime. A trip to McNutt’s mill shop by the pier at Downings is recommended for buying locally-made throws, blankets, tweeds, while McAuliffe’s in Dunfanaghy is great for high quality Irish-made gifts, including Belleek china made in Donegal, plus a huge range of tableware, cushions, throws, candles plus some more traditional souvenirs. We can’t recommend the area and the house highly enough – thank you to Jenni for being a great host.