What’s it Like to Cycle the Donegal EuroVelo 1 Route in Ireland?

The EuroVelo 1 is a long distance coastal cycling route from Norway to Portugal – the Irish section is 2300km long and extends from Wexford to Donegal. There is an additional 250km that extends from Derry to Belfast which is primarily inland. These routes tend to be away from busy roads where possible and as such offer a very safe and scenic experience to cycle.

I’ve completed a few sections of the EuroVelo 1 route in Ireland now and I’ve really enjoyed and appreciated the established route. For this trip I caught a bus from Dublin to Letterkenny and then my plan was to cycle to Donegal Town and have a return bus journey from Donegal town to Dublin. The Donegal section of the EuroVelo 1 route is 173km and I took some diversions to camp at spots that held an interest to me. The Brompton of course is such a great addition for a trip like this where public transport can be used. I struggled with some of the hills – but I just walked when I needed to which didn’t bother me in the slightest!

Home EN

I would totally recommend exploring these established routes – you likely won’t be disappointed. Bringing your tent along adds to the adventure!!

Music Used – Epidemic Sound:
Mountain Shadows – Wanderer’s Trove
Calm Inner Thoughts – Victor Lundberg
Instincts – Ludlow
Dust and Rain – Victor Lundberg
Against a Paler Sun – Hushed

