Derryveagh

A country of glens

Derryveagh is not a single place but a stretch of country: a range of mountains, a series of coastal glens, and a patchwork of bog, heather and conifer that runs from the townland of the park down to the sea. It is the largest mountain area in the northwest of Ireland, and a good part of it is protected as Derryveagh National Park, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The name of the park and the area is a worn-down form of an older Irish name, and the country has been lived in for a very long time. There are ringforts, field systems and old ways through the glens, and the sense of a place that was worked and walked over for generations is strong here.

The glens

The coastal glens are the best-known part of the area. Glencolmcille is one of the most accessible, with a path down to the sea and a waterfall in the season. The glens are a good place for a long walk, and the sense of remoteness is real — there are few other people out, and the sound of the sea is usually not far away.

The mountains

The mountain area rises to a series of peaks, and the highest points give wide views across the Donegal coast and, on a clear day, toward the Slieve League and Erris ranges. The ground is rough and the weather is quick, and the walks are for people who are used to the west coast.

When to go

The light is best in late summer and early autumn, when the heather is coming into colour and the days are still long. The glens are at their greenest in spring, and the mountain is most dramatic in a low, moving winter cloud.

Practical

Free to visit. There are a number of waymarked walks of varying length and difficulty; check the current status of any path before you set out, as some are closed in wet weather or for management reasons. The nearest village with basic services is Dungloe, about twenty minutes by car. There are no facilities in the park itself.