The Donegal Way follows two long distance walking routes: the Bluestack Way from Donegal Town to Ardara and Slí Cholmcille and one of the Bealach na Gaeltachta – The Ways of the Gaeltacht – a set of long distance walking routes covering most of Northwest Donegal. This is walking country – small villages, green roads and a stunning variety of scenery.
Donegal is the north west outpost of Ireland. Separated from the rest of the republic by the slimmest Northern Ireland Border and wrapped in an extensive Atlantic coastline. The county carries this sense of independence in its physical geography, its people and the stark beauty of the land. The area has survived the rigours of the Atlantic, poor quality farmland, immigration, isolation and is moving into the 21st century in its own right, as a place of tradition and culture, unsullied by mass tourism.
The walking route starts from Donegal town on The Bluestack Way, formed in 1999. It is 47km long to Ardara.
The route crosses the Bluestack Mountains, with peaks of 600m but the Way rarely climbs above 250m. The Bluestacks are wild, rough and absolutely stunning! You will follow Slí Cholmcille in the south west corner of the county to Kilcar. You will see the wonderful indented coastlines, blanket bogland, and innumerable streams, rivers and lakes, glens and moors.
Approximately 30% of this route is on tarred roads.
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Optional Extras
Pricing
This 10-day tour begins in historic Donegal Town and winds through the Bluestack Mountains to the wild Atlantic Coast ending with the historic settlement at Glencolumbkille and the towering Slieve League sea-cliffs.
This tour is rated MODERATE.
See how we determine levels of difficulty for each of our hiking tours by visiting our FAQ page.
May 2024 – Eric & Clare, United States
My husband and I loved our Donegal Way tour with Tailor-Made! They adapted the tour so that we could spend 12 days, alternating hiking with rest and exploration days. It was flawless. Route notes were easy to understand and full of useful details, our B&B hosts were wonderful and actually the highlight of our trip! Food was easy to find, transfers were all taken care of, and transportation advice for the first and last day were spot on. While the hiking was challenging, the views and the experience were incredibly rewarding. Would recommend this tour and company to anyone wanting a walking holiday in Ireland!
Summer 2023 – Vicki, United Kingdom
We had a wonderful week long holiday in Donegal organised by Tailor-Made Tours. It was well organised – we did the walking and the company made sure we had a bed for the night and that our bags were transported for us. Their itinerary was easy to follow and the walks were to places we’d never have been able to visit without their help. We travelled by train/ferry/bus from London so it was also a low carbon option.
