One mucky labrador enjoying today’s ramble in the wilds of Donegal -Tyrone border country.
#donegal #rambles #ireland #Tyrone #labrador

Rainbow over Tullan Strand, Bundoran
#ramble #donegal #ireland #Rainbow

We are rambling in border country today, and on a trail that stretches across three continents. With two doggies. This is the Ulster section of the Appalachian Trail, 457km of the same geological heritage as the USA trail, and stretching from Sliabh Liag in Donegal right across the province to Larne in county Antrim. This is Slievedoo ( Sliabh dubh- black mountain) straddling Tyrone and Donegal, a wondrous God’s-own-country landscape of mountain and forest, bog, wildflowers and big sky.
There are excellent routes up here for walkers, and plenty to appreciate- lots of mushrooms at the moment, still some heather in bloom, 50 shades of green between the young saplings and the gnarly old timers. Two tails wagged for the entire walk, and two baths were in order when we got home! enjoy
#appalachiantrail #tyrone #slievedoo #rambles #findmyireland
​

Today’s ramble was thanks to Donegal Sea Adventure who dropped us to Rutland Island, just off the coast of Burtonport. We have reported to you before about the absolute beauty of our offshore islands in Donegal, but what a day to visit Rutland. And it’s an island full of surprising history.
This island was home planned settlement having been established by William Burton Conyngham from 1784, ( hence Burton’s port) including a street, named ‘Duke Street’ but rechristened the less colonial name ‘Duck Street. It had a post office, school house and a fish landing and processing facility - and Donegal’s first bar!
Sadly, a number of factors, including a devastating sand storm, the dredging of Burtonport Harbour, decline in fishing catches, emigration and the unfortunate neglect of the islands by successive governments, Rutland’s glory days were over.
However, there are now new houses and renovated houses on the island, as people are realizing what a tiny paradise each of these Donegal satellites are. Exploring the beaches, caves, coves and old historical places is a joy, the isolation is splendid, the ocean bracing and pristine, and - a bonus- all of the ferries and small businesses you will encounter while visiting the islands are run by knowledgeable and friendly locals, who recognise your value as a visitor and return impeccable hospitality. Thank you Denis abd Donegal Sea Adventure for taking us, it was a fantastic day, made even better by lunch at the nearby Wheelhouse restaurant, highly recommend.
 #findmyireland #Donegal #rambles

Dawn patrol at Tullan Strand, Bundoran - Summer remembered to show her tardy face and the ocean joined the party and gave us these waves. Our morning ramble was golden and gorgeous, and we will be in this water before the day is out!
#indiansummer #donegal #ireland #bundoran #rambles #findmyireland

We didn’t ramble too far last night - all the signs were that a beautiful sunset was about to unfold over Tullan Strand, Bundoran, so myself and the doggie strolled along the white sand, pausing to laugh at the tiny sanderlings, surfing on the incoming tide. Sliabh Liag was backlit like a stage show, as the proud outlines of Ben Wisken and Ben Bulben slowly dissolved into the nighttime. A boxing match of a swell was surging in, waves peaking and slapping each other hard, flinging spray about like blood, sweat and tears. Fabulous, beautiful Bundoran.
Our solo rambles will come to an end soon, as our student groups will return at the end of the month, and we will be back on familiar trails again. Thanks for all the lovely likes, shares and comments, and all the friendly conversations we’ve had on our adventures- the one thing in common with every chat is agreement that there is just nowhere we’d all rather be than Donegal. If you’d like to join us anytime we’ve plenty of lovely trips coming up ~ it’s our pleasure to introduce you to the history, landscapes, seascapes of this gorgeous county. So Slán go fóill, beidh muid ar ais arís go luath Niamh & Robinson
#donegal #bundoran #findmyireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland #Ireland

Today’s ramble finds us in the Rosses, a cloudless Errigal is the majestic backdrop and the clear green waters of a cove in Mullaghderg beach is the destination. The large sandy beach has dangerous rip tides and is not safe for swimming. However, around the corner, and at high tide, there is a little inlet which turns into the perfect lagoon for adults to swim. No beach or sand to faff about with - it’s off the rocks and straight into cold clean green salty water. There are thousands of pebbles along the water line, dappled and speckled and marbled in a myriad of colour, and as smooth as orbs. Wild purple orchids and harebells are poking out of the grasses, and we met a gold & black caterpillar having a nap- this little grub will become the beautiful red and black cinnabar moth, proving that there is hope for us all
Enjoy the ramble
#donegal #findmyireland #studyabroadireland #rambles #instituteofstudyabroadireland #ireland #mullaghduff #mullaghderg

