Activities in Donegal

HIKING AND KAYAKING NEAR GWEEDORE Trek and Paddle Donegal is based in Gaoth Dobhair (Gweeedore) in North West Donegal. We offer sports and recreation for all the family to enjoy - hiking trail walks, canoe and kayak hire. Enjoy outdoor activities along the Wild Atlantic Way with us! Call us or email us for details Tel: 087 090 3163 Email: trekandpaddledonegal@gmail.com

The Kingfisher Cycle Trail was the first long distance cycle trail in Ireland and follows minor country roads through the border counties of Fermanagh, Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan. The trail travels through landscape dotted with rivers and lakes. Attractions include the Lough Scur Dolmen, Castle Coole and the Marble Arch caves. This unique mixture of lake-lands, canal side tracks, roll…

Glenveagh View Point Trail Length: 1km (This is a looped walk) Time: 35 mins Terrain: Steep stony path The View Point Trail is perhaps the best short walk option in the Park. It leads to an ideal vantage point for enjoying views of the rugged scenery, with magnificent perspectives of the castle below, Lough Veagh and the surrounding landscapes. This circular 1.5Km trail starts …

This looping 202 mile cycle route is a perfect slice of Ireland. Rugged beauty, ocean battered coasts and deserted mountain landscapes are all punctuated with warm, welcoming people. This trail travels through a wide variety of scenic landscapes, utilising quiet country roads with some traffic-free sections, mostly in urban areas. The route enjoys dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean passing throu…

Siulóid Cois an Ghaoth - This walk is a short but attractive path along the tree-lined banks of the Gweedore River estuary. Linear Trail Length: 0.75km Time 15mins Nearest Town: Crolly Link to National Waymarked Way

The views in Donegal are stunning, so a country stroll becomes a mini-adventure for all the family. Ardnamona Woods is a marvellous quiet Nature Reserve with a nicely created walking path loops around large oak, hazel and holly trees in a Woodland that is left in its natural state. There are beautiful mosses, bluebells, wood sorrel, streams and the lakeside to enjoy on this delightful walk develo…

Tweed started out as a bricks & mortar lifestyle and home wares boutique in County Donegal in the north west of Ireland. Owned and run by a Donegal native who grew up steeped in the local tweed tradition, Ronan Hanna brings a modern take on tweed to his own label Hata while honoring age old traditions of weaving. In addition to apparel & headwear from Hatas collection Tweed also has a highly ed…

McElhinneys Department Store is one of the leading independent retail stores in Ireland. Founded by John McElhinneys in 1971 who decided to bring a new shopping experience to the people of the North West of Ireland. Over the last five decades, McElhinneys have grew from a small team to an employer who employs over 200 people. The McElhinneys team are passionately committed to providing customers w…

Slí Cholmcille is a section of the 280km Slí Dhún na nGall that circles around the remote landscapes of south west Donegal. The name of the route is derived from that of St Colmcille, one of Ireland’s early Christian saints, who was born in County Donegal and lived for a while in this region. He is recalled in the name of Glencolmcille, Donegal’s westerlymost village, a place steeped in pre-Christ…

Salthill is well illustrated in “The Irish Garden” (2015) by Jane Powers with photographs by Jonathon Hession. She aptly describes the space “The 0.5 hectare enclosure has that delightful feeling of privacy and mystery that is particular to old walled gardens”. So, come and witness the “great gatherings of herbaceous plants amid mature shrubs and noteworthy trees”. Admission: €5 Adults, €2 …

Built by the O\Donnell chieftain in the 15th century, beside the River Eske, the Castle has extensive 17th century additions by Sir Basil Brooke. The Castle is furnished throughout and includes Persian rugs and French tapestries. Information panels chronicle the history of the Castle owners from the O\Donnell chieftains to the Brooke family. Limited access for people with disabilities to the groun…

Each winter the site hosts thousands of migratory birds including geese, swans, ducks and other waders. During the winter months it is not unusual to see fields with several thousand Greylag Geese or Whooper Swans grazing and witness the return of the birds to the lake at dusk is one of the most impressive wildlife displays you are likely to witness. During the summer months Inch Wildfowl Reserve…

Rathmullan Charters operate two fully licenced charter boats Enterprise 1 and Swilly Explorer based at our own pontoon at Rathmullan Co. Donegal. They fish the sheltered waters of Lough Swilly and the many wrecks off Fanad Head which hold an abundance of fish including pollack, cod, ray, gurnard, whiting, ling, thornback ray and many varieties of flat fish. Lough Swilly is famous for tope which a…

Glencolmcille Tower Loop - The stretch of coastline between Slieve League and Slieve Tooey in southwest Donegal is a fine spot for walkers eager to breakaway from the trappings of modern living. The entire 35km coastline bristles with jagged rock pinnacles and soaring cliffs and, nestled in the midst of all this glorious scenery, is the village of Glencolmcille. Wonderfully remote, Glencolmcil…

Your Irish adventure with Chieftain Tours is sure to create lifelong memories. At Chieftain Tours, we don’t just take you to Ireland—we immerse you in its soul. Our expertly crafted tours offer more than sightseeing; they’re unforgettable journeys through ancient castles, emerald landscapes, vibrant cities, and the heartwarming spirit of the Irish people. From the rugged cliffs of the Wild …

Glenveagh Derrylahan Nature Trail - Length: 2km (This is a looped walk) Time: 45mins Terrain: Gravel track, both flat and steep in places This attractive way marked walk near the Visitor Centre is an ideal introduction to Glenveagh’s natural environment. It offers visitors of all ages and fitness levels a chance to see some of the plants and animals of Glenveagh National Park. T…

The country estate garden of Glenalla is a hidden world surrounded by native woods and moorland. Established in the late 18th century with extensive landscaping by the Franklin family since 1913. Beyond the house and walled kitchen garden are the formal elements of the rockery, rose beds, arbour and stone edged lily pond. There are collections of rhododendrons together with summer and autumn flow…

The Wild Atlantic Equestrian Centre is situated at Dunlewey lakeside in the heart of the North West Donegal Gaeltacht under the majestic gaze of Errigal Mountain. Located next to Ionad Cois Locha, Dunlewey Cultural Centre, on the slopes of the Derryveagh Mountains and beside Glenveagh National Park, and on the Wild Atlantic Way. A business, run by friends and family, who provide an Equestrian Ed…

Letterkenny’s superbly designed parkland course is situated on the shores of Lough Swilly, where the imaginative combination of woodland and water features offer a challenge to all golfers. The course was originally carved out of natural woodlands and there exists today a magnificent natural wildlife habitat that supports a spectacular mixture of bird life. Visitors are assured of a warm Do…

The IOSAS Centre (Island of saints and scholars) and Celtic Prayer garden. The Celtic Prayer Garden is Ireland’s only such garden and is set in six acres of natural bog land, approximately 10 minutes out of the city centre of Derry. Here we invite you to step back in time to an Ireland of saints and scholars, a people who had a very strong sense of creation, a robust attitude to religious pr…