Walk and exciting drive in ‘Wild Donegal’

We had a short drive to Burtonport which is the ferry port for the Irish Aranmore Isles. It also has an old railway track walk around Burtonport - originally a holiday destination in the 1920s in 'Wild Donegal'.

It was an interesting 7km walk (unfortunately rainy) where the land around was very boggy - but with houses here and there reclaimed from the bog. It's only sheep that could deal with that kind of land! It is very pretty but wild with rocks, and pools of water and interesting vegetation here and there.

Afterwards we dried off and warmed up with lunch at the Lobster Pot seafood restaurant. There's lots of local fish boats and fish processing companies around. So we sampled it having seafood chowder and an open prawn sandwich watching the women's soccer World Cup. Unfortunately Ireland lost to Canada 2-1.

It was still raining and we had nearly 2 hours driving to do to get to our night stop - Malin Beg - a cliff top carpark. We travelled along the rough and exciting single track roads through peat bogs, and over high passes. Sheep are everywhere- including on the road.

At last we arrived at our spot - with a spectacular lookout over the beach. A bit bleak and windy but it's cosy in the van!

Later there was actually someone swimming there in the rain and wind. Wild swimming indeed!