Self-Guided Tours - Yeats Country and South Donegal (11 nights)


Attractions and sites of interest on or close to the routes

• Atlantic Drive
  A road running around the Rosguill Peninsula that gives particularly stunning coastal views.
  
  
• Ardara Heritage Centre
  Reflects Ardara’s position as Donegal’s main tweed-weaving centre.
  
  
• Ballindoon Abbey
  Impressive remains of 16th Century Dominican Priory.
  
  
• Ballyshannon
  The steep, narrow streets of this 17Century town have a historic atmosphere.
  
  
• Belleek Pottery
  Production of the renowned lustrous Parian ware started here in 1857.
  
  
• Benbulben
  Dramatic table top mountain that features prominently in Irish mythology.
  
  
• Bloody Foreland
  One of the best vantage points in the county with fine views out to Tory Island.
  
  
• Boho Caves
  These caves include Noon’s Hole, the deepest pothole in Ireland.
  
  
• Boyle Abbey
  12th Century Cistercian monastery, one of the most impressive of its kind in Ireland.
  
  
• Bunbeg
  Fishing village with pretty harbour and extensive sandy beach.
  
  
• Burren
  Concentration of wedge tombs, court tombs, passage graves and dolmens.
  
  
• Colmcille Heritage Centre
  Interpretative centre on life and times of St Colmcille, born in nearby Gartan in 521.
  
  
• Creevelea Friary
  Built in 1508, these well-preserved ruins are on the banks of the River Bonet.
  
  
• Crohy Head
  Dramatic headland beneath which are marine caves.
  
  
• Doe Castle
  15th Century castle in a romantic loughshore setting.
  
  
• Donegal Castle
  Restored 15th century castle.
  
  
• Doon Fort
  2000-year-old fortified settlement in the centre of a lake.
  
  
• Downings
  Resort town with a good harbour and superb beach.
  
  
• Drumcliff
  W B Yeats is buried in the churchyard of Drumcliffe church.
  
  
• Drumshanbo
  The town hosts An Tostal, a festival of traditional music, song and dance, in July.
  
  
• Dungloe
  West Coast resort which hosts the annual Mary from Dungloe festival in July/August.
  
  
• Dunlewy Visitors Centre
  Museum based on the life of Manus Ferry, a local weaver. His house has been reconstructed to give a flavour of Donegal home life in the early 20th Century.
  
  
• Errigal
  Superb white quartzite cone that rises to a height of 2,466 feet above Dunlewy Lough.
  
  
• Falcarragh
  Bustling village in the Donegal Gaeltacht.
  
  
• Fintown
  Picturesque village overlooking Lough Finn.
  
  
• Flight of the Earls Heritage Centre
  Commemorates the last two great Celtic chieftains, Hugh O’Donnell and Hugh O’Neill, who went into exile from Rathmullan in 1607.
  
• Florencecourt
  Three-storey 18th Century mansion in magnificent grounds.
  
  
• Glebe House
  Regency house set in woodland gardens with over 300 works of art, including Picassos.
  
  
• Glencar
  Scenic lough with impressive waterfalls in a tranquil landscape.
  
  
• Glenade
  Wild, rugged valley whose lake is reputed to be the domain of Dobherchu – a monster otter.
  
  
• Gubaveeny
  Site of two old sweathouses, used by sufferers of rheumatism and general aches and pains.
  
  
• Kiltyclogher
  Village with memorial to Sean MacDiarmuid, a leader of the 1916 uprising. The cottage where he was born is nearby.
  
  
• King House Interpretative Centre
  Museum depicting local clan and military history.
  
  
• Kinlough
  Village and angling centre with an intriguing folk museum.
  
  
• Leitrim
  Tiny village that was once the stronghold of the O’Rourke chieftans.
  
  
• Lough Allen
  Spectacular, mountain-enclosed lough.
  
  
• Lough Derg
  St Patrick’s Purgatory in the middle of the lake has been a place of pilgrimage since early Christian times.
  
  
• Lough Gill
  Beautiful small lake in a woodland setting, sheltered by ranges of hills.
  
  
• Lough Navar Forest
  Vast woodland expanse with viewpoint giving fantastic views over Lough Erne.
  
  
• Lough Salt
  Lake in the crater of an extinct volcano.
  
  
• Marble Arch
  A tour of these extensive caves includes an underground boat trip.
  
  
• Poisoned Glen
  Steep precipices fringe this magnificent glen that runs into the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains.
  
  
• Rathmelton
  Unspoilt plantation town at the mouth of the Lennon River.
  
  
• Rathmullan
  Picturesque fishing harbour with beach, ruined priory and pier.
  
  
• Rosses Point
  Attractive resort on north side of Sligo Bay with two excellent beaches.
  
  
• Shannon Pot
  The source of the River Shannon.
  
  
• Sligo Abbey
  Dating from 13th Century, the abbey has almost perfect cloisters on three sides.
  
  
• Sligo Museum and Library
  Collections of Yeat’s works.
  
  
• Swanlibar
  A spa resort that had its heydey in the 19th Century.

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