Donegal Cycle Route
The Donegal Cycle Route is approximately 200km from Newtowncunningham to Donegal Town. The route is a section of the trans-national EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route running from the North Cape in Norway to Porto in Portugal. From Newtown Cunningham it links eastwards to Belfast following UK National Cycle Network routes which make up the EuroVelo 1 route in Northern Ireland. At the southern end of the route in Donegal Town it joins the EuroVelo 1 routes southwards through Co. Sligo. It also links to the North West Cycle Trail.
The Donegal Cycle Route will bring you around the beautiful Donegal coastline and through some of the county's most spectacular landscapes. The route is mostly along quiet and scenic local roads. There are a few occassions where the route has to use sections of major roads although in some cases a parallel segregated cycle path has been developed. We ask cyclists to plan ahead, be aware of other road traffic at all times and to obey the rules of the road, on all classes of road used.
To allow you to plan your journey the cycle route has been broken down into 14 Sections. Remember you are in the Hills of Donegal and some sections may be more challenging than others! The maps have elevations profiles of all the stages to help plan your journey. The route will take you into or close to the services and tourist centres of Mountcharles, Inver, Ardara, Dungloe, Loughanure, Crolly, Dunlewey, Creeslough, Glen, Milford, Ramelton and Letterkenny. Look out for signed spurs along the route to the nearby towns of Burtonport, Gortahork and Dunfanaghy.
There are also a number of signed cycle loops off the main route for you to explore such as The Dooey Loop in Leitirmacaward, the Maghery Lop in Dungloe and the Bunlin Way Loop at Milford.
Trail Management
Donegal County Council
Facilities
The route passes through a number towns and villages. Food will be available in shops, cafes and bars in many of these towns.
OSI Maps
Public Transportation
Bus Eireann public bus service https://www.buseireann.ie/ from Dublin to Letterkenny and to Donegal. McGinley's private bus service from Dublin to Letterkenny http://www.johnmcginley.com/docs/timetable.pdf
The Donegal Cycle Route is a section of EuroVelo 1. From Newtown Cunningham the EuroVelo route connects to County Derry/Londonderry and continues eastwards to Belfast. From Donegal town the EuroVelo route continues southwards through County Sligo.