Meenbanad is a little townland in West Donegal, we had a very gentle and fragrant walk down its small roads, saluting two curious horses and relishing the fragrant heathery air. The casual rambler would probably think that Meenbanad is a quiet and uneventful place- few would guess that on January 4 1918, it was the scene of a daring Con-Air style rescue of two Donegal men. There are varying iterations of this story, but I’m going for the high-drama version as told to me - too enjoyable not to retell.
Many many Irish men joined the British Army in WWI - some because they thought it was the right thing to do, some because it was work and they were poor, some looking for adventure - lots of reasons. However, after the 1916 rising, and the harrowing impact of war in Europe, many young Irish men decided to give up the army and return home. James Duffy and Jimmy Ward, two Irishmen who found themselves in France, took their leave of the British Army at Christmas 1917 and thus were arrested. A military escort travelled to Burtonport to take them to Derry, but the locals had other ideas! As the train pulled into Meenbanad, four outlaws ambushed the train, hooshed Jimmy and James off, and before the soldiers had time to react, the whistle was blown and the train was off again, without the fugitives.
You don’t mess with the Donegal ones!
#meenbanad #findmyireland #instituteofstudyabroadireland #ireland #rambles #studyabroadireland #WW1

​The Ducks of Tor.
Some rambles in Donegal are memorable, for the people that you meet and the stories they tell you. Tor in Irish means a steep rocky place, which it is, with one lonely road offering views that will bring you to tears- the sheer size of rugged bog and stone, dropping away to a silvery lake, edged with bright pink and purple heather and thistles. Further down in the valley, the river meanders past small farms, but it is a remote and windswept place, with broody skies and craggy lines everywhere.
On my journey, I noticed a man scattering something from a bucket into the lake. Surprised, I asked him, and he told me he was feeding the wild ducks, and had done so for years. Rambling onwards, I met a woman who told me it was her father who had put the two original ducks on the lake, and now they had their very own Tor duck flock. Unfortunately, and quite rightly, the ducks were not in the mood to be photographed, but it was great craic chatting to these two neighbours and a reminder that it’s people who make a place memorable. Enjoy the ramble!
#Tor #ducks #donegal #ireland #findmyireland #studyabroadireland

​Gola Island part 2: Now that we’ve had our swim, it’s time to ramble around the island. I described it in our first post as the ‘otherworld’ ~ which is what we call the home of the Gods and Godesses in pre-Christian Ireland. According to the mythology, it’s a happy place, where time stands still and everything is beautiful. For the visitor, I think this is as close as you’ll get to the otherworld. The island itself is lush and verdant, its winding roads punctuated by masses of giant daisies, heathers, copper tips and fuschia. There are twenty or so houses, some crumbling remains of the past, some beautifully restored, preserving the traditional features of the island homes. The pebbled inlets, sheer cliffs, sea arches and solid slabs of rock provide a full drum kit for the sea’s wild performance~ slamming, smacking, sucking, whooshing, licking, kissing the stones depending on the weather. The gulls swoop and skaw, the sheep stare, and there is not an inch that is dry- every footstep is a squelch, on high ground or low.
There are reminders too of the hard life the islanders endured, and how illogical and unfair it was to treat the keepers of Irish, of custom and tradition, music and folklore with such disrespect in the past. Instead of island life being supported, our island communities were more or less driven onto the mainland, schools closed, livelihoods compromised. It’s an unfinished business, but hopefully people will come to realize that these islands are a rich and valuable cultural asset, as are the islanders themselves. So if you do go, buy local, stay local, use your cúpla focail, leave it as you find it, clean and beautiful. Gola, Inisboffin, Tory and Arranmore islands all have a ferry service, there are several opportunities to paddle, SUP, kayak, fish and climb on the islands, historians and creatives, it’s a bountiful source of information and inspiration, artists, photographers, the light, the sky!
Tomorrow we are back on dry(er) land, Slán go fóill Gabhla, Meallfaidh tú ar ais mé.