Rosguill and Horn Head Peninsulas, Co. Donegal
Rosguill The main attraction of this peninsula is Atlantic Drive, a scenic route from which you can appreciate its sandy beaches and the adjacent peninsulas. We got onto Rosguill by crossing the Harry Blaney Bridge from Fanad, which only opened in 2009 – otherwise it would have been a long winding journey. For true Irish vibes, stop for lunch at dog-friendly Singing Pub. We didn’t go in, but it’s worth visiting just to see the outside.
Horn Head Ards Forest Park features a large variety of landscapes and habitats for its size. We strategically chose trails to give us a snippet of each. Most trailheads are located at the main car park, as far into the park as you can drive. There is also a coffee shop and a toilet block here. We started with the boardwalk along the sand dunes, walking back along the beach. Next we took the Yellow Trail through woodland interspersed with sheer rock face, and on our drive out of the park, stopped the Salt Marsh trail for some bird watching. It was pretty peaceful and reading relished the chance to stretch her legs and explore. Rita picked up a couple of ticks here, so beware.
We continued westward to the town of Dunfanaghy, a spot popular with tourists and surfers. It was time for a refuel, so we grabbed some pizza from the dog-friendly Rusty Oven, tucked in behind Patsy’s Bar. The sourdough is made fresh on-site every day, and you can taste the freshness in every bite. From here, we made our way to Horn Head, with far-reaching views across the Atlantic Ocean – in fact, a WWII watchtower is located here.
On our journey back inland, we stopped off at Doe Castle. This 15th century is tucked away at the end of a winding country road and is quite impressive when it comes into view. The castle seems to be closed to the public for now, but Rita and I could see enough from the grounds, and the next day we caught another angle from Doe Castle View on the Rosguill peninsula.
