Page 321 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

DETOUR:
HORN HEAD
Start: 4 Dunfanaghy
Horn Head has some of Donegal’s most spectacular coastal scenery and plenty of
birdlife. Its dramatic quartzite cliffs, covered with bog and heather, rear over 180m
high, and the view from their tops is heart-pounding.
The road circles the headland; the best approach by car is in a clockwise direction
from the Falcarragh end of Dunfanaghy. On a fine day, you’ll encounter tremendous
views of Tory, Inishbofin, Inishdooey and tiny Inishbeg islands to the west; Sheep
Haven Bay and the Rosguill Peninsula to the east; Malin Head to the northeast; and
the coast of Scotland beyond. Take care in bad weather as the route can be perilous.

atmospheric landscape landscape is flat, the IRELAND 23 THE LONG WAY ROuND
features, but it can get 4 Dunfanaghy road flanked by fields,
very crowded. If you can, Huddled around the hedge rows and clusters
try to visit midweek or waterfront beneath the of farmhouses. Castlebar,
out of season to experi- headland of Horn Head, 15km before Westport, is
ence it at its most evoca- Dunfanaghy’s small, at- a busy county town.
tive. Sunset in spring and tractive town centre has
autumn is the best time a surprisingly wide range 54 p326
for photographs. of accommodation and The Drive » It’s 100km to
Visiting the Giant’s some of the finest dining Westport, across the western
Causeway itself is free options in the county’s edge of County Clare – as you
of charge but you pay northwest. Glisten- follow the N17 (and the N5
to use the car park on a ing beaches, dramatic once you pass Charlestown),
combined ticket with the coastal cliffs, mountain the landscape is flat, the road
flanked by fields, hedge rows
Giant’s Causeway Visitor trails and forests are all and clusters of farmhouses.
Experience (%028-2073 within a few kilometres. Castlebar, 15km before
1855; www.nationaltrust.org. Westport, is a busy county town.
uk; adult/child with parking 5 p326
£9/4.50, without parking The Drive » The 145km TRIP HIGHLIGHT
£7/3.25; h9am-7pm Apr-Sep, south to Sligo town will take you
to 6pm Feb, Mar & Oct, to 5pm back through Letterkenny (this 6 Westport
Nov-Jan); parking-only stretch is the most scenic), after There’s a lot to be said for
tickets aren’t available. which you’ll follow the N13 as town planning, especially
far as Ballyshannon and then, as if 18th-century architect
5 p326 you cross into County Sligo, the James Wyatt was the
The Drive » Follow the N13 to Sligo town. brains behind the job.
A29 and A37 as far as Derry/ Westport (Cathair na
Londonderry, then cross Mairt), positioned on the
the invisible border into the 5 Sligo Town River Carrowbeg and the
Republic and take the N13 to It’s 100km to Westport, shores of Clew Bay, is eas-
Letterkenny before turning across the western edge
northwest along the N56 to ily Mayo’s most beautiful
Dunfanaghy. It’s a total of of County Clare – town and a major tourist
136km. as you follow the N17 destination for visitors to
(and the N5 once you this part of the country.
pass Charlestown), the
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