What Glenveagh actually is
Sixteen thousand hectares of mountain, bog and lake in the Derryveagh range, with a castellated Victorian house sitting at the end of a long dark lough. It is the second largest national park in Ireland and it feels considerably larger than that.
The castle is the destination, but the glen is the point. The drive in from Church Hill gives you Errigal on one shoulder and the Poisoned Glen beyond it, and by the time you park you have already had the best of it.
Getting from the visitor centre to the castle
The visitor centre car park is roughly 3.7 kilometres from the castle and you cannot drive that stretch. A shuttle bus runs the lakeside road through the day, or you walk it.
Walk if you have the time and the weather. It takes about 50 minutes each way along Lough Beagh, it is flat, and it is the best part of the visit. Take the shuttle back if the legs have gone.
- Park entry
- Free. Parking at the visitor centre is free.
- Shuttle bus
- Small charge per adult, return. Runs frequently in season, reduced in winter.
- Castle tour
- Ticketed and guided. Book ahead in July and August, particularly for morning slots.
The gardens are the surprise
Nobody expects tree ferns and rhododendron in north west Donegal. The Gulf Stream and a very sheltered aspect do something strange here, and the walled garden, the Italian terrace and the Belgian walk are all genuinely serious pieces of horticulture.
Give the gardens 45 minutes minimum. If you only have an hour at the castle end, spend it here rather than inside the house.
Red deer, and when you will see them
Glenveagh holds one of the largest red deer herds in Ireland. First light and last light on the upper slopes are when you have a chance. Middle of the day in summer, almost never.
Late September into October is the rut, and you can hear stags roaring across the glen from the lakeside path. It is the one time of year we tell people to plan the trip around a date rather than the weather.
How to build a day around it
Half a day at Glenveagh, then Errigal and the Poisoned Glen on the way back east. If you have a full day, add Ards Forest Park or the beach at Marble Hill.
Base yourself in Letterkenny for convenience, or Rathmullan for atmosphere. Rathmullan is 40 minutes away and a much better evening.