Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [413]
Lough Swilly ( 074-912 2863) buses from Dungloe (€1.90, 15 minutes, one daily) stop in Burtonport en route to Letterkenny and Derry.
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ARRANMORE ISLAND
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Framed by dramatic cliff faces, cavernous sea caves and clear sandy beaches, Arranmore (Árainn Mhór) lies just 1.5km from the mainland. Measuring just 9km by 5km, the tiny island has been inhabited since the early Iron Age (800 BC), and a prehistoric triangular fort can be seen on the southern side. The west and north are wild and rugged, with few houses to disturb the sense of isolation. The Arranmore Way walking path circles the island (allow three to four hours). Off the southwestern tip is Green Island, a bird sanctuary for corncrakes, snipes and a variety of seabirds; you can see it from Arranmore (but not visit). Irish is the main language spoken on Arranmore Island, although most inhabitants are bilingual.
The island’s pubs put on turf fires and traditional music sessions, and some stay open 24 hours a day to sate thirsty fishermen.
Sleeping & Eating
Arranmore makes an easy day trip but several homes offer B&B accommodation. The island also has the 32-bed Arranmore Hostel ( 074-952 0015; www.arainnmhor.com; Leabgarrow; dm/d €17/39), a short walk left of the ferry terminal next to a beach in a former post office. Its owners live off site so call ahead.
Getting There & Around
The Arranmore Ferry ( 074-952 0532; www.arainnmhor.com/ferry) links Burtonport with Leabgarrow (passenger/car and driver €15/30 return, 20 minutes, eight Monday to Saturday, seven Sunday July and August and five Monday to Saturday, three Sunday September to June).
The same route is covered by Arranmore Fast Ferry ( 087 317 1810) with their fast, passenger-only ferry (€15 return, five minutes, two to three daily) and a car-ferry service (passenger/car and driver €15/30 return; 20 minutes).
Once on the island, you can save your legs by taking a tour with O’Donnell Taxis ( 087 260 6833). Bikes ( 087 682 5973) can be rented at the port by calling ahead.
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GWEEDORE & AROUND
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The Gaeltacht district of Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair) is a loose assembly of small towns in the shadow of Mt Errigal. It’s a good jumping-off point for trips to Tory Island and Glenveagh National Park, but the coast, dotted with white, sandy beaches, has been overrun by holiday homes. Consequently, Derrybeg (Doirí Beaga) and Bunbeg (Bun Beag) virtually run into each other along the R257. A few kilometres east, on the R258, a few hotels are scattered along the roadside – and that’s pretty much Gweedore.
Away from the coast, dozens of small fishing lakes break up the bleak, largely uninhabited, landscape.
On the main road in Bunbeg there’s a National Irish Bank with an ATM and bureau de change, while Derrybeg has a post office.
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CROLLY DOLLS
Christened after the village in which they originated in 1939, Ireland’s famous Crolly dolls are beloved by little girls and collectors alike for their masses of silky ringlets, intricate outfits made from local fabrics, and soft-filled bodies with composite porcelain or plastic features. The dolls are now made in a small, private workshop in nearby Annagry. But you can still buy them in their hometown at O’Donnells of Crolly ( 074-954 8888; www.odonnells.eu), a large petrol station/supermarket/gourmet deli/restaurant/toy shop on the main road.
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Activities
The most beautiful walking trail to be found in the area is the Tullagobegley Walk (Siúlóid Tullagobegley), a historical trample over Tievealehid (Taobh an Leithid; 431m), which was used for centuries by locals carrying corpses to the 13th-century graveyard in Falcarragh. The 5½-hour walk begins at Lough Nacung (Loch na Cuinge), just east of Gweedore off the N56. The path brings you past some 19th-century silver mines to Keeldrum, a small townland on the outskirts of Gortahork, before finishing up at the Tullagobegley graveyard in Falcarragh.