The Knader is a forested area along Asseroe lake, between Ballyshannon and Belleek. There are wonderful forest trails along here, and it was particularly pretty on this frosty January day. Donegal has escaped the snow/freeze that is around the rest of the country, deciding to show off instead! Beautiful!
#rambles #donegal #ballyshannon #knader #asseroe

Wintertime in Donegal is not for everyone~ limited daylight and mad weather are not phrases for the brochures~ but what you can experience in these days of extraordinary light and the elemental conditions can be unforgettable. You’ll need the waterproofs and the wellies, for sure, but once you’re out there, you’ll love the grassy roads, the chaotic fences, skeletal trees moulded by unforgiving gusts of a salty wind, the rich winter colours of bog, mosses, lichens, fungi, old cottages, rainbows and storm clouds at the same time. And there is always a story, and a local place name that will take you ( if you are interested) into a folkloric, ‘as Gaeilge’ dimension. For example- this ramble was up around Lough Muck, in Fintown. Even though the day was grey and spitty, it was well worth the ramble for the scenery alone. But then… Lough Muck comes from the Irish word for pig ( muc) - and a story in the Fenian Cycle tells us about a young man who upsets a mother pig by eating her babies - mother pig gets her revenge by killing the man’s three hounds, the man himself - and his sister Finn, who drowns in the nearby lake trying to save him. Hence we have pig lake ( Loch Muc) Lough Muck) and Finn’s Glen ( Gleann Fhinne) Glenfin.
Come for the scenery, stay for the shtory!
#ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #glenfin #loughmuck #irishmythology #feniancycle

Today’s ramble is a very special one~ Errigal, Donegal’s highest peak. I first climbed this with my Dad when I was about eight years old, and so today we left the doggies at home and Dad and I concentrated on each other- very windy up there so we played it safe and left the top ledge for another day. Some of you will remember the climb before the boardwalk and gravel path was added in- as my father said ‘you’d be up to to your arse in bog before you even started’. It’s a much nicer hike now, and despite the gusty weather we had a lovely ramble, with excellent views of the Sisters, and the lakes that are tucked in to this crumpled landscape. If you’re planning to visit Donegal, Errigal should be on your to-do list: if you’re not a climber, simply go as far as An Chúirt Hotel and admire the view!
#donegal #ireland #wildatlanticway #errigal #tadhg #studyabroadireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland

The Appalachian trail is often presumed to be in North America only, but as the trail itself is defined by a geology far older than our modern geography, there are trails right through Ireland, Scotland and Scandinavia that were once connected.
As a double bonus, part of the Irish Appalachian Trail is essentially the Northern part of the Wild Atlantic Way, so most hikers will stumble across it one way or the other. However, what I think makes the Irish trails - both IAT and WAW unique are the added cultural and historical and linguistic features, from Neolithic tombs to Napoleonic Towers, roofless 19th Century cottages and famine walls and slipways, Irish place names and Irish mythological explanations for many of the features, memorials to drowned shipmen, Madonnas and Saint Patricks supervising the harbours, ~ so much more than just a hike in the hills.
The Irish Appalachian trail begins near Bunglass Point, County Donegal, and crosses the cliffs of Slieve League & Glencolmcille before routing east into Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland the trail heads north to the coast at Castlerock, following it, with occasional treks into the hills, right across to Larne in County Antrim. This short part of the trail pictured is at An Port in Southwest Donegal, December 27 2024. An incredible ramble- unfortunately no dogs allowed on this section ( presumably because of the sheep but disappointing that on-lead not permitted) so no furry fellows for you today.
#donegal #studyabroadireland #anport #appalachiantrail #ireland #wildatlanticway

Kiltyfannad lake (Coilte Feannad - the woods of the flayings) is a wildly scenic spot if you’re looking for the John Hindesque postcard of rural Ireland. Nestled in between Ardara and An Port, it offers you to-the-horizon bog & mountain, dotted with old cottage ruins, bottomless lakes, sheep traffic, mist, fog, and crazy wind-sculptures tree carcasses. A mighty place for a post Christmas ramble, and if you’re not lucky enough to be within driving distance of Donegal, enjoy the pics!
#ramble #donegal #instituteofstudyabroadireland #studyabroadireland

Today’s ramble was a lucky snatched hour of relative calm between the chaotic weather of the last few days! The beach is in County Sligo, with views of Classiebawn and Ben Bulben, and the day is solstice short, with a marked difference in the light when we arrived and when we left. Still, always beautiful of course!
#sligo #wildatlanticway #rambles #dogs #dogtrails #ireland #studyabroadireland

Part of the International Appalachian Trail snakes along the Donegal/ Tyrone border, with beautiful #rambles that are perfect for December rainbow chasing.
#donegal #appalationtrail #ireland #dogtrail

Today’s ramble was deep in the Bluestack Mountains, some of loveliest trails are here, and we got a rainbow start and a sunset finish.
#donegal #instituteofstudyabroadireland #ireland #studyabroadireland

Gortnaskeagh means ‘field of the whitethorn’ ( Gort na sceach) and that is where we are today, on a bright sunny ramble. This area of Donegal is part bog, part forest, and at this time of year you see a lot of nature’s sculptures of bare trunks and branches, covered in mosses, lichens and fungus. The whitethorn or hawthorn bushes are unremarkable now, but come April/May, they will have beautiful white flowers and are much more visible. They are also considered the fairy trees- cut them down at your peril! Quite a few pics of the doggies today, as they were feeling photogenic.
Enjoy!
#rambles #ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland

Today’s ramble took us west of Ardara past one of the more well known features of the county - the impressive Assaranca Waterfall. It was in good form, with plenty of rain to bellow down the mountainside. At one stage, a random cloud appeared to be a mirror image of the falls. Quite surreal! It being November, it was also very quiet, so we were able to walk the little roads and enjoy the views across to Crannogeboy. Assaranca comes from the Irish word for ‘Eas’ - rapids, or falls/ and ( I think) francach- ‘Eas an fhrancach’. This means ‘Waterfall of the Rat’ much more descriptive! My companions are Robinson & Higgins aka Beany & Higgy.
#ireland #donegal #studyabroadireland #ardara #assaranca