The Green Gate is located atop a hill overlooking Ardara with Maghera strand in the distance. The view is breathtakingly beautiful. We had our own little cottage which was wonderfully reminiscent of the traditional Irish way of life, with some beautiful old features and Donegal tweeds strewn on the floor and on the beds. The bed was very comfortable and the white bed linen lovely and clean and crisp. It felt very snug, particularly the first night whilst listening to the pounding rain and howling wind! Luckily we awoke to beautiful mornings and were able to get out and explore.
Paula was a fantastic host. She is warm, engaging and enthusiastic, full of stories about the history of the cottage, its residents, Ardara and the surrounding area. She lent us a map and gave us plenty of tips which we used to work out our itinerary each day. Breakfast was had in the main cottage by the peat fire in the company of Bobby the dog. He was a big hit with our ten-month old son and Paula was also a great entertainer, bringing out various accoutrements to keep him occupied and amused, such as a wooden spoon and yoghurt pots to build towers for him to demolish! She even washed a load of our son’s clothes for which we are most grateful. We really appreciated the hearty breakfast. We started with a fresh fruit salad, granola and Greek yoghurt which progressed to a fry and then toast and homemade jams (incredible marmalade!) with French press coffee basically on tap!
The scenery around Ardara is simply stunning and the people of Donegal are wonderfully gregarious and friendly. We found the Green Gate to be an excellent base for exploring the area and made for a truly memorable experience. Thank you so much Paula!