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Highlands of Donegal - Cycling

Donegal is a place apart from the rest of the Republic, in many ways closer to Scotland than to Dublin. It has some of our most dramatic scenery, a particular music tradition, a distinctive accent and a friendly welcome.

2009 Dates

 

May June July Aug Sept
Highlands of Donegal
6, 20 1, 22
Tour Lengths: 8 days (Sat - Sat)

Accommodations: Carefully selected B&B's & guesthouses. Twin rooms with bathroom ensuite.

Meals Included: Irish breakfast daily and dinner one evening.

Touring Itinerary:

Sat We start in Sligo town where you stay in guesthouses close to the centre.

Sun At 10.00am a bus will transfer the group to Killybegs the largest fishing port in the country . After being fitted out with your bike you then begin the tour with a wonderful coastline cycle to our lunch stop just outside the village of Carrick. After lunch we cycle up to a viewing point of the spectacular Slieve League Cliffs the highest marine based cliffs in Europe. In the afternoon we head to our night stop in the village of Glencolumcille passing freshly cut peat drying in the surrounding bogs.

Mon Today we head up into wild highland country along quiet backroads with a wonderful open landscape. There follows a wonderful descent down the dramatic Glengesh Valley to the beautiful Maghera beach. The beach is well worth stopping at for a walk across its wonderful white sands to explore the caves of Maghera. You can also go for a wonderful swim in the lagoon here and pretend you are in the Caribbean before heading to the village of Ardara for a pub lunch. In the afternoon we continue along a quiet bog road before heading to the coastal town of Dungloe where again we stay in local guesthouses.

Tues We continue through a rolling landscape through quiet sleepy villages and stop in Leo's pub where Enya and Clannad first sang. Later we cycle toward the spectacular Mount Errigal and stop for lunch at the base of this mountain. In the afternoon we cycle up to a wonderful view of the Poison Glen and then descend through an empty mountainscape towards Dunfanaghy. You have the option of visiting Glenveagh National Park on this afternoon.

Wed The village overlooks Portnablagh Beach and dunes where you can swim, swing a golf club or take a change of saddle, to gallop down the beach.

Thurs The mornings cycle takes you through isolated highland country roads with a tea stop in a wonderful country pub. We stop for lunch in Kerrykeel before cycling up into more beautiful highland country before descending to Rathmullan from where the last Earls of Ireland fled to Europe in 1607 , thus ending the old Irish Order. There follows a nice coastal cycle to our guesthouses in the village of Ramelton.

Fri In the morning a coach will bring us down to the village of Garrison. We then cycle via the shores of Lough Melvin and through rolling green fields to Manorhamiton where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon we head south and cycle along Lough Gill to Parkes Castle a 15th Century Norman Tower House which you are welcome to visit. We then head back into Sligo for a farewell night on the town together.

Sat After a leisurely breakfast, back to reality!