Donegal Coastal Treasures
7-Night Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
Tour Overview
Duration
8 Days/7 Nights
Tour Price
From €1,290
Season
April – September 2027
Terrain
Very hilly. E-bike Recommended
Difficulty
Difficulty With Ebike
Breathe in the fresh, salty Atlantic air as you journey along one of the world’s most beautiful stretches of coastline. Pedal past secluded bays, golden beaches, and dramatic clifs that rise above the Wild Atlantic. Step back through the centuries at ancient sites dating to the stone age. Along the way, experience the warmth of legendary Irish hospitality in charming towns and villages like Donegal, Killybegs and Ardara.
Tour Highlights
The stunning Donegal Coast – Rugged cliffs and wild Atlantic waves shape a dramatic landscape that’s both breathtaking and unforgettable.
Donegal Castle – A beautifully restored 15th-century stronghold in Donegal Town, offering a glimpse into the region’s rich history.
Sliabh Liag Cliffs – Experience breathtaking views and exhilarating hikes high above the Atlantic Ocean.
Golden sandy beaches – Shimmering gems along Ireland’s pristine Atlantic coastline, perfect for swimming or peaceful seaside walks.
Archaeology of Glencolmcille – Discover ancient standing stones, early Christian sites, and remarkable archaeological monuments.
Tour Photos
Tour Itinerary
Your cycling holiday begins in historic Donegal Town, once the stronghold of the O’Donnell Chieftains who ruled much of northern Ireland. Their impressive castle still dominates the town centre. Donegal is easily accessible, with direct bus services from both Dublin and Ireland West airports. Spend your first evening relaxing in this welcoming town, renowned for its lively pubs and excellent restaurants.
After breakfast, we’ll meet you to provide everything you need for your bike tour and answer any questions. Your first day of cycling takes you around tranquil Lough Eske, nestled at the foot of the Bluestack Mountains. Back in Donegal, you can visit the 15th-century Donegal Castle or enjoy a scenic trip on the Donegal Bay Waterbus.
Today you cycle along the ever-changing coastline between Donegal and Killybegs, passing bays, beaches, headlands, cliffs and inlets. An option is to bike along St. John’s Point, where the Atlantic Ocean lies on both sides. Continue west to the bustling fishing village of Killybegs, where much of Ireland’s Atlantic catch is landed.
West of Killybegs you follow one of the most memorable coastlines you will ever see. A short side-trip takes you to beautiful Muckross Head. Cycle through Kilcar Village, a centre for traditional tweed production, then on to Carrick. A short bike trip from Carrick brings you to the stunning Sliabh Liag Cliffs – one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. You can also view the cliffs from below with a boat trip from Teelin Pier.
Today, your cycling holiday brings you through 5,000 years of Irish history. Stone Age court tombs, Bronze Age dolmens, early Christian standing stones, and Celtic ringforts are all watched over by a Napoleonic-era signal tower. The area around Glencolmcille (Gleann Cholm Cille) is one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit – a perfect landscape to explore by bike.
Cycle across wild boglands, climbing gradually until you emerge at the head of the dramatic Granny Valley. The descent by bike will be one to remember. At the bottom, you’ll discover pristine Maghera Beach, with its sea caves that can be explored at low tide. Nearby, the beautiful Assaranca Waterfall cascades down a wooded hillside. Continue your ride along Loughros Beag Bay to Ardara or Glenties.
Follow a looped cycle around Portnoo and Rossbeg, taking in the magnificent, ever-changing coastal views. Stop to admire the impressive Kilclooney Dolmen, dating from the early Bronze Age. Along the route, several beautiful sandy beaches offer the perfect opportunity for a refreshing Atlantic dip. Shorter cycling options are also available.
It’s time to say farewell. A local bus service or taxi can take you from your accommodation back to Donegal Town, where you’ll find onward connections to the main airports or other destinations across Ireland.
