Portnablagh · Dunfanaghy · Co. Donegal
Two villages, one sheltered bay, and some of the finest beaches and sea cliffs in Ireland. Here is what is waiting for you on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The lie of the land
Dunfanaghy and Portnablagh sit on opposite sides of Sheephaven Bay in north-west Donegal, where the Derryveagh mountains fall away to wide, empty strands. Dunfanaghy is the busier of the two, with a handful of shops, galleries and pubs around a small square, while Portnablagh is quieter still, with a harbour, a strand and a scattering of houses.
Both are on the Wild Atlantic Way, and both make an easy base for the whole north-west: Horn Head and Ards Forest Park are minutes away, Glenveagh and Errigal are half an hour, and the beaches of the Fanad and Rosguill peninsulas are an afternoon’s drive.
Things to see and do
Everything below is within easy reach of our homes, so you can fill a weekend or a fortnight without driving far.
Sheephaven Bay is one of the most sheltered stretches of water in Donegal, and the strands around it are wide, clean and rarely crowded.
2 minutes from the village
A long sweep of sand just below Dunfanaghy, with lifeguards on duty through the summer. Safe swimming at the lifeguarded end and a beautiful flat walk towards Horn Head.
Read more5 minutes by car
The surf beach between the village and Horn Head, backed by dunes and a nature reserve. Popular with surfers and bodyboarders, and a great spot to watch the Atlantic roll in.
Read more5 minutes from Portnablagh
A sheltered, gently shelving beach on the Portnablagh side of the bay. Calm water, soft sand and easy parking make it a favourite with families, swimmers and kayakers.
Read moreOn your doorstep
A small working harbour where local boats still land their catch. The pier and slipway are a fine place for an evening stroll, and the launch point for sailing and kayaking on the bay.
Read moreOn your doorstep
The sheltered bay the two villages share, calm enough for paddleboarding, kayaking and beginner sailing, with seals, seabirds and the occasional dolphin for company.
Read moreFrom a gentle lakeside loop to Donegal’s highest peak, the walking here ranges from an hour’s stroll to a full day on the hills.
10 minutes by car
A dramatic headland walk of about 5 km above sea cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic. Look out for nesting seabirds, McSwyne’s Gun — a natural blowhole — and an old signal tower on the summit.
Read more20 minutes by car
The flat-topped quartzite peak that dominates the skyline above Dunfanaghy. The “Pig’s Back” route is a steady climb with huge views over the bay and the Derryveagh mountains.
Read more35 minutes by car
Donegal’s highest mountain, and the most photographed peak in the county. Pair the climb with a stop at the Poisoned Glen and Dunlewey’s lakeside church.
Read more15 minutes by car
A forest park on the Ards peninsula with marked trails through pine woods, over dunes and along quiet beaches. There is a cafe at the entrance and paths for every ability.
Read moreIn the village
A short, easy walk from the village around a reedy trout lake, with swans, herons and a good chance of spotting a kingfisher on a still morning.
Read moreThis corner of Donegal has been lived in for thousands of years, and the traces of that history are all around the bay.
10 minutes by car
A restored 16th-century tower house on the shore of Sheephaven Bay, once the stronghold of the MacSweeney Doe chieftains. Free to visit, with a small graveyard and a fine walk along the water’s edge.
Read moreIn the village
The old workhouse, now a famine heritage centre telling the story of the village in the 1840s through the eyes of a young girl, Wee Hannah. A moving, small museum a few minutes’ walk from the shops.
Read more30 minutes by car
Mountain, bog and woodland around a Victorian castle and its walled garden, with golden eagles reintroduced to the glen. Park at the visitor centre and take the shuttle up to the castle.
Read more15 minutes by car
A Franciscan friary and retreat house on the wooded Ards peninsula, with quiet coastal paths and views across the bay towards Doe Castle.
Read moreWhen you want something a bit more active — or somewhere to shelter on a wet afternoon — there is plenty within half an hour.
In the village
A classic links course running beside Killahoey beach, with sea views from nearly every hole. Visitors are welcome, and clubs and trolleys can be hired locally.
Read more5–15 minutes by car
Local schools run beginner surf lessons at Tramore and Marble Hill, plus kayak and paddleboard tours out on Sheephaven Bay in the calmer months.
Read moreFrom the village
Quiet lanes loop from Dunfanaghy to Portnablagh, Ards and Creeslough — ideal for a gentle cycle, with bike hire available in the village.
Read moreOn the doorstep
Mackerel and pollock from the rocks and pier, trout on the lakes, and boat trips out of Portnablagh and Downings for a full day on the water.
Read moreIn the village
Dunfanaghy has a handful of galleries, craft and gift shops and very good coffee, with Falcarragh’s market a short drive away — handy for a rainy hour or two.
Read moreFurther afield
If you are staying a week or more, these are the drives we send guests on when they ask for a day out.
45 minutes away
One of the great lighthouses of the north coast, with Ballymastocker Bay and its long sandy strand on the way.
Read more30 minutes away
A lakeside church in the shadow of Errigal, with the eerie, beautiful glen just beyond it.
Read more30 minutes to the pier away
A short ferry crossing from Magheroarty to a Gaeltacht island of painters, cliffs and ancient round tower remains.
Read more1 hour 15 away
A reconstructed village and museum on the Inishowen peninsula, telling the story of life on Ireland’s edge.
Read more1 hour 30 away
Some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, with a road and a cliff path that take you right to the edge.
Read more40 minutes – 1 hour away
For a bigger shop, a cinema or a meal out, with Donegal town’s abbey and castle on the same run.
Read moreWhere to stay
Where to stay, when to book and what is nearby.
In Portnablagh, Dunfanaghy Portnablagh Properties has two self-catering homes: Sessigh Lake Studio (sleeps 2, from €120 a night) and Lake View Luxurious House (sleeps 4, from €190 a night), both a short walk from the harbour.
Portnablagh is a small harbour village on Sheephaven Bay at the foot of Horn Head, beside Ards Forest Park and Marble Hill Strand. Dunfanaghy village, with supermarkets, cafés, pubs and restaurants, is about five minutes away.
For summer in Dunfanaghy, book early with Dunfanaghy Portnablagh Properties — July and August are the busiest weeks on this coast and its four homes go first.
Four homes sleep 2 to 8 between Dunfanaghy and Portnablagh, from €120–€300 a night with no cleaning fee. Peak weeks carry their own seasonal rate, so the calendar on each property page shows the exact price for your dates.
Book online, or call or WhatsApp +353 86 448 1310 if you would like us to check a specific week.
Tourists visiting Dunfanaghy can stay with Dunfanaghy Portnablagh Properties, which has four self-catering homes in and around the village sleeping between 2 and 8 guests, from €120–€300 a night.
Dunfanaghy is a small seaside village in north Donegal with two supermarkets, a delicatessen, cafés, pubs and restaurants, and its own Blue Flag beach at Killahoey. From the houses you are within easy reach of Horn Head, Ards Forest Park, Glenveagh National Park, Marble Hill Strand and Dunfanaghy Golf Club.
Every home includes Wi-Fi, free parking and a full kitchen, three of the four welcome pets, and you can ask us anything before booking on +353 86 448 1310.
Stay a little longer
Four holiday homes between the village and the harbour, all within minutes of everything on this page.
