13 Things You Need To Experience In This Wild Corner Of Donegal During Your Next Short Break

It’s no secret that Donegal has a lot to offer, but there’s one particular corner you definitely should not miss out on while you're here. Recently we’ve been telling our readers about all the merits of exchanging their usual lazy holiday for a walking break this year. To do that, we’ve been highlighting some of Ireland’s finest and least known walking trails, such as the positively spectacular Glencolmcille Tower Loop on the Wild Atlantic Way (Find the full trail guide here). With stunning coastal views and ancient ruins to be discovered along the way, this walk should definitely be on your list in 2019 While we think it’s worth the trip for the walk alone, there is much more to do in the southwest corner of Donegal that only a short break will suffice. These are just a taste of what you can discover and expect from a stay in this part of the Wild Atlantic Way…

Stay at the Nesbitt Arms Hotel

The Nesbitt Arms Hotel is the ideal accommodation choice for your stay in this part of Donegal. This stunning 49-room family-run hotel in the heritage village of Ardara has pretty much everything you need for a rejuvenating trip away: spectacular views, comfortable accommodation, friendly service and quality food. The hotel operates four different dining experiences. Rambles Bar serves traditional Irish grub, Upstairs @ Rambles delivers a more formal dining experience, and the Conal Haughey Suite and the Weaver Suite cater to big events. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 1 hour and 50 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BuwgqTKAE-2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Stay at the Rusty Mackerel

This looks like mighty craic. Just a stone’s throw from the Sliabh Liag Cliffs, one of fifteen Signature Discovery Points on the Wild Atlantic Way, here you can dig into classic Irish fare in the restaurant before enjoying a lively trad session with a healthy mix of locals and tourists in the pub, and when you’re done for the night you need only go upstairs to crash in one of their guestrooms. Probably the best place you can stay if you’re planning a walking holiday at the Glencolmcille Tower Loop. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 15 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BmDhT-3FBqu/

Have a tipple in Nancy’s Bar

A visit to Nancy’s is like walking straight into your own front room. Furnished like someone’s actual house, this charming pub is a must-see for those passing through Ardara. The family-run establishment has survived for centuries thanks to its quirky decor, tasty pints and welcoming atmosphere. We’re getting thirsty just thinking about the place. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 30 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BmC3gjhHfmN/

Visit Glencolmcille Folk Village

Fancy a bit of a trip back in time? Focused around a cluster of several small cottages, this replica of an old-fashioned Irish village shows visitors what life was like for our forebears, with each dwelling fitted out with furniture and other household items typical of bygone eras. Check out the Tearoom while you’re here and enjoy some of their homemade baked treats, such as fruit scones, Guinness cake, apple tart, chocolate cake and so much more. Also, in the carpark of Glencolmcille Folk Village is the Clocha na hEireann, or “stones of Ireland”. Created to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising back in 2016, this map of Ireland was carved by 32 masons from around the country who took a native stone from each county and shaped them to represent their home county for this unique mosaic. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 2 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BhfGFFAhRms/

Jump aboard a Sliabh Liag Boat Tour

There’s no better vantage point to look upon these simply staggering walls of stone than by boat. Prepare to be feel dwarfed as you bob on the Atlantic at the foot of the highest cliffs in all of Europe. You’ll be awestruck and dumbfounded in the face of such a spectacular sight. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 20 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BWuebZeB3b9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Climb Muckross Head

Yet another breathtaking feature to be found along the Wild Atlantic Way. On the tiny peninsula of Muckross Head, you’ll find a crag which attracts climbing fanatics from around the world as it’s perfectly formed to be scaled. With over 60 possible ways to ascend this sea-cliff, hardcore climbers won’t get bored with this spot anytime soon. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 25 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3A-heAyDD/

Do Ireland by Bike

This self-guided bicycle tour takes place over nine days and eight nights and will allow you to cover about 25km every day. At points, it’s quite a hilly terrain, but it’s so worth it to be able to smell and feel the salty sea breeze as you roll past the many wonderful sights of the Wild Atlantic Way. Cycling enthusiasts of Ireland, get involved. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 1 hour https://www.instagram.com/p/WHhE9CEzlU/

Spook yourself at the Ghost Village of Port

Around 15km from Glencolmcille, you’ll find this mysterious and eerie hamlet. Also known as the Deserted Village, this settlement is unsettling for the fact that it appears that all the inhabitants of the village seem to have simply up and vanished for no apparent reason. Who were these people? Where did they go? What drove them to abandon their homes? Just thinking about it is giving us a serious case of goosebumps. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 30 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BslKDQlgLhm/

Go chasing Assaranca Waterfall

There’s something about waterfalls that’s just mesmerising. Situated near Maghera Strand, this stunning formation is a little oasis of tranquillity worth seeking out in the wilderness in Donegal. If you want to see a staggering volume of cascading water, make sure to swing by on a rainy day. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 35 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BvScBhVg1k0/

Don’t pass up the Glengesh Pass

On the return from Glencolmcille to Ardara, you can’t miss your chance to enjoy this sight. Stop off at the Glengesh viewing point and simply stand in awe of the glorious glaciated valley that stretches out before you. Those views speak for themselves… Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 25 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BC-AM5gCfDs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Get prehistorical with the Kilclooney Dolmen

In the wilder, more untouched parts of the island, you occasionally encounter something genuinely ancient that’s somehow managed to survive for millennia. Comprised of a huge capstone supported by two vertical megaliths and a back stone, this tomb was constructed at some point between 4,000 and 3,000BC. And considering how ridiculously heavy those slabs of rocks are, it’s safe to say that whoever’s buried here must’ve been pretty important. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 40 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BqFwwImneL6/

Visit Silver Strand Beach

If you only visit one beach while in Donegal, do yourself a favour and make it this one. Situated near Malin Beg, you may have to pass a few roving sheep on your way to this secluded, horseshoe-shaped beach. On a really sunny day, it’s one of the best places to be in the whole of Ireland. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 15 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfXNPGnHbZ/

Pick something up in Studio Donegal

If you can’t visit a new destination without buying something, you need to check this spot out. Situated in the idyllic village of Kilcar, where there’s a long tradition of woollen textiles, Studio Donegal has been handweaving tweed since 1979. To bring a real piece of Donegal home with you, give this workshop a visit. Click HERE for more info. Distance to Glencolmcille Tower Loop: 15 minutes https://www.instagram.com/p/BwmRb1Dpm8s/ For spectacular sights, invigorating sensations and unforgettable experiences, make your next short break a walking break on the Wild Atlantic Way. walking makes your break To find out more, check out www.wildatlanticway.com. For more information or to plan your walking break on the Wild Atlantic Way, visit the Tales and Trails hub here.