Driving west into Republic of Ireland after crossing the border from Northern Ireland, we join the N15 heading towards Donegal. The town is well established on the Irish tourist trail, and a key location along the Wild Atlantic Way coastal route.
We’d be heading back there in a few days’ time, but for now we continue onto Ireland’s largest fishing port, Killybegs. This was to be our base for the next couple of days to explore some of the local attractions.
As dusk approached, and after a few wrong turns on mostly narrow country lanes, we arrived at our Airbnb perched on top of Roshine Hill, complete with awe inspiring view across the entrance of Killybegs harbour.
With Slieve League cliffs primarily being the main attraction in the area, the following morning we booked ourselves onto a two hour trip with Atlantic Coastal Cruises. Plenty of reviews giving them five stars, especially if an appearance of dolphins is thrown in.
It’s a perfect day for early September in Ireland. The sun is blazing with not a patch of wind, as our boat makes its way out past rather foreboding sounding Rotten Island lighthouse and out into the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Commentary plays over the PA system as the boat hugs the coastline, we lounge in the sun out on the rear deck of the boat admiring the views. A small Norman era watch tower is perched high up on the cliffs above us, which over the last half an hour has been slowly increasing in size. We turn into a large bay, and to our left heading north, towering cliffs disappear off into the horizon. Slieve League are the highest sea cliffs in Europe, leaving the more famous Cliff of Mohr behind in sheer scale, none more apparent than when seen from the water as they tower above you. At this point a pod of dolphins appear and make several passes darting around our boat as we bob in the calm waters. In line with previous reviews, we shall give our slightly extended two hour trip, five stars.
Fintra beach, being the finest sand beach in the area, beckons later on that afternoon as our balmy late summer day continues. The tide is out and a few people are taking the opportunity for a stroll along the beach, and a couple others are wallowing in the shallows enjoying a refreshing dip. No trip to Ireland would be complete without a swim at the beach, but we only last about a few minutes before the piercing cold starts to take effect. It had to be done. Regular cold water swimmers are far more prepared, with thermal lined changing robes waiting for them as they come out of the water.
The next day it is our turn to take in the cliffs from the other perspective. A brisk cool wind is blowing today, much more like the weather we were expecting on this trip, but thankfully the rain is holding off. Heading out of Killybegs town along the winding coastal road past scatterings of stone cottages which peer out toward the sea and blink and you’ll miss it villages, we join the Teelin Road in the direction of The Rusty Mackerel, a traditional Irish pub we’re told oozes atmosphere. However since it is only 11am, we’ll need to hold out a few more hours.
We turn off towards Slieve League carpark, which marks the end of the public road, where we park amongst several other cars belonging to others who have chosen to make the walk the remaining way up to viewing point at Bunglass Point.
There is also a shuttle bus which makes the trip all the way to the lookout, from the visitor centre further down the road. This is welcome news for my 86 year old father-in-law, who is travelling with us.
The single lane road slowly climbs higher and higher, past grazing sheep which seem oblivious to the sheer cliffs only a few metres away which plummet down towards the sea below.
We catch up to the shuttle bus which has already arrived at the viewing point car park. A few souvenir caravans are open, with selections of fridge magnets, t-shirts and hot drinks, though it is the sober bar which catches my eye. Admittedly not the location I was expecting to be able to grab a 0% Guinness or Heineken, though perhaps it is a suitable place for a beer whilst admiring the impressive views, possibly more so than from down on the water the previous day. From the car park a short walking path follows the cliff edge, around allowing us to peer from the fence over the edge: a warning to sufferers of vertigo. Another rocky path leads further up a hill offering even more expansive views.
For those wishing to make a day of it, from here there is also the Pilgrim Trail which continues along the cliff edge for around five hours, until eventually dropping back down to meet up with the inland road.
For us we descend back down the road returning to the bottom car park. On the side of the road on a rare gentle sloping piece of ground is a large monument sign, Eire 71, made up of giant stones. During world war two there were a multitude of these made up all along the Irish Atlantic coast to be used as navigational aids for allied pilots. This one was restored by local volunteers in 2019. Eire 70 is further along the coast on the southern side of Killybegs harbour.
The older original part of The Rusty Mackerel has walls adorned with old photos, one mounted mackerel, and pottery drinking vessels hanging from the low ceiling on hooks. The sort of place you could picture a few wee old local men heading to for a pint after a day working on the farm or out fishing. Though the barman informs us that we are the actually the fourth New Zealanders that have been through for lunch today.
With the fish and chips with mushy peas finished up, it’s getting on in the afternoon, and we make the return drive back to Killybegs for our last night. With plans to stop the following morning for a look around Donegal town, we’ll be leaving with fond memories and a promise to return again one day.
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