Getting from Belfast to Slieve League

AxlRose721

Hey guys, I'm an American studying abroad in Belfast, and I'd like to check out Slieve League. Only problem is that it's a nightmare trying to figure out how to get there. Any recommended routes?

homer simpson

AxlRose721 wrote: »

Hey guys, I'm an American studying abroad in Belfast, and I'd like to check out Slieve League. Only problem is that it's a nightmare trying to figure out how to get there. Any recommended routes?

That all depends on If your hiring a car / have access to a car when your here? It would be difficult , not imposable , if you didn't.

Durnish

There is one day a week when the Gallaghers coach from Belfast gets to Letterkenny before the Glencolumcille (McMechans) bus leaves. I think it's the Friday lunchtime bus from outside Jury's Hotel. Both timetables are on line.

Durnish

Sorry, that's McGeehans coach, http://www.mcgeehancoaches.com/lk-glen.html.
The bus goes to Carrick, foot of Slieve League then onto GlencK.

Mint Sauce

basically what the other two posters said OP, but be prepared for a lot of hours sitting on a bus, maybe consider getting a b&b near Slieve League or GlenColmKille if dont have own transport.

doc_17

Get the B&B in Carrick if you can it's probably handier!

Durnish

when I was young and in my prime, blah blah, we stayed in a now defunct real YHA hostel, the Red\House, in Carrick and walked up Slieve League, the "end of motor road" path, from there.

AxlRose721

First of all, thanks for all the responses, guys. No one around here has even heard of Slieve League, so this really helps. I should mention that I don't have a car, so this whole trip has to be on foot and bus/train.

Is this (see below link) how I'm supposed to get from Belfast to Letterkenny? So if that's a 2-hour ride...

http://www.gallagherscoaches.com/Timetable.htm

Durnish wrote: »

Sorry, that's McGeehans coach, http://www.mcgeehancoaches.com/lk-glen.html.
The bus goes to Carrick, foot of Slieve League then onto GlencK.

...and if this is a two hour ride... I'm looking a a 4+ hour trip across the country. Should I stop at Carrick or Glen?

Here's what I'm thinking:

FRIDAY
1) Leave Belfast at 1:30pm
- Arrive at Letterkenny at 4:15pm
2) Leave Letterkenny at 5:30pm
- Arrive at Carrick at 7:30pm
3) Stay at a B&B or hostel at Carrick (If you guys have any recommendations, fire away)

SATURDAY
4) Wake up early and walk to Slieve League (how long will this take?)
5) Slieve League - One Man's Path, cliffs, etc. (Any idea how long I might end up sticking around? I hear it's amazing...)

Now here's the hard part, because there's no return bus from Carrick to Letterkenny on Saturday (unless there's another Carrick-LK bus?). If I leave Carrick on Sunday at 4:40pm, I can arrive at LK at 6:30pm. From that point I would have ONLY 15 minutes to catch the LK-Belfast 6:45pm bus.

Any ideas?

And is Slieve League "open" all year round and all day long? I don't wanna get there and find that it's blocked off by a tourist committee or something.

Also, is it risky to make this trip alone? I highly doubt any of my friends would be interested in doing this, so I'll probably have to go solo. Let me know if I should watch my back while I'm out there.

homer simpson

Spent the last while searching, found this site http://slieveliag.com/SliabhLiagBusTours.htm

Me personally i've never heard of them, i don't even know if they still do the run, but it wouldn't hurt to get in contact (email or even phone in case its an old website), not a lot of info on the site but i assume they collect you in Carrick and bring you to the base of the cliffs which is a 15 minute drive, but they may pickup elsewhere not sure...

Again i don't even know if these guys still exist or even if they do timetabled runs of if they only cater for groups, but i'm sure they are worth a try....