Additional Information
2027 Dates
Arrival Day: Monday
Tours available: Monday 12 April 2027 – Monday 27 September 2027
Peak Season: Monday 31 May 2027 – Monday 24 August 2027
Prices
Price per person sharing: €1,290
Peak Season: €1,350
Single occupancy: €280
27 Speed Bicycle (Ladies or Gents available): €100
Unisex E-bike: €230
E-tandem: €420
Included in the Tour Price
• Bed and breakfast accommodation in B&Bs or small hotels
• Welcome meeting and bike setup on first morning
• Luggage transfers from one B&B or hotel to the next
• Comprehensive guide booklet by email prior to arrival
• Access to Ride With GPS App with all routes pre-programmed
• GPX tracks available prior to the tour if desired (If you prefer to use your own GPS device or mobile app)
• Emergency support
Not Included in the Tour Price
• Travel to and from start/finish of tour
• Meals other than breakfast
• Entertainment
• Entry to sites and attractions
Travelling by bicycle or on foot in Ireland offers a unique opportunity to meet locals, particularly at your overnight accommodation. We select traditional B&Bs and small hotels, as they provide a warmer, more personalised welcome for adventure travellers than larger hotels. All rooms are private and feature en-suite facilities.
1: Book Online
Click one of the “Book Now” buttons on this page. To confirm the booking, you will be asked to pay a deposit of €150 to secure your place. Please note that this deposit is non-returnable, so it is important that you have all your travel details correct before proceeding to book.
2: Pay Balance
Payment is required at least 4 weeks before arrival. You will receive an automatic reminder close to the date when payment is due. Once we have received full payment, we will email you your accommodation list, along with your bike tour guide notes and other essential information.
3: Enjoy Your Adventure
We will meet you on the morning of your first cycle and get you set up with your bike, notes, GPS etc. Time to let the adventure begin!
Please see our Booking Terms and Conditions.
Arriving in Donegal
This bike tour starts in Donegal Town. It is easily accessible from Dublin Airport, via regular direct buses. Use the links below to check the bus timetables.
From Dublin Airport and Dublin City
By Bus: Direct buses (route 30/X30) run to Donegal Town from Dublin Airport and City. For timetables see https://www.expressway.ie/ Look for route 30/X30
Parking
On-street parking is available in Donegal Town. A permit lasting up to 1 month is available at a cost of €20.
To acquire a permit visit https://donegal-permit.giantleap.net/#/parking/products/agreement Select “Donegal Town”. We recommend No. 4 Car Park.
Contact us for travel advice from other locations in Ireland.
Departure form Ardara or Glenties
You will finish this bike tour in either Ardara or Glenties. For connections to other parts of Ireland you will need to return to your arrival point in Donegal.
By Local Bus to Donegal Town.
From Ardara: Local link service 994 or Buseireann service 492
From Glenties: Buseireann service 492
Taxi.
Local taxis will take you to Donegal (approx €60 for up to 3 passengers)
Bring your own bicycle or choose the bicycle that best suits your needs.
Touring Bikes
Comfortable 27-Speed touring bike with Shimano gears and disc brakes. Step-through and crossbar frames available.
E-bikes
Comfortable e-bike with Bosch motor and battery, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. Recommended for bike touring in Donegal’s hilly terrain.
E-Tandem
High-quality Gepida Thoris E-tandem with Bosch motor and batteries. Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and gears.
Accessories
All bikes are provided with the following accessories free of charge;
- Front handlebar bag (7 litre capacity)
- Waterproof rear pannier – Ortleib back city roller (20 litre capacity)
- Lock
- Repair kit, including spare inner tubes
- Helmet. Please feel free to bring your own helmet if preferred
- High visibility vest
Below you will find the answer to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Donegal Coastal Treasures Bike Tour. For other more general FAQ’s please visit our FAQ page.
Who is this tour suitable for?
This tour is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. The distances you cycle each day are relatively short (typically 30 – 40 km with some extra options). However, it is important to note that the routes are very hilly. For this reason we recommend using and electric bike.
What cycling experience do I need?
It is important that you are a competent cyclist with adequate bicycle handling ability and a clear understanding of the rules of the road.
Will I be cycling along with others?
Possibly, but this is not guaranteed. At busy times of the year June/July/August is is quite likely (but again not guaranteed) that others will be following the same routes as you. In the quieter months when numbers are smaller it is quite possible that yours will be the only group on the road at that time.
