Failte Ireland Finalise Route for Wild Atlantic Way

The final route for the Wild Atlantic Way was unveiled today (by Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring) at Meitheal.

The Wild Atlantic Way will be Ireland’s first long-distance driving route, stretching from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, offering future visitors an opportunity to truly discover the west coast.

The 2,500km final route consisting of the main spine of the Wild Atlantic Way, was finalised following a comprehensive public consultation process and 156 strategically placed discovery points have been identified along the way.

A series of looped itineraries off the spine are also planned to further develop the experience for visitors.
Overseas tour operators in Dublin to attend Meitheal got a ‘sneak-peek’ of the route last night at a Fáilte Ireland welcome event in the Convention Centre Dublin.

Along with an interactive showcase of the activities and attractions available along the route, up to 300 overseas operators were also treated to the premiere of the video-trailer above showcasing just what their clients can expect along the route from next year on.

Paddy Mathews, Manager of Destination Development with Fáilte Ireland, believes the project will be a great addition to what Ireland has to offer visitors -

“Developing a route like this is an important part of ensuring Ireland is able to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience. It will open up a huge number of towns and attractions to them and showcase the scenery and unique culture of the West Coast of Ireland providing easy access to a range of experiences along the route.

“Now that the route has been finalised we will be focusing our efforts on turning all this preparatory work into a reality – an international driving route to rival the best in the world.”

Update on the Wild Atlantic Way

You can now vie the latest Wild Atlantic Way project update and the full Route Identification Report at www.failteireland.ie/wildatlanticway

Full details are available on o# Failte Ireland'S website – www.failteireland.ie/wildatlanticway

Donegal Gathering - New Calander of Events for 2013

Come home to a Donegal welcome

Throughout 2013, Donegal will open its arms to thousands of friends and family from all over the world, calling them home to gatherings in villages and towns throughout Donegal. Donegal Gathering has launched an online events calendar with over 140 local gatherings and events including international festivals, concerts, sporting events, music, drama, literature, dance and lots more!  Communities, villages and towns have organised these vibrant, local festivals and gatherings to welcome people from all over the world. The people of Donegal will be rolling out the red carpet to ensure your visitor experience is better than ever. Whatever your interest there will be something for you with a packed calendar of local gatherings and events specially organised in honour of you, our Diaspora.

Come to Donegal and take a stroll through our green fields, look out over the Atlantic ocean on a secluded cliff with the wind in your face and the sun on your back, smell the fresh sea air, admire our landscape dotted with ancient castles, enjoy living life and experience the warm welcome of The Gathering in our towns and villages. Donegal can stir the soul, it can remind you of the power of nature, it can rejuvenate the mind and remind you that we all have a place in the world!

 

Take this opportunity to reconnect with your Donegal roots and start preparing your visit to Donegal in 2013.

 

Beidh céad mile fáilte Romhat

 

Click here to view the calendar of events

Rock Climbing in Glenlough Bay

Rock Climbing in Glenlough Bay

By

Iain Miller

Living at the North Western tip of the Slievetooey Peninsula in one of Irelands most remote locations is the breathtakingly beautiful Glenlough Bay. (1) This huge bay sits 3KM to the north east of the An Port road end. This bay stretches for 2KM from Tormore Island at it's southern end to the End's of the Earth Stack at it's northern end. The bay terminates at it's southern end in a wide Geo separating Glenlough Bay from the Cobbler's Tower land mass. In this wide geo a pair of huge bull seals live, they have always been there every time I have paid a visit visited. They are extremely curious and will come to within a few feet of you before disappearing under the waves.  Glenlough Bay contains one of the largest raised shingle storm beaches in Ireland and on a day of huge north west sea motion the roar of millions of tonnes of shingle being moved up and down the beach by the incoming seas can be deafening even from the cliff tops 200m above the beach. This 1KM long raised shingle storm beach is very effectively guarded from all sides by steep sided 250m slopes of scree and cliffs and from the sea by huge north Altantic swell.

Glenlough bay contains a vast amount of excellent, if a little adventurous rock climbing. At the southern end of the bay sits Tormore Island (2) at 150m at it's highest point above the ocean this is Ireland's highest sea stack. This huge square topped stack can be seen for many kilometres along the coast either side of it. It can even be clearly seen from the Dungloe/Kincaslough road some 40KM to the north. In the centre of the bay a further three huge sea stacks sits. Each of these three sea stack present a very different mountaineering challenge for the aspiring summiteers. By far the hardest and potentially the most dangerous of these climbs is the most northerly tower named Jenga Tower and for anyone who has played Jenga, you will get the idea of the rock quality on the sea stack. Running along the north wall of Glenlough bay is the aptly named “End’s of the earth crag,” (3) this cliff is the a contender for most remote rock climbing location in Ireland and provides excellent slab climbing in a truly mind blowing location above a huge sea level blowhole. Guarding the northern end of the bay is the lonely End’s of the Earth Stack, (4) This 20m high sea stack sits in one of the most beautiful and remote locations in Ireland. It sits 300m out to sea from the lonely wee bay to the north of Glenlough Bay. To the south you have the vast expanse of Glenlough Bay continuing south along the West coast to Tormore Island and to the east you have the vast expanse of the north coast of the Slievetooey Peninsula. It's location ensures it attracts the confliction tidal streams from both the south and north west causing a colossal amount of white water violence in the bay surrounding the base of the stack and standing on it’s summit is a moment you will remember for a very long time.

For a free downloadable rock climbers guidebook to the Slievetooey Peninsula and Glenlough Bay visit http://www.uniqueascent.ie/sea_stack_guide or for more information to rock climbing locations around the coast of Donegal visit http://www.uniqueascent.ie/undiscovered_donegal. 

Iain Miller is a rock climber, hill walker and mountaineer living, working and playing on the mountains, sea cliffs and sea stacks of county Donegal. http://www.uniqueascent.ie/

Below are the further information links to the places mentioned above there are also further photographs and footage.

http://www.uniqueascent.ie/sp/directory/details/glenlough-bay   (1)

http://www.uniqueascent.ie/sp/directory/details/tormore-island  (2)

http://www.uniqueascent.ie/sp/directory/details/ends-of-the-earth-crag   (3)

http://www.uniqueascent.ie/sp/directory/details/ends-of-the-earth-stack   (4)