The routes selected here include everything from lakeside strolls, rambles through woods, meanders on golden beaches, country road and bog road walks to old stony paths, open hillside, and a beautiful section of the renowned Bluestack Way.
Three walks start and finish here at Harvey’s Point, while the other three listed are well within a fifteen minute drive away.
This is a simple but scenic walk right on our doorstep here at Harvey’s Point. A quiet level road, actually part of the famed “Bluestack Way”, passes the front gate and wanders beside Lough Eske before turning up on a leafy stretch to a slightly higher road in a wooded setting. The route passes a poignant reminder of old Famine days before turning back down to the lakeside, and Harvey’s Point, again. Tip: You can download EveryTrail to listen to an audio tour of this walk.
Start/Finish Point: Harvey’s Point
Distance: 5km
Walking Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Route Difficulty: Easy, to suit all fitness levels
Terrain: Quiet country roads
Right beside us here is a marvellous quiet wood, nowadays a Nature Reserve with a nicely-created walking path around a loop amidst large sessile oak trees, hazel and holly. Beautiful mosses, bluebells in season, babbling streams and a lakeside setting add to the delights of this worthwhile and easy walk.
Start/Finish Point: Harvey’s Point
Distance: 6km
Walking Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Route Difficulty: Easy, to suit all fitness levels
Terrain: Quiet country roads and gravelled forest tracks.
This is your opportunity to sample a delightful section of the renowned Bluestack Way, which passes the front gate of Harvey’s Point. The full Way wends all the way from Pettigo to Ardara, but our choice here is a really scenic part of it. It is an out-and-back route, and the views on the way back down are very dramatic. The route is on quiet tarmac roads and good stony hill tracks. You can of course turn back at any point before the turn back point suggested here.
Start/Finish Point: Harvey’s Point
Distance: 16 km
Walking Time: 4 to 5 hours hours
Route Difficulty: Moderate level of fitness required
Terrain: Quiet country roads, forest and gravel tracks (trekking shoes advised)
This simple out and back walk is interesting in that it brings you close to working windmills; but for scenery and peace it is hard to beat, anyway. Even from where you park, there are great views back over to the entire sweep of the Bluestack Mountains, and down to Lough Eske. And the views get better as you walk on up. This is an easy and appealing walk. You don’t have to go all the way up to the windmills – turn back anytime and you will have had a quiet and enjoyable walk.
Start/Finish: At a roadside spot on the northern foothills of Clogher Hill
Distance: 9 km (there and back)
Walking Time: 2.5 hours
Route Difficulty: Moderate
Terrain: Quiet back road and gravel track (trekking shoes advised)
We all know about bogs – or do we? This lovely out-and-back walk is an opportunity to learn more, and enjoy a real a bit of peace and quiet in the process, with fine lakeside vistas and long views over empty bogland. You won’t even need boots, because the walking surface is quite good.
You could turn back at any stage before the lakeside turn-back suggested here.
Start/Finish: At the Croaghonagh Bog Restoration project
Distance: 11 km
Walking Time: 3 hours
Route Difficulty: Moderate
Terrain: Bog roads, rough tracks and open moor (waterproof hiking boots advised)
A good walk on a great Donegal beach is a must, and this is an attractive one – a long Blue Flag Beach, scrubbed fresh by the Atlantic. You can swim here, but observe normal safety rules and note the safety signs here about a channel on the strand. Any suitable footwear will do; though on a nice day walking barefoot is a treat in itself.
Start/Finish: The Carpark at Murvagh Beach
Distance: Up to 6km to walk entire length of beach
Walking Time: 2 hours
Route Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Sandy beach
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