The Long Way RoundNotebook No 135June 2026
A working lighthouse on the northern tip of the Fanad peninsula, where Lough Swilly opens to the Atlantic and the sky is bigger than the land.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
At Fanad Head, the northernmost point of Donegal, a squat white lighthouse has sent its beam twenty-two nautical miles since 1817. Built after a wreck, this structure marks Ireland's edge; from its base, the next land mass directly north is Iceland. We suggest an late afternoon arrival, when the vast sky subsumes the horizon.
Slea Head
Consider securing one of the three former lighthouse keeper's cottages, now holiday lets, located just twenty feet from the tower. This remains the most exposed legal accommodation in Ireland, offering an experience of elemental intimacy. Our drives on the Knockalla road take us north for the evening light on Ballymastocker Bay, then south in the morning to see Inishowen in the distance.
Indulge in this solitary Irish experience.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.