Page 216 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

214 BACK ROADS IRELAND

R251 to Churchill. Drive on, passing
Lough Gartan on the left. Turn left at a
sign for Glebe House and Gallery; it is
a short distance off the main road.
2 The Glebe House and
Gallery
Churchill, Co Donegal
Once the home of English-born
landscape and society portrait artist
Derek Hill (1916–2000), this red-brick
Regency-style house (open Easter:
daily; Jun–Sep: Sat–Thu) on the shore
of Lough Gartan was built in 1828 as
a rectory. Guided tours of the well-
preserved interior reveal William
Morris wallpapers, Islamic ceramics,
paintings by Tory Island artists (see
p217) and objects collected by Hill
over the years – etchings and
ceramics by Picasso, and paintings by
Renoir, Kokoschka and Jack B Yeats.
The adjacent Glebe Gallery stages
Above Doe Castle, overlooking Sheephaven changing exhibitions.
Bay Above top right The waterwheel at 1 Newmills ª Continue on the R251 to Glenveagh
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills Above right Co Donegal National Park Visitor Centre.
Creeslough, on the road to Dunfanaghy Newmills Corn and Flax Mills (open
Jun–Sep), on the banks of the River 3 Glenveagh National Park
Swilly, are fine relics of Ireland’s and Castle
VISITING NEWMILLS
industrial heritage, with some parts Churchhill, Co Donegal
of the complex dating back 400 This spectacular national park
Newmills Corn and Flax Mills are 5 km
(3 miles) outside Letterkenny using R250. years. The corn mill is driven by one (open daily) covers 16,000 hectares
Off Churchill Rd; 074 912 5155; open of the largest waterwheels in the (61 sq. miles) of mountains, lakes,
May–Sep country, while a smaller wheel bogs and woodlands, home to red
powers the machinery for extracting deer and golden eagles – the latter
VISITING GLENVEAGH
NATIONAL PARK the fibre in flax. There are working reintroduced to Ireland in 2001.
models and demonstrations that In the centre of the park is the cast-
Glenveagh National Park show how flax is turned into ellated Glenveagh Castle, a 19th-
Visitor Centre linen cloth. century structure set beside Lough
The visitor centre is on the northern ª Leaving Newmills, turn left at main Veagh, while dome-shaped Mount
end of Lough Veagh, on the R251. A
shuttle bus runs to castle and gardens. road and continue on R250, then on Errigal (749 m/2,457 ft), the highest
Churchill; 076 100 2537;
www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie Below Moody view of Glenveagh National Park, with Lough Veagh at the centre
WHERE TO STAY
DUNFANAGHY
Arnolds Hotel expensive
Family-run hotel with own restaurant,
popular Whiskey Fly Bar and riding
stables offering treks along beaches.
Dunfanaghy; 074 913 6208;
www.arnoldshotel.com
AROUND DUNFANAGHY
Shandon Hotel and Spa expensive
Luxury hotel on a hillside overlooking
Sheephaven Bay, east of Dunfanaghy
(N56 towards Letterkenny and third left
for Marble Hill). Sea views from bed-
rooms and spa, and an outdoor hot-tub.
Marble Hill Strand, Port na Blagh; 074
913 6137; www.shandonhotelspa.com
Where to Stay: inexpensive under €100; moderate €100–€200; expensive over €200

214-221_Back_Roads_Ireland.indd 214 13/10/17 1:06 pm
Back Roads LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue Spread template “UK” LAYER
(OpenType)
Date 21st July 2009
Size 145mm x 217mm
Fonts Bulletfont, Clearbullet,
Frutiger Pro, Myriad Pro, Travelfont