Cycling

Cycling

West Donegal offers winding roads, countless small hills, breathtaking scenery, a leisurely way of life, friendly people and a cottage around every bend and behind every rock. The choice of spectacular cycling trails is endless, whether it be The Atlantic Drive, The Poison Glen, Bloody Foreland or Crohy Head, to name but a few. Here below we give suggestions for a number of cycling trails for clients who are based at Donegal Thatched Cottages on Cruit Island. Each trail starts at the cottages and returns in a circle to the cottages. The trails vary in length from around seven or eight miles to around twenty miles. Remember that a mile is 1.6 kms.

You are welcome to bring your own bicycle or you can rent bicycles from The Cope in Dungloe . Bear in mind that the road from Donegal Thatched Cottages to the top of Cruit Island is narrow and winding so you may have to pull in for oncoming or passing cars. We recommend you take this in the right spirit and realize that this is what makes Donegal what it is !! Of course many people are not interested in long cycling trails and prefer to simply confine their cycling to leisurely trips down to the golf club at the end of Cruit Island or trips to the shop at the top of the island. That also is fine.

Cycling Trail 1 ( Approx. 8 miles)

Starting at the cottages turn right and cycle to the top of the Island. Turn left at the T- junction on the main road and then take the next right turn. This will take you in a horseshoe through rural laneways back on to the main Kincasslagh road. Turn left and then right again onto Cruit Island and back to your cottage.

Cycling Trail 2 ( Approx 18 miles )

Starting at the cottages turn right and cycle to the top of the Island. Turn right at the T-junction and follow the coastal road towards Burtonport. Instead of turning right into the fishing port of Burtonport continue past the petrol filling station on the left and along the coastal road to Dungloe. Just past Ostan na Rossan ( local hotel) turn left and take the inland road back to the Viking House Hotel where you turn left and back down Cruit Island to the cottages.

Cycling Trail 3 ( Approx. 20 miles )

Proceed as with Cycling Trail 2 above, except this time you turn right, into the fishing port of Burtonport. Now take the ferry to Aranmore Island. The ferry goes quite regularly, every hour at peak times, otherwise every two hours. While waiting you could drop into The Lobsterpot. The cycle around Arranmore Island is wonderful, particularly the peripheral route. Return by ferry to the mainland. Coming out of Burtonport turn left back towards The Viking House Hotel and left again for the cottages.

Cycling Trail 4 ( Approx. 18 miles )

Starting at the cottages turn right and cycle to the top of the Island. Turn right at the T-junction. Instead of taking the coastal road towards Burtonport continue straight on taking the inland route towards Dungloe, past The Country Inn. At the next cross-roads turn left and left again at the following cross-roads. This will take you on a country road through Kerrytown towards the village of Annagry. At the T-junction on the main Kincasslagh/Annagry road turn left back towards Kincasslagh. Go through the village of Kincasslagh and turn right for Cruit Island opposite the Viking House Hotel. Then back to cottages. Safe journey and happy cycling.