Page 350 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Bay and around Fanad Head.
b Rathmelton c Rathmullan It then hugs the (ironically)
narrow Broad Water en route to
In this picture-perfect Refined, tranquil Rath- Carrigart (74km), with its village-
town, rows of Georgian mullan was the setting centre horse-riding centre.
houses and rough-walled for an event that shaped
stone warehouses curve modern Ireland. In 1607 TRIP HIGHLIGHT
along the River Lennon. a band of nobles boarded
Strolling right takes you a ship here, leaving with d Carrigart
to a string of three-storey, the intention of raising Most visitors scoot
three-bay Victorian ware- an army to fight the straight through laid-
houses; walking back and occupying English. But back Carrigart, heading
left up Church Rd leads they never returned. for the swimming beach
to the ruined Tullyaugh- Known as the Flight of at Downings (there’s also
nish Church, with its the Earls, it marked the accommodation there;
Romanesque carvings in end of the Irish (Catholic) see p351). But they miss
the eastern wall. Walking chieftains’ power. Their a real treat: a horse ride
left beside the river leads estates were confiscated, on a vast beach. The
past Victorian shops to paving the way for the Carrigart Riding Centre
the three-arched, late- Plantation of Ulster with (%087 227 6926; per hr adult/
18th-century Rathmelton British (Protestant) set- child €20/15) is just across
Bridge. tlers. Beside the sandy the main street from
beach, look for the strik- sandy, hill-ringed Mulroy
4 p351 ing modern sculpture Bay, meaning you can
IRELAND 25 THE NORTH IN A NuTSHELL
The Drive » Cross the town depicting the departure head straight onto the
bridge, turning right (north) of the earls, waving to beach for an hour-long
for Rathmullan. The hills of the their distressed people as ride amid the shallows
Inishowen Peninsula rise ahead they left. and the dunes. Trips go
and Lough Swilly swings into on the hour, but it’s best
view – soon you’re driving right The Drive » Head straight
beside the shore. At Rathmullan on from the harbour, picking to book.
(11km), make for the harbour up Fanad/Atlantic Dr, a roller- The Drive » Head south
car park. coaster road that surges up for Creeslough. An inlet with a
Lough Swilly’s shore, round huge creamy, single-towered castle
Knockalla, past the exquisite soon pops into view. The turn-
beach at Ballymastocker off comes on the plain, where
brown signs point through
narrow lanes and past farms to
NORTH WEST 200 ROAD RACE Doe Castle (12km) itself.
Driving this delightful coast can have its challenges,
so imagine doing it at high speed. Each May the e Doe Castle
world’s best motorcyclists do just that, going as The best way to
fast as 300km/h in the North West 200 (www. appreciate the charm of
northwest200.org), which is run on a road circuit early-16th-century Doe
taking in Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. This Castle is to wander the
classic race is Ireland’s biggest outdoor sporting peaceful grounds, admir-
event and one of the last to take place on closed ing its slender tower and
public roads anywhere in Europe. It attracts up to crenellated battlements.
150,000 spectators; if you’re not one of them, it’s The castle was the
best to avoid the area on the race weekend. stronghold of the Scottish
MacSweeney family until

348