Waterfall and caves along Slivetooey

Donegal has many miles of coastline some of which is fairly remote and challenging. West coast weather can also be unpredictable at the best of times so a good understanding on how the current weather conditions will affect the sea is the key to planning any trip. Sometimes those big headlands can do us a favour if for instance the wind and swell are from the north, you could hide out over at Slieve League or into Donegal Bay. If the conditions are from the south, head north to Horn Head and beyond, it can work within reason!

Ruined waterfront houses on Inishkeeragh island

Donegal also has it’s fair share of islands. They come in all shapes and sizes some of them are populated but there are many that are uninhabited or only have a fleeting summer population. Sometimes landing onto one of the these islands is like stepping back in time as most island houses have been renovated as opposed to being newly built and still have most of their original features an example being a cottage on Owey Island which can be rented out but which has no mains water or electricity and only an outside toilet and bath at the top of a field! Most other islands have been left to the elements and their houses ruins with only shadows of what island life would have been like in days gone by. Another island example is Inishdoey on the way out to Tory Island which has some amazing ruins of a monastic 6th century settlement of Saint Dubhtach.

Sea arch at An Port

Paddling the Donegal islands and coastline also brings you into contact with its varied wildlife mainly seals, dolphins, basking sharks, porpoises, otters and plenty of sea birds. We also mustn’t forget that at low water opens up a world of small sea creatures and I have paddled many times into crystal clear sea caves and channels lined with starfish, sea anemones and urchins clinging to the rocky shelves. Many areas of the Donegal coastline are dominated by high cliffs such as Slieve League (one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe) these sections of coastline have been inundated with caves of all sizes, depths and noise levels. There are also hundreds of sea arches carved out by the unforgiving ocean again ranging in size and statue from the extremely narrow to the gigantically huge. Some of the best examples to be found are the Doorway arch the ‘Transformer’ and ‘La Guillotine’ besides many more  stretched out along the remote and stunning Slievetooey coastline. If you are up for a challenge and are brave enough there are a couple of islands that you can paddle right through such as Oilean Glass off Arranmore Island and the stunning Umphin Island located off the Gweedore mainland. The through cave on Umphin is called Uaimh tonn  which translates as the ‘wave cave’ which gives you some idea of what you’re up against. If you happen to be paddling after heavy rain waterfalls appear that drop down to the sea in curtains of water from the heights above that you would never get to see otherwise.

The Amphitheater on Inishdooey Island

If you are not blessed with kind settled conditions there are still lots of great paddling to be found in more sheltered spots such as the fjord like bays of Swilly and Mulroy or another good bet the archipelago of islands around Burtonport. Whatever levels of fitness and time you have on offer there are plenty of options for you to experience and explore.     

Sea sky and sun in Donegal.

Happy exploration!

Owey Island Cottage hostel for rentals contact Niall 087 7129343

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