BEACHES NEAR DAISY COTTAGE

I am often asked if there are beaches near Daisy Cottage and the answer is yes, there are quite a few! They are all beautiful sandy beaches, some small, some very large, many not generally known about by a lot of people from outside the area, and some are Blue Flag Beaches ("Beaches are awarded the Blue Flag based on compliance with 32 criteria covering the following: 1) Environmental Education and Information  2) Water Quality  3) Environmental Management  4) Safety and Services.  All Blue Flags are awarded for one season at a time.  If the criteria are not fulfilled during the season or the conditions change, the Blue Flag may be withdrawn." )


So in this post I am gathering together a number of beaches you can easily visit from Daisy Cottage.


NEARBY BEACHES

CORAL BEACH, St. John's Point

The Coral Beach, St. John's Point (at high tide)

The Coral Beach is a pretty little beach on the peninsula of St. John's Point which extends out into Donegal Bay from Dunkineely and Daisy Cottage.  The beach is a curve of pinkish sand and with a high tide can at times be fairly narrow and at low tide, wide.  There is limited parking along the edge of the beach.  The road along from the beach is popular with walkers who can walk all the way down to St. John's Point lighthouse.  To read more about the Coral Beach and view more photographs, click HERE.

INVER BEACH

Inver Beach (taken from the road to nearby Port)

Inver Beach is in the small hamlet of Inver about 5 km from Daisy Cottage on the Donegal Town road.  It is a real hidden gem and rarely has many people on it.  Guest of Daisy Cottage who have been there just love it and love the fact that at times they have the beach to themselves.  There is a small bar in the hamlet called "The Rising Tide".  There is also the ruins of an old church and a surrounding graveyard, now no longer used, but with some very nice old gravestones (for those, like me, who are interested in such things).  There is a small pier where boats can be tied up.  

MOUNTCHARLES BEACHES

Mountcharles Pier and seats

The village of Mountcharles is about an 8 minute drive from Daisy Cottage and often times visitors to the village don't realise there is a beautiful shore road walk, pier and two sandy beaches at the bottom of the hill through the village.  This means that it is rarely very busy down there other than with locals who know how beautiful it is.  Guests can park either near the pier and use the small beach there or park at the start of the shore road walk and use the small sandy beach there.  Guests to Daisy Cottage can also fish off the pier if they wish (we supply two fishing rods plus a landing net in Daisy Cottage).
To read more about Mountcharles and view more photographs, click HERE.

FINTRA BEACH, Killybegs

Fintra Beach, Killybegs

On the far side of Killybegs, about 9 km from Daisy Cottage is Fintra beach.  The road down to the beach offers absolutely stunning views of the beach and Donegal Bay as far as Benbulben mountain in County Sligo.  There is a car park beside the beach and a few steps down to it from the car park.  To read more about Fintra beach and view more photographs, click HERE.  Fintra beach is a Blue Flag beach 2012.


BEACHES A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY


A little further away from Daisy Cottage than those beaches above but nonetheless still within a short driving time, there are numerous other sandy beaches including:

MURVAGH BEACH

Murvagh Beach, Donegal Town

Murvagh Beach is just past Donegal Town on the Ballyshannon road and about 15 minutes drive from Daisy Cottage.  It is a large sandy beach with a forest backdrop which is a conservation area.  There is car parking beside the beach and for those interested in golf, Murvagh Golf Course is nearby.

ROSSNOWLAGH BEACH

Rossnowlagh Beach

Rossnowlagh Beach, about a twenty minute drive from Daisy Cottage, on the other side of Donegal Town, is one of the largest beaches in Donegal.  It is a vast expanse of sandy beach measuring over 4 miles long so an ideal beach for people who enjoy a walk.  It is also a beach used by surfers and there is a surf shop in the village.  A little trivia: when Woody Allen and Mia Farrow were together they often holidayed in the hotel beside the beach.  Rossnowlagh Beach is a Blue Flag Beach 2012.

THE SILVER STRAND, Malinbeg

Silver Strand, Malinbeg

The Silver Strand at Malinbeg is a spectacular beach on a horseshoe cove.  The only downside to it is that there are many steps down (and back up!) to it.  If you don't mind that, then it is definitely a beach worth visiting.  There is a large car park at the top of the steps.

NARIN BEACH

Narin Beach

Narin beach, a short distance from Ardara (which is 17 km from Daisy Cottage is yet another large sandy beach.  There is an island off Narin, Inniskeel, which can be walked to at low tide.  (IMPORTANT: if you are doing this you MUST ask locally the best way to get there and the best times).  On the island there is an old graveyard where one of the tombstones has a cross and skulls.  For the golfers, Narin and Portnoo Golf Course is nearby.


A LITTLE FURTHER BUT WELL WORTH THE EXTRA DRIVE

CRUIT ISLAND

One of the twelve sandy beaches on Cruit Island

Cruit Island is a small island approached by a bridge.  It is about an hour's drive from Daisy Cottage but well worth a visit as it is so very beautiful.  It has 12 sandy beaches ~ most with not a soul on them.  For those interested, you can walk (at low tide) from Cruit to the little church where the singer Daniel O'Donnell married his Majella.  For those interested in golf, there is Cruit Island (9 hole) Golf Course there.  And maybe even take the short boat trip to the neaby island of Owey.  Click HERE to read my blog post on our trip to Owey Island.


So there you have it, just some of the beautiful beaches waiting for you in south/s.w. Donegal!