Yes its open all year round, just open and close the bottom gate if its closed, As for going on your own, there is no real problem i can see with you going alone so long as someone knows where you are, its not dangerous at all in the sense of mugging or anything in fact you regularly see people walking about the various places themselves in donegal, the cliff themselves are fairly dangerous, the name says it all One man Walk! its a decent hike too haven't done it since i was very young so couldn't tell you a time but i'm sure someone will know...

homer simpson

Ohh yeah just found their main site which is more up to date!

http://www.currancoaches.ie/fleet.html

Seems they only do private hire but they do supply a car service but i'd imagine it'd be pricey, again worth giving them a shout i suppose.

Cars
mercedes Luxury limo car

Durnish

Axl ( I love your version of Dead Flowers, by the way), Carrick and Slieve league are remote. In fact, it's amazing to be able to get there in four hours by public transport, truth be told.

Are you wise to try and do this in such short daylight hours? We drove up the cliff road to Bunglass in August and could barely see in front of us. I had my eyes closed in fear, so couldn't see anything anyways.

The good things about that double bus journey are many. The Belfast to LK bus goes along at a great rate. The stop in LK lets you visit the half price chip shop, see other thread. Also, I think the McGeehans driver will communicate with the Gallagher driver if he is delayed.

It is a great pity that there is no longer a Youth Hostel in Carrick as there were loads of hikers there in the 70s who treked about. Prosperity Bites.

Carrickman

AxlRose721 wrote: »

First of all, thanks for all the responses, guys. No one around here has even heard of Slieve League, so this really helps. I should mention that I don't have a car, so this whole trip has to be on foot and bus/train.

Is this (see below link) how I'm supposed to get from Belfast to Letterkenny? So if that's a 2-hour ride...

http://www.gallagherscoaches.com/Timetable.htm



...and if this is a two hour ride... I'm looking a a 4+ hour trip across the country. Should I stop at Carrick or Glen?

Here's what I'm thinking:

FRIDAY
1) Leave Belfast at 1:30pm
- Arrive at Letterkenny at 4:15pm
2) Leave Letterkenny at 5:30pm
- Arrive at Carrick at 7:30pm
3) Stay at a B&B or hostel at Carrick (If you guys have any recommendations, fire away)

SATURDAY
4) Wake up early and walk to Slieve League (how long will this take?)
5) Slieve League - One Man's Path, cliffs, etc. (Any idea how long I might end up sticking around? I hear it's amazing...)

Now here's the hard part, because there's no return bus from Carrick to Letterkenny on Saturday (unless there's another Carrick-LK bus?). If I leave Carrick on Sunday at 4:40pm, I can arrive at LK at 6:30pm. From that point I would have ONLY 15 minutes to catch the LK-Belfast 6:45pm bus.

Any ideas?

And is Slieve League "open" all year round and all day long? I don't wanna get there and find that it's blocked off by a tourist committee or something.

Also, is it risky to make this trip alone? I highly doubt any of my friends would be interested in doing this, so I'll probably have to go solo. Let me know if I should watch my back while I'm out there.

Hi I will send you a PM regarding accommodation and a lift up to the cliffs as I'm form the area.

AxlRose721

Durnish wrote: »

Axl ( I love your version of Dead Flowers, by the way), Carrick and Slieve league are remote. In fact, it's amazing to be able to get there in four hours by public transport, truth be told.

Couldn't agree more on Dead Flowers

Are you wise to try and do this in such short daylight hours? We drove up the cliff road to Bunglass in August and could barely see in front of us. I had my eyes closed in fear, so couldn't see anything anyways.

Hmm, that's a good point. What would you say is my time window for safe climbing? I'd rather my life story not end as a result of a blind misstep. I'm guessing I could wake before sunrise, head out, reach the Slieve entrance by sunrise, etc. Would this work?

ALSO, since this will probably end up being a 3-day trip because of the bus schedule, would you recommend me breaking my Slieve journey into two parts? Maybe One Man's Path on Saturday and Bunglass on Sunday...

