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Glenveagh / Gartan Loop

Start at Glenveagh or Gartan, or indeed anywhere along the way. Ordnance Survey Ireland Map 6. Some great climbs and fast rough descents. A 25-30 mile loop. Scenery fantastic.

Glenveagh National Park is located 24km north-west of Letterkenny and can be reached via the villages of Kilmacrenan or Churchill.
Access from Letterkenny is by the (N56) road through Kilmacrenan, turning left on to the Gweedore road (R255), or alternatively via Church Hill, and past Gartan and Akibbon lakes (R251).

Suggested Route from West of Glenveagh:

  • Start right up at the top of the Glenveagh Valley and take the track down to the castle (watch out for deer on the path!)
  • Stop off for a coffee in the coffee shop at the castle - superb
  • Take the road along the lake out towards the park entrance, then cut to the right, and take the track marked Lough Inshagh Walk
  • This takes you right over the mountain and down to Gartan Lough on a superb track descent
  • Head round to Glebe House and Gallery for another coffee if feeling peckish, or in the mood to view a period property in all its glory
  • Take the tiny road/track along the back of Gartan Lough, and back out to the road
  • Climb back up to where you started

The Glebe House and Gallery may be the best place to park for this route, as it gets the big climb over first, so that you have earned your coffee at Glenveagh. It also saves you abandoning your car halfway up the mountain.

Alternatively, park in Doochary (10km to the south west), and cycle up the valley, which will also warm the cockles by the time you get to the top.

 

 

 

 

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Reviews for this trail

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3.8



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1= Rubbish      5= Badgertastic!
  • Started from Glebe Gallery and on to the Lough Inshagh path gentle rise up to the mountains good views everywhere , stunning in fact so bring your camera ! . Fast but rough decent to Glenveigh Castle road and the on to the Castle it's self , unfortunately the coffee shop was closed [ 0945 ] so I pressed on by the castle right up to the head of the lough a nice easy cycle then you start to climb up the valley where it gets steep in places [ wee gears here ] things I like about here is the total quiet only birds and water sounds to be heard. Met a lot of walkers on this stretch who were biker friendly also good to know if you do hurt yourself someone will come by - no signal on my mobile at all , reassuring . Turn left when you hit the wee road and head , mostly downhill back to the Glebe Gallery approx 10mls on the road buy traffic very light.
    Time 3.30 mins [ inc lunch ,smoke breaks and admiring the fantasic scenery !.
    Temp 25 - hot
    Will definitely do this again, thanks for the info about the trail.
    Steve
    ps. Unless I missed something I clocked it 17m ?
    Steve Edens: about 3 months ago 
    Rating:4.5 badgers
  • Comments
    Namecorms: about 3 months ago 
    Rating:3 badgers

NOTE: The trails on this site have been ridden before, but you should not interpret their inclusion as an indication that mountain-biking is officially sanctioned on them. Seeking permission from landowners is your own responsibility, as is conducting yourself in a manner that is courteous, respectful to the environment, and conscious of the safety of others.