Our second day in County Donegal began with light showers but it brightened up towards mid-afternoon. After the yummy croissants from Caffe Banba, we were all set to explore the second day. This was the main day because there were 4 places to visit in our plan and the distance to cover – lots.
Our first destination was Grianan of Aileach which was a 40-minute drive from our stay, Joyce’s Inishowen.
Day 2- Grianan Of Aileach, Portsalon Beach, Fanad Head Lighthouse, Slieve League Cliffs, Stay at An Sean Óstán
1. Grianan Of Aileach
“Grianan of Aileach is a beautiful ringfort located at the edge of the Inishowen peninsula of Donegal.”
Though Grianan of Aileach was a last-minute change of plan, we were thrilled not to have missed this historical beauty.
“The drive to this summit is a beautiful climb with green hills and pastures on one side of the road.”
Located at the edge of the Inishowen peninsula of Donegal, Grianan of Aileach is a beautiful ringfort between Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle. The hill where the Grianan of Aileach is built is high enough, that the summit dominates the neighboring counties of Londonderry, Donegal, and Tyrone.
The drive to this summit is a beautiful climb with green hills and pastures on one side of the road as I mentioned in my previous post.
“Visiting Grianan of Aileach at sunrise or sunset would be awesome as the view from the top, upon climbing the terraced walls of the fort, is grand.”
Mind the climb inside the fort though as the steps are narrow and could be a bit slippery after rain. That being said, Devu loved climbing those steps and she said it was easy enough. So, maybe it’s just me who felt they were a bit too narrow. 🤭
Where To Park
The car park is right outside the Grianan of Aileach. The view from the car park in itself is amazing and makes you eager to go ahead and absorb the history the ringfort of Grianan of Aileach has to offer.
2. Ballymastocker Beach / Portsalon Beach
“While Devu and I collected seashells, Bhavi attempted to taste sand from this beach. She was successful in her new venture.”
This stunning beach located on the northeastern side of Fanad Peninsula is one of Ireland’s treasured beaches and is a 1-hour drive from the Grianan of Aileach. It is a blue flag beach, which will be busier from June to September. Lifeguards will also be present during those months, at least that’s what we read about this beautiful beach. But when we visited, there were only a few people around as it was in April.
“With it’s long stretches of sand and rugged cliffs, it is easy to see why Portsalon was once voted as the world’s second most beautiful beach.”
Devu and I collected some shells from here, while Bhavi attempted to taste sand from this beach. She was successful actually and while I was trying to wipe it out completely, Bhavi felt the need to give an extra effort to lick her hands.
With its long stretches of sand and rugged cliffs, it is easy to see why Observer magazine once voted Portsalon as the world’s second most beautiful beach.
Important Tidbit: On the way to this beach, there are so many viewpoints that have been marked as such, where we can stop, relax and click beautiful pictures.
3. Fanad Head Lighthouse
I would love to write an entire post just about this lighthouse because there is so much to tell about this gem called Fanad head lighthouse in the Fanad peninsula.
PS: I have finally written about it and you can read all about it here in “The Stunning Fanad“.
“Climbing up the 76 steps to the top of this lighthouse grants you incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean.”
Built in 1815, the Fanad head lighthouse was voted one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world.
If you would love to immerse yourself in the history of Fanad lighthouse, they have lighthouse tours to satisfy your history cravings. Climbing up the 76 steps to the top of this lighthouse grants you incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean.
“Built in 1815, Fanad head lighthouse was voted one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world.”
The car park is also facilitated with a coffee shop where you can also buy souvenirs. They also have an online shop where you can buy all the trinkets available here.
This lighthouse is only an 18-minute drive from Ballymastocker beach.
ITB: There is a beautiful photo spot a few minutes before we reach this lighthouse. Not only you can see the lighthouse far into the background, but some of the history can also be read from there.
4. Slieve League Cliffs
“Slieve League cliffs, the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe, twice as high as the Eiffel Tower, nearly 3 times as high as Cliffs of Moher.”
Fell in love yet? There’s more.
“Wild and dramatic, with the ferocious Atlantic Ocean crashing at its feet and the beautiful skies caressing its majestic head, Slieve League cliffs are a sight to behold.”
A 2-hour drive from the Fanad head lighthouse, we reached Slieve League Cliffs of Co Donegal around 6 pm. Being the start of the spring season, the sunset was still 2 hours away.
“Don’t forget to close the gate after the car passes through, for the safety of the livestock.”
After reaching the lower car parking area, we have 2 options to cover the last 1.8 km.
- Park the car and hike up to the top.
- Drive up to the upper-level parking area.
There is a small gate which needs to be opened for the car to pass through. Don’t forget to close the gate after the car passes through for the safety of the livestock.
As the weather was also good and clear, we drove to the upper parking level. This was a very important point impressed upon us when we read about Slieve League Cliffs.
“Only drive up if the weather is clear, as in not just rain or wind, but most importantly mist as well.”
As the curves leading up to the Slieve League Cliffs viewing point are dangerous, anything that makes the vision not so clear is a reason not to drive up to the top.
But the views at the top were as expected- beautiful. There is an observation deck as well as picnic tables to soak up all the beauty that the Slieve League Cliffs have to offer.
Stay
We stayed at the An Sean Óstán, in the village of Carrick, which is just a 15-minute drive from the Slieve League cliffs. This was a reasonable accommodation with an Indian restaurant next door and a Chinese and a pub just 2-minutes away. There is also a newsagents down the road, which closes at 9 pm. A great option if you need to stock up on any essentials.
A 4-minute drive from the An Sean Óstán, is the Rusty Mackerel, a pub which had a rustic look and something which we would have loved to try. But it was fully booked and needed reservations beforehand. They are also another suggestion for accommodation near the Cliffs.
Though the day was long traveling from one end of County Donegal to the other, it was an awesome and thrilling experience as well.
“To climb up the steps of Grianan of Aileach, take a dip in the waves of Portsalon beach, immerse in the history of Fanad head lighthouse and to drive up the Slieve League Cliffs.”
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