AxlRose721

homer_simpson wrote: »

Yes its open all year round, just open and close the bottom gate if its closed, As for going on your own, there is no real problem i can see with you going alone so long as someone knows where you are, its not dangerous at all in the sense of mugging or anything in fact you regularly see people walking about the various places themselves in donegal, the cliff themselves are fairly dangerous, the name says it all One man Walk! its a decent hike too haven't done it since i was very young so couldn't tell you a time but i'm sure someone will know...

Good to hear that it's pretty crime-free. I've heard a lot of horror stories about Limerick, so I wasn't sure if it carried over to the NW.

And in what sense are the cliffs dangerous? Will I be fine as long as I pay attention to where I'm going?

homer simpson

AxlRose721 wrote: »

Good to hear that it's pretty crime-free. I've heard a lot of horror stories about Limerick, so I wasn't sure if it carried over to the NW.

And in what sense are the cliffs dangerous? Will I be fine as long as I pay attention to where I'm going?

Exactly that stick to the path and you will be fine so long as you watch where your going!

AxlRose721 wrote: »

ALSO, since this will probably end up being a 3-day trip because of the bus schedule, would you recommend me breaking my Slieve journey into two parts? Maybe One Man's Path on Saturday and Bunglass on Sunday...

They are more or less the same place, here's a map which might help...

Mint Sauce

AxlRose721 wrote: »

Good to hear that it's pretty crime-free. I've heard a lot of horror stories about Limerick, so I wasn't sure if it carried over to the NW.

And in what sense are the cliffs dangerous? Will I be fine as long as I pay attention to where I'm going?

Highest sea cliffs in ireland, keep away from the edge



just basically need to watch your step in places, some sections of the path can be slippy or unstable, and not always a guide rail, but very worth the visit for some amazing views.

Durnish

Listen, Axl, go into a public library in Belfast, join up. All you need is some proof of address. Request two books.

1) Irish Walk Guides, North West, Patrick Simms and Gerard Foley. This may have been absorbed into another Irish Walks book but the detail and notes will be the same.

2) Cliff Scenery of South West Donegal, T McGinley. (republished) This was written in the c19th and is brilliant. He details the walk between Slieve League and Malinbeg.


Also, for crime you need people, a population.

AxlRose721

Thanks for the book recommendations, Durnish. I'll check the nearest libraries.

And what would you guys recommend I bring for a three-day trip in Carrick? Are there nearby food marts, or should I pack a hefty amount of food?

And what should I pack when I scale Slieve League? Any necessities I should consider? Hiking boots, warm clothes, etc.

muffler

AxlRose721 wrote: »

And what should I pack when I scale Slieve League? Any necessities I should consider? Hiking boots, warm clothes, etc.

If you feel the need to ask that question then you'd probably be safer staying in and watching TV

Durnish

Axl, if you want to see how to manage in the foodless wastes of Carrick and Teelin I can recommend viewing the Bear Grylls Donegal videos on U-Tube.

You will learn how to scale the cliffs of Slieve League after being dropped from a helicopter ( or was it a RIB?) how to skin a sheep found in a bog and how to walk across ice and slimy seaweed.

Nah, seriously, Muffler has a point. If you go off piste, so to speak, in any weather, winter or summer, you need to be prepared for anything, including no mobile phone signal.

Carrick does have shops, but.

Carrickman

Two shops which have delis, a Chinese that's the height of it one of the bars dose food but only from April to Sept (they do soup and sandwiches the rest of the year).

Mint Sauce

Sturdy shoes and warm clothes as my gran would say.

mmcm888

I'm up and down to Belfast twice a week. I normally leave on a Friday at about 17:00 and am in Donegal Town within 2.5-3 hours. I'd be going back on Monday AM at about 06:00. If you can fill in the journey between Donegal Town and Carrick on Friday and Sunday you could crash in my gaff on Sunday night for the early start.

PM me if this is any help.

Crash in my Gaff = Have a bed for the night in my house