GAT in Donegal

This trip takes us up north to Donegal we have been wanting to go for a long time, to explore and enjoy a different scenery than the usual.

First stop though, takes us to Ballina. We are stopping at a pub - The Cot and Cobble, that has live Jazz music. Kevin is a jazz lover and plays the saxophone himself, so he is in heaven. We treated ourselves to dinner in the pub and it was delicious. The pub has a car park where we could stay, but we opted to stay in a nearby car park that had toilets, which is very convenient, especially after a few pints.

From Kevin's perspective, this was the first live jazz gig he had attended in many years. Sitting in a small, intimate setting, listening to a range of classics from the legend PJ Duffy, warmed his heart. Seeing Franciska enjoying the music was a pleasure too. Now, we're a pair of cool cats.

On the way to Donegal craft village we decided on a little detour to Glencar waterfall. A beautiful walk from the car park took us along the stream up to the waterfall. The rocks surrounding the area is made up of shale and limestone layers formed during the Carboniferous period (over 340 million years ago) when Ireland was situated near the equator and submerged in a tropical sea. The U-shaped valley, where the waterfall is located, was carved out by glacial movement during the Ice Age. Glaciers widened and deepened the pre-existing river valley, leaving behind its characteristic shape. The area is serene, so beautiful and quiet, just the trickle of the stream, makes it a lovely spot to spend some time.

The craft village is just outside Donegal. It's different craft shops situated around a lovely courtyard. There are glass, jewelry, pottery and textile workshops. The coffee shop serves delicious cakes and other goodies.

On the way to Fintra Beach we drove through Killybegs. The largest fishing town in Ireland. There was a nice marina as well, and we enjoyed watching the sailboats for a while. We must have taken the wrong turn to the beach. We end up on a large field with access to the beach. It is brilliant. Loads of space and other campervans. There are even tents, so we feel confident we can stay. We went for a walk down to the beach for a swim and just chilling in the sand. We can have above ground fires, but our Firepit is not big enough for the Dutch oven, so Franciska cooked dinner on the campingaz in a little saucepan and a plate. It was delicious. Sitting around the fire, watching the sun going down, we make time to appreciate how fortunate we are. We love what we do and we are lucky we have the opportunity to do so.

In the morning we set off to go and see Assaranca waterfall. The road to it is a relatively narrow, winding road, with beautiful views. The waterfall is stunning and we enjoy a nice break there. Afterward we go to Ardara, a little town nearby for shopping and exploration. Kevin has to do some work and needs a good connection for video calls. Although a lovely town, we decided to go back to the waterfall and enjoy more time there. We watched a photo shoot being shot, people lodging coins into the wishing tree and countless selfies being taken. It was a magical evening with a nice fire, good food and a clear night to watch the stars, all with the sound of the waterfall in the background.

Today we are going back home, but we can't leave without exploring the nearby beach. We are also going to stop at the crafty baker for something sweet on the way there. According to Franciska, it is just a two minutes drive down the road. Except - it is not! We missed it! So, we follow the sign towards the beach, and as we are climbing up the mountain, passing some waterfalls, we realize that we might not be heading to the beach. Turning around on the narrow trail and down again. We finally find the car park but won't pay the €4, so we decide to go to Donegal town. We drive back past the waterfall (our stopover) and spot the crafty baker. Very excited. Unfortunately, it's closed! Feeling rather foolish (wrong direction) and deprived, we continue to Donegal town. It's a beautiful drive there, as the gps takes us on all the little country roads. Donegal town is very busy and finding a car park is tricky but we managed. Strolling through the streets, enjoying the hustle and bustle of traffic, tourists and music in the square. We sit in the sun, eating ice cream and love every moment.

We have had a really good time in Donegal. Camping has been easy, gorgeous nature and people have been really nice.