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Highlands
of Donegal
(round trip to and from Donegal
town) |
Ref:
ICSDL |
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June
5, 19, July 31, Aug 21€670/€699
Please see booking information)
Tour includes seven nights in good
quality guesthouses and small hotels,
bike hire
( 21 speed Trek T30 ),
guide & luggage van and all
route details.
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Donegal
is one of the undiscovered gems of
Ireland. There is a wonderful mix of
coastal cycling followed by a highland
landscape where you can feel completely
away from it all, before returning
back to the coast and the most beautiful beaches
in the country. The light is amazing
here, with a landscape full of browns,
greens and purples constantly altering
their tone with the changing light.
The pace of life is wonderfully easy
going and the people amongst the most
welcoming in the country.
After an introductory talk, an evening meal is organised
in the hotel bar while your luggage is being transferred
to our central guesthouse accommodation in Donegal that
night. There is a chance later on this evening to meet
again in a local pub to hear some music.
After being fitted out with your bike you then begin
the tour with a cycle out of Donegal town towards the
wonderful coastline where we continue to our lunch stop
in village of Carrick. After lunch we cycle up to a viewing
point of the spectacular Slieve League Cliffs one of
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.
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.
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.
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.
The morning’s cycle takes you through isolated
highland country roads with a worthwhile detour to Doe
Castle. We stop for lunch in Downings on the Rosguill
Peninsula. A roller coaster ride around the coast affords
spectacular views of white sandy beaches as we wend our
way down to our evenings accommodation in the town of
Millford.
Today we cycle the beautiful and remote Fanad Pennisula
stopping for lunch in Port Salon. We continue along
the shores of Lough Swilly through Rathmullan from
where the last Earls of Ireland fled to Europe in 1607,
thus ending the old Irish Order. The final leg of our
cycle brings us to Rathmelton where our coach will
then transfer you back to Donegal town for a farewell
night on the town together before heading our separate
ways the following morning.
Sat After a leisurely breakfast, back to reality!
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