Is this tour on cycle paths or public roads?
For the vast majority of this tour you are on roads that are also open to traffic. However as we focus on small back roads the traffic is almost non-existent in most places. There are some short stretches on roads with moderate traffic. However even here cycling is not difficult.
Are the routes hilly?
The routes on this bike tour are VERY hilly (this is partly why it is so beautiful.) The gradient varies constantly from gentle to very steep. On an average day of cycling 40 km you can expect an elevation gain of approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft). For this reason we recommend using an electric bike for this tour.
How do I get to the start?
This bike tour starts in Donegal Town. It has regular direct bus connections to Dublin Airport (the arrival point for most people into Ireland). There are also direct connections to Ireland West (Knock) Airport. Belfast Airport has bus connections with one change.
How do I get from the end of the tour?
The tour finishes in either the village of Glenties or the village of Ardara. There are a number of local bus connections to Donegal Town, where you will find connections to the major airports and other parts of Ireland. It is also possible to take a taxi. The journey will take approximately 30 minutes. We provide a list of contact numbers in our tour notes.
Why does this bike tour itinerary say Glenties or Ardara on days 6 and 7?
Depending on the time of year, and events taking place, festivals etc. accommodation may not be available at one or other of the locations. For this reason it may be necessary to choose one of these villages over the other. This makes very little difference to your bike tour. In many ways the two villages are quite similar. The loop cycle from the two villages covers the same area and the same stretch of beautiful coast.
Tour Reviews
Great bike trip to explore and experience the beautiful Donegal coast and countryside. Well organized, comfortable lodging and Ireland by Bike always available to communicate with us, as needed, while we’re on our cycle trip
It was wonderful! The itinerary was perfect. We did almost every “extra” element. The weather was … kind of a constant companion on the trip. It was a constant presence. We were soaked for a part of every day. One minute it was raining and blowing 30 mph, the next the sun was out (and still blowing 30 mph), then the rainbows, then a brief rain shower, then sun again. But it was enjoyable! If we’d been in a car, we probably would have said “It was terrible, rained the whole time,” and would have missed all the wonderful nuances. We did not really try to stay dry. We just got wet and dried off again, wearing quick-dry pants and lightweight rain jackets with wool layers underneath and lightweight wool socks and quick-drying running shoes on our feet. Seamus was wonderful. We had a minor illness that required medical attention and walked into the doctors office in Carrick unannounced and they worked us into their schedule immediately! Amazing. $50 euros later we were on our way. Best seafood chowder was the tea house at the Glen Colm Cille history museum. Studio Donegal in Kilcar not to be missed. Best spontaneous visit was with Kathleen Meehan, a lady in her house with a handmade sign “Handmade Sweaters: Open” near Mukross Head, where we visited for a half hour. Best side quest was the rocks at St. John’s Point lighthouse, which were chock full of fossils. We loved the side trip to Port. Coolest pub was Nancy’s bar in Ardara. Best meal was probably the Indian place in Donegal Town, Chandpur. We loved every part of this trip! Thanks, Nora and Seamus!
Excellent experience with Ireland by Bike: organisation of the trip was very good. The bikes, the accommodations, the itinerary and the routes were all in line with our expectations ! Thank you to Nóra and Séamus for their professionalism and kindness ! Will not hesitate to recommend Ireland by Bike if you want to visit a quiet part of Ireland !
Wonderful Donegal experience! A perfectly organized bike trip, very professional staff, great bikes (my daughter and I had the regular ones), detailed route descriptions and welcoming/comfortable accomodations. A truly magical experiience!
We did this bike tour in august en had a great time. We cycled with a group of six friends. Two on their own racing bikes, four on an electric bike from Ireland by bike. We rode through wonderful landscapes, the routes were sometimes challenging, mostly very doable. The number of kilometers of cycling per day was not too much and not too little. Most of the time we had sunny weather, the accommodation managers were friendly and hospitable and we received extensive instructions from Seames on the first day. Seamus also handed out a booklet with information about the history of Ireland, tips for eating out and additional options for things to do along the way and in the places we stayed. Everything was well organized. We had an intensive and carefree holiday.
