May 2024, Exploring Inishowen.

Well hello again my lovelies, and how are you all doing? Happy September! I hope that your summer was very enjoyable. I had visitors almost non-stop throughout July and August, which was lovely, but I am now even more behind with my Blog than usual! However, I tend to "wake up" in the Autumn, when others are ready to go into hibernation mode, so I am going to try to use that to my advantage and get lots of work done in the coming months.
These photos and videos are from the end of May. Gareth came to visit me here, and we made a point to go exploring as much as possible. As much as I love my little corner of Inishowen, there was so much of the peninsula that I hadn't had the chance to see before, and obviously it would be Gareth's first time too, so we took advantage of the good weather and went on some scenic drives and walks.

Blue skies over Glashedy and Pollan Bay.

Sunset over Glashedy and Pollan Bay.

The day that Gareth arrived, the weather was pretty stormy, but we were still determined to get out and about. Partially because I knew that Farren's Bar up in Malin Head had a new summer menu and was serving crab again! Farren's Bar is the most northerly bar in all of Ireland, and has been owned by the same family for six generations, since 1825. (You can find their Facebook page HERE.) Those of you who have been following me for a while probably already know that I have a fondness for seafood, so this seemed like a good excuse to go for a jaunt and a walk after. And, since I couldn't decide between the crab or prawn dishes, I went with both, haha! I did not regret it, and took plenty of food home as well.

Excellent pints at Farren's Bar.

Crab and prawn open sandwich plates from Farren's Bar.

After a delicious meal and cozy pint by the fire at Farren's, we drove to Banba's Crown and for a walk along the cliffs at the most northerly tip of Ireland. Being so exposed, and open to the Atlantic, it tends to be pretty windy there at the best of times, and that day was no exception. The sea foam at the bottom of the cliffs was being caught up in the wind and lifted up, which was fun to watch, and we definitely felt like we blew the cobwebs away!

Sea foam at Malin Head.

Cliffs at Malin Head.

Cliffs at Malin Head.

Cliffs at Malin Head.

On the Saturday while Gareth was here that week, we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day of blue skies and sunshine, and decided to go for a drive to see as much of Inishowen as possible, stopping at pubs, beaches, and points of interest along the way.
You will have heard me mention the Wild Atlantic Way, the famous route that follows the West Coast of Ireland from Kinsale, County Cork, all the way to the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal. At 1600 miles/2600 km in length, with hundreds of things to see and do along the way, not many people are able to do the whole route in one trip, understandably. (You can learn more and start planning a trip HERE.) However, if you're in the area and want to have a taste of a rugged coastal journey, here we have the "Inishowen 100" route, named after the approximate amount of miles that it takes to circuit the biggest peninsula in Ireland. (You can learn more about the Inishowen 100 and things to see along the way, HERE.)

Culdaff Beach.

Culdaff Beach.

Culdaff Beach looking towards Dunmore Head.

Our first stop was for a pint at McGuinness' Bar in Culdaff, (Find them on Facebook HERE.) an absolutely gorgeous little pub, with a  patio area and separate bar outside. They even have a retractable roof over the patio, so depending on the weather, it can be opened up to let the sunshine in, as it was that day. We were tempted to stay longer, but had much more to see, so only had the one drink, and kept going. From there we stopped at the stunning Culdaff Beach, and explored some rock pools for a while. I even found some sea glass to add to my collection!

Bocan Stone Circle.

Bocan Stone Circle.

Our next stop was the Bocan Stone Circle, outside Culdaff on the way to Gleneely. I have a fascination for ancient stones and the people that created these circles, so this had been on my bucket list for a while. It did not disappoint, and we enjoyed exploring the area for a while, as well as the beautiful views of the surrounding hills.
The next stop was Gleneely, where we went to the Orchard Bar for a pint, and got some good food from Carrick's Fish 'n' Chips to fortify us for the rest of the day. Neither place seems to be online, but well worth a stop if you're in the area.
From there we drove to Tremone Bay, and went for a walk on yet another beautiful beach. As you know, I feel very proprietorial towards Pollan Strand, (AKA "My" Beach) since I grew up staying there every summer, and it has so much to offer. However, it was a real pleasure to be able to explore some of the other beaches nearby, and I'll definitely be planning more trips to these and other places in the future.

Tremone Bay.

Tremone Bay.

Tremone Bay.

Near Tremone Bay.

Our next and last beach stop that day was Kinnagoe Bay, yet another absolutely spectacular beach. I had heard nothing but praise for this particular beach, and once again, it did not disappoint. Obviously, we were lucky to be visiting all these places on such a beautiful day, but I imagine that I would have loved all of them even in the rain. I am so in love with Inishowen and it's rugged beauty, and I know I'll never get tired of exploring the area.

Kinnagoe Bay.

Kinnagoe Bay

Last stop of all was at one of the famous Wild Atlantic Way signs, at Magilligan Point View in Ballymacarthur, where we were able to look across Lough Foyle to Northern Ireland. The views were spectacular on such a clear day, and we could even see over to Scotland from certain parts of the drive! From there we drove home and had a quiet evening in after our big day out, and spent the Sunday resting as well. It was a fantastic week, and I was happy to be able to share it with Gareth.

Magilligan Point View, looking across Lough Foyle to Northern Ireland.