r/Donegal • u/WinOk7115 • 4d ago

Hidden gems in the North-West

Hello,
We are going to travel to Ireland next week, we are going to spend there 8 days, with two little and very active kids (2 and 4 years old). We prefer the outdoor programs, not indoor museums, and safe ones (I am afraid that they can fall at Moher Cliffs, so now we skip). We plan to come back and explore the South -West part also later, so now I concentrate on North and West until Galway.

First day we get a car, go Wicklow Woods.

Second day we go Dublin in the morning and after near Donegal (accomodation).

Third-fourth day we spend there and visit Glenveagh National Park, Silver Strand,… Is there any nice place here to visit? Small ruins, castle, nice waterfall without a hiking?

Fifth day we go next to Galway. What to see on the way?

Sixth and seventh day visit Kylemore Abbey and garden, Connemara National Park.

Eight day maybe Kilkenny on the way to airport (evening flight).

We would like to have an easygoing holiday, I am sure we will stop next to the road if we see something cute, birds, ruins, lakes, etc. So I need your ideas about cute little “hidden gems” at this part of the country.

Thanks for your ideas!

9 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

9

u/MuffledApplause 4d ago

Where is your accommodation? Glenveagh national Park is a day to itself, the Silver Strand beach is a 2 hour drive from there. Also, it will take you in the region of 4 hours to drive from Dublin to Donegal. I would look at places that are close to your accommodation rather than zigzagging around the entire county.

3

u/MSWarrior2017 4d ago

Yes it sounds exhausting, especially with young children.

3

u/WinOk7115 4d ago

2 nights in Dublin (from here we go Wicklow wood and Dublin Center)
Then we have one day for transfer from Dublin to Donegal, nothing special to visit, we stop when we want
3 nights near Donegal (from here Glenveagh National Park, some beach, nature)
3 nights near Galway (from here Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park)
Last day after breakfast drive back to Dublin airport from Galway (evening flight). On the way nothing to visit, stop for lunch somewhere.
We don’t have yet accomodations booked (only in Dublin), because I wanted to ask you here, what else we can visit. I don’t really feel Kylemore, instead I would prefer some not so touristic spots. That’s why it was my original question too, if there are some nice places to visit with kids.

3

u/m_userainm 4d ago

To clarify, do you mean you are staying in accommodation near Donegal Town, as opposed to near the county of Donegal?

1

u/WinOk7115 4d ago

Yes, Donegal Town, Mullanmore, Letterkenny - in these cities I have saved accomodations. But I am still watching….

2

u/MuffledApplause 4d ago

Theyre all approximately at hour from each other, so wherever you get accommodation will dictate what you go see in Donegal.

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u/WinOk7115 4d ago

Yes, that’s why I asked you here because I choose hotel after spots to see. If you say that Gortahork worth the visit and it has nice waterfall/forest/castle/etc then we go there and I choose hotel on that side of Donegal county.

6

u/LeadingUpbeat9033 4d ago

Beautiful walk along Ards Friary, Noreen Bawns cottage outside creeslough is worth a visit. Also Railway walk as you drive past Noreen Bawns Cottage is absolutely beautiful and peaceful

8

u/Zealousideal-Cod-924 4d ago

Also got Doe Castle and Ards Forest Park which has an outdoor kids playground right beside it.

6

u/dark_winger 4d ago

Doe castle outside Creeslough is worth a visit.

6

u/SloaneRush6027 4d ago

That's a lot of driving but if you're going Donegal to Galway through Sligo, Gleniff Horseshoe is just off the road, and Glencar waterfall a short drive away sounds like what you're looking for. Glencar waterfall is very accessible for young children (and has a very good cafe and small playground).

4

u/Divil-Doubt 4d ago

Wild Ireland.
Outdoors, safe and educational. (If you like bears and wolves and otters etc.)

4

u/amikaro 4d ago

Another comment (the other one was about silver strand being too fsr away, don't underestimate the distances): cruit island (a small peninsula, you can just drive there) is not too far away from glenveagh and it is beautiful there. Many beaches and dunes for the kids to run around.

3

u/bearfarts69 4d ago

Go to Ards Forest Park, there are beautiful safe trails to hike, and a nice play park for the children to burn some energy. Also a decent coffee shop (but I’m unsure of opening hours for that)

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u/bearfarts69 4d ago

It costs a fiver to drive in, the gate accepts cards for payment. It’s about 2km or so to the main parking area with coffee shop so worth driving it

1

u/mfpbradley 4d ago

Second that. The nature trail there is perfect for young kids.

There’s also a “mass rock” in Ards Forest which is worth seeing if you’re into history

3

u/Old-Enthusiasm6714 4d ago

I’d need a holiday to recover from that itinerary. It sounds like you’re gonna spend most of your trip in a car. Make sure you’ve checked journey times on Google maps as it’ll take longer than you think. And have some indoor activities for backup if the weather is bad.

3

u/donegalboy 4d ago

There’s a waterfall in Clonmany , nice hotel in Ballyliffin which is close by

2

u/Seaside2222 4d ago

If you are near Killybegs in Donegal, see if Atlantic Coastal Cruises are doing any harbour tours, they’ve been spotting dolphins there this week. We took a boat trip from there last month to see Slieve Leag cliffs but not sure if they’d still be running those.

2

u/ceimaneasa 4d ago

Sliabh Liag is a must

1

u/bearfarts69 3d ago edited 3d ago

They are worried about small kids taking a tumble off a cliff, important to note that this would be a consideration at Sliabh Liag also

1

u/mclaann 3d ago

There's a bus to the top, and most of the cliff is fenced. Keep an eye on them and they'll be fine. We've been up lots with little ones

1

u/ceimaneasa 3d ago

It would be genuinely impressive if the kids managed to jump off the cliff at the viewing point at Sliabh Liag 

1

u/Simple_Atmosphere275 4d ago

Portnoo beach with druids grave.
Salthill cabin.

1

u/amikaro 4d ago edited 4d ago

Hi there, when you mention Silver Strand, do you mean Malin Beg (around Slieve League)? If so, that's a long drive just for a beach if you're also visiting Glenveagh. I would skip malin beg and go to other beaches on the road instead. Plus, i was there last week and it was full of stingy jellyfish (mauve stinger) washed ashore by the tide. No swimming possible. There are other better beaches less far away