Mulroy DriveCo. Donegal
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The Drive - Mulroy Drive, Co. Donegal

The route

The Mulroy Drive

Thirty-five kilometres around a sea inlet, joining two peninsulas that were separated by water until 2009. An hour without stopping - and nobody does it without stopping.

Schematic map of the Mulroy Drive loop A simplified diagram of the 35km circular route around Mulroy Bay. The bay is drawn as a narrow sea inlet running in from the Atlantic at the top. The route starts at Milford at the head of the bay, runs north up the east shore through Kerrykeel and Leatbeg, crosses the water on the Harry Blaney Bridge, then returns south down the west shore through Cranford and Carrick to Milford. Dashed lines show detours to Carrigart and Downings, Fanad Lighthouse, and Portsalon and Rathmullan. ↑ to the Atlantic Carrigart / Downings Fanad Lighthouse Portsalon / Rathmullan Mulroy Bay Milford start / finish Kerrykeel east shore Leatbeg Fanad shore Harry Blaney Bridge the crossing Cranford west shore Carrick woods & shore

Schematic - simplified and not to scale. Solid line: the loop. Dashed: worthwhile detours. Use a road map or satnav to navigate.

At a glance

Know before you go

Roads
Regional and local roads throughout. Two-way but narrow in places, with passing bays. Take it slowly and expect farm traffic.
By bike
A comfortable half-day cycle. Rolling rather than steep, with the climb north of Kerrykeel the main effort.
Stops
Milford, Kerrykeel and Cranford all have somewhere to eat. Fill up in Milford - fuel is sparse on the northern half.
When
Open year-round. May to September gives the longest light; late evening on a clear day is the best of it.

Stop by stop

Around the bay, clockwise

Starting and finishing in Milford, at the head of the bay. Run it the other way round and the light is different - both are worth doing.

1. Milford

Head of Mulroy Bay

The natural start and finish. Shops, cafes and the Mulroy Woods Hotel sit at the head of the bay, where the water narrows to a river.

2. Kerrykeel

East shore

A quiet village looking out across the bay to the Rosguill side, with a pub, a coffee shop and the Vintage Day each summer.

3. Leatbeg & the Fanad shore

Northbound

The road climbs and opens out. Pull in at the marked viewing points for the long view down the length of Mulroy Bay.

4. Harry Blaney Bridge

The crossing

The 2009 bridge over the narrows that finally joined the Fanad and Rosguill peninsulas by road, and made this loop possible.

5. Cranford

West shore

Logues of Cranford anchors the village - restaurant, bar, and a stop for anyone doing the loop by bike.

6. Carrick & Woodquarter

Homeward

Woodland and shore walks on the run back down to Milford, with Moross Castle a short detour off the road.

Off the loop

Detours worth the extra miles

The loop is the spine. These are the ribs - all within about half an hour of it.

Carrigart & Downings

Rosguill Peninsula

Tramore and Trabeg beaches, the Atlantic Drive, and Rosapenna's links golf.

Fanad Head Lighthouse

North Fanad

One of Ireland's most photographed lighthouses, with tours and self-catering in the keepers' houses.

Ballymastocker Bay

Portsalon

A long crescent of pale sand, repeatedly voted among the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Doe Castle

Creeslough

A 16th-century MacSweeney tower house on its own spit of land in Sheephaven Bay.

Rathmullan

Lough Swilly

Kinnegar and Rathmullan strands, the Flight of the Earls heritage centre, and the pier.

Glenveagh National Park

Churchill

16,000 hectares of mountain, lough and castle gardens, half an hour inland.

Viewing points

Marked pull-ins around the route give the long views down the length of Mulroy Bay. Please park fully off the carriageway - these are working roads, and the verges are soft after rain.

Aerial view of the Donegal coastline near Mulroy Bay

Make a weekend of it

Places to stay all around the bay, from links hotels to a lighthouse keeper's cottage.

Places to stayThings to do