A short 6 minutes or so from Donegal town we found Seven-Arch Bridge over the Laghey River in the village of Laghey on our way to Mullaghmore Head. There are many stone arch bridges in Ireland; this is a fine example of what you will encounter.
This impressive seven arch bridge is one of the more important bridges in the south County Donegal area. It survives in good condition despite some modern works and the infilling of the arch to the south end, and its survival is testament to the quality of the original construction during the eighteenth century. The slightly humpbacked form of this bridge creates an interesting profile, and is indicative of its relatively early date. This utilitarian structure is enhanced by the dressed stone voussoirs and slender ashlar cutwaters. This bridge was apparently built in 1768 and carried the former main Dublin/Sligo to Derry mail coach road, and it is indicated on the Taylor and Skinner Maps of the Roads of Ireland (1777 – 1783) map of the area.
Seven-Arch Bridge
County Sligo
Mullaghmore Head
Another 30 minutes down the road we arrived at Mullaghmore Head. The views here are impressive. It was rather calm when we were there, but your imagination didn’t have to run wild to see how the surf batters the coastline. The layered rock formations along the Wild Atlantic Way are a sight to see.
Jutting out of Sligo’s northern edge, close to the county’s border with Donegal, the small peninsula of Mullaghmore sits dramatically out into the North Atlantic.
The waters here are not simply photogenic. They have become known for some of the most sought-after waves in surfing. Mullahgmore is notably championed for one big break in particular which Surfing magazine has dubbed “a mutant Irish left”. Surfing is in the blood here. The famous Irish pro-surfer and local Sligo legend, Easkey Britton, was even named after a beach called Easkey, just an hour’s drive further south of Mullaghmore. – wikipedia
From Donegal Town we traveled to Carrick and on through Teelin to the sixth highest sea cliffs in all of Europe known as Slieve League. This was an amazing stop during our travels of the Republic of Ireland. The River Glen flowing through Carrick was quite picturesque. Closer to Teelin the river widens as it flows towards the coast; fishing boats rest at low tide along the river banks.
Slieve League is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. At 601 metres (1,972 ft), it has some of the highest sea cliffs on the island of Ireland. Although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Slieve League’s cliffs reach almost three times higher.
The Belfast naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger wrote in 1939:
A tall mountain of nearly 2000 feet, precipitous on its northern side, has been devoured by the sea till the southern face forms a precipice likewise, descending on this side right into the Atlantic from the long knife-edge which forms the summit. The traverse of this ridge, the “One Man’s Path”, is one of the most remarkable walks to be found in Ireland – not actually dangerous, but needing a good head and careful progress on a stormy day….The northern precipice, which drops 1500 feet into the coomb surrounding the Little Lough Agh, harbours the majority of the alpine plants of Slieve League, the most varied group of alpines to be found anywhere in Donegal.
You can explore Slieve League from two different start points by car. There is a parking lot just West of Arduns where there is a gate (green dot). You can walk from here or open the gate and drive in further West to Carrickmacafferty (red dot).
I would recommend saving your energy by driving to far parking lot. There is plenty of trail to explore from there; the views are absolutely magnificent. It is hard to realize the scale of these cliffs through these photos. These cliffs are truly massive and quite impressive; a must see if you are in the Donegal area. If you wish to hike to the summit and back, plan a whole day here as the journey will likely take you 6 hours round trip.