[Music] Leaving Dublin in the sunshine, excited to finally do the Uravella 1 route through County Dunnigal in northwest Ireland. There is no train service in Dunig. So my plan was to catch a bus to Lenny and then cycle the UVLA 1 route as far as Dunig town to then return to Dublin by bus again. This route is over 170 km along quiet roads with stunning landscape. All the better in the sunshine. I got off the bus in Letter Kenny and I was able to find signs for the uravella 1 route and it has led me down some quiet roads. So all good so far. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] My utter appreciation for those that are involved in creating the Eurovllo roots. If you were attempting to cycle the Wild Atlantic way in Ireland, you’d be on a lot of busy roads. The UVLA roots are deliberately taking you down quiet roads and paths and lanes and tracks um away from the busyiness. And it’s an absolute pleasure to be cycling in this lovely weather. So nice. Only for I had a GPX route on my watch, I would have missed that sign. Not a chance I would have seen that. So be careful. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hello. [Music] I see water in the distance. That was my aim to get to the coast. Oh my god, stunning day. So nice. [Music] I’m just walking up a hill here, a steep hill. I’ve taken a diversion off the Uravela one route. Um because I had a quick look on Google Earth last night or the night before uh sussing out some places I might like to camp and I picked a point. I can’t even remember the name of it. So I’m making my way there and uh just about 2 and 1 half kilometers to go. So, we’ll hop back on the bike here now and uh looking forward to getting to a place that I kind of stopped for the night. So, a lot of cycling done today again on the first day [Music] [Music] You only had to come up about 300 m on the bike and uh I knocked on the door but there was no one here. I walked around and I saw a tap and a hose. Very grateful. Have enough water now for my dinner and a wash. Pretty [Music] [Music] nice setting. really still and quiet here. It’s 20 10 and there’s no midgetes and my tent is just there. [Music] Trusting your instincts. Realize and knowing looks different to each. When living authentic, do more exploring. deeper than knowing just what is essential for life that is thriving. Go deep. Mute out the chatter. Feel it. Burn off the fire. Let go until there’s peace to your core. Live a life you adore. [Music] Silence the noise away from the program. A moving performance to self all that’s standing. Live free from worry. Live by just being power and finding your wholeness in [Music] Can you see that? Uh, I had the drone sitting on my bag. I was attaching the controller to my handlebars to my quadlock uh on the handlebars and uh this was sitting on my bag, my front bag and it fell and I I flew it and thought, “Oh my god, like how can a smashed looking lens be still looking okay?” Uh, but then when I looked again, I realized it’s just really dull. Uh, so when I fly it into the sun, uh, you can see all those cracks. Um, and outside the sun, it’s just like really dull. So, I need to get a new lens. So, that explains the difference in the footage that you’re going to see if I even bother using it. Um, I’ll I’ll have a look at how it’s going. So, it’s such a shame that I won’t be able to get some lovely drone footage for the rest of this trip. I’ve come off the UVL one route again and I’m uh coming towards uh more of a main road because I want to get lunch and I am avoiding a lot of town little villages towns little villages. Um, so I’m going to take this road up here, turn left, and go in the direction of Falcara, and I’m sure I’ll find a decent place for lunch there. Hopefully the wind isn’t interfering with the sound here. It’s just a lovely breeze. It’s 27° and there’s this gorgeous breeze. It’s really freshening. I’m just cycling alongside the Derry Vey Mountains. The GoPro is not going to pick it up. Um, and this always happens in places that I cycle where there’s mountains next to my cycle to, you know, on mountains that I’ve hiked. And I’m always in awe at to think that I was up there. I don’t know how I did it when I look at them from down here. Um, so had a lovely lunch in Falcara in a place called Batch. had a chicken Caesar salad which is going to power me on for the next couple of hours. Would you believe I met someone who I knew about 25 years ago in that cafe and we had lunch together. How random is that? Ireland definitely is a small country. Um still a beautiful day. I’m going to cycle in the direction. Here’s another UVL1 sign. I’m going to cycle in the direction of Gor and out towards Rifast and I have a beach in mind. Could be busy. It’s the 12th of July, which is holiday season in Northern Ireland. And uh apparently many people will have left Northern Ireland and come in the direction of Dunnigal. Uh so hopefully it won’t be too busy. I’ll I’ll be aiming to try to find a quiet spot anyway. So I’ll just move on if I find it too busy. So talk to you again tonight. Silence performance true self all that’s standing. Live free from worry. Live by just being power and finding your wholeness in now. Holdy. Mute out the ch. Feel it. Burn off the fire. [Music] Yet again, I left the Uravela one route to come on a quest of uh finding somewhere in particular to camp. So, there’s a a beach called the Boat Strand that I’m hoping to get to and uh seemed like a great idea at the time. Oh my god, I’m just I’m running on empty. The stretch from Falcara to Dunloo, which I think was only 14 km. Oh my god, it was a slo. So many hills. Uh yeah, really tough. It took me ages and I’ve just over 5 kilometers to go now. Um, God, I’ve made this difficult yesterday and today going for such stretches off the original plan. Ah, looking forward to stopping. Like I said, I’m pretty empty now. I’ve arrived in my worst nightmare. for camping. Look at all these beautiful location. Look at all these people. It’s just it stretches for I could say miles and people are just packed in like sardines. So, I’m going to have the challenge now of dragging my bike up here to try and find somewhere that’s a little bit quiet. I made it. 8:33. A long day. Decided on my uh walk up there that midgetis are worse than people. And uh I was about to say there there’s no sign of the midgetes as I wipe something off myself there. And they’re certainly not bad. Um, so I’m away from people. I’m away from a path. There’s a couple of tents out there in the distance from me, a couple of hundred meters away. H. So that’ll do. So before putting my tent up, I’m going to soak my dinner for a couple of minutes. And uh, then as soon as the tent is up, I should be ready to eat. So it’s pasta bolognese. uh dehydrated the pasta and the bolognese. Um yeah, it’s a nice one. Add some water. Kindly given to me by a lovely woman about 2 km away. Knocked on her door. Have a lovely chat. [Music] Follow through. Take your time. You move like water and taste like wine. You’re holier than I am. Holier than I am. Gentle hands, golden eyes. I am a man made up for all time. You’re holier than I am. Holier than I am. I am the dust. You are the rain. [Music] You pull me close. Good morning. Day three in Dunny begins. Lovely breeze in my face. Um, so I haven’t actually looked at the route. I know I’m about 10 km still away from the UVL one route. So that’s the first aim. Get back on that road. And um tonight I’m actually going to be camping with a friend Mary. I just gave her a shout before leaving uh cuz I she lives in Glenties and I knew I’d be going close to Glenties and to see if they’re around. And she’s out in her tent with her I’m not sure how many of her family. She’s three sons and a husband. So not sure how many of them are around as well. Uh so that’ll be a nice treat to meet up with them this evening and just enjoy the sights along the way. [Music] Holier than I am. I am the dust. You are the rain. You pull me close, I push away. I swear I love you, but I am afraid. You pull me in, I’ll push away. [Music] Afraid I will let you down one day. [Music] again. Jordan Morris quick. Really quick Morris. Golden flames. I’m less than 5 km now from the beach that Mary is camping at. Um, I got a voice note from her. It’s just going to be Mary on her own and maybe her eldest son might come late tonight. So, another tough day. Lots of hills yet again. So, putting the Brmpton’s little wheels and three gears and my legs and heart to the test. Had to do a good bit of walking at times to get it up the hills. Um, but another really rewarding day with just fantastic scenery. They’re long days though. It’s It’s 6:00 now and I’m almost finished, which is great. So, earlier than the last couple of nights. Um, but still still still a tough day. I thought it was actually going to be easier today. Um, anyway, enough of my moaning. There’s some cows and see you at camp. I don’t think Mary’s tent would be fitting on your back. Look at this. She’s gone out for a paddle. Would you like it to reach your sandwich? Yeah. I never would have imagined this in a million years. I never would have thought it was possible. Thank you. to want one needs must. Yeah. Thank you. I really want this. Okay. Bad like I’ve actually done that now. I didn’t have the ostrich to porridge. But I put peanut butter, maybe some nuts, cacao nibs, honey, um probiotic yogurt in and then mix it all in and I love it. What a change. I know. So, I decided not to go cycling today and to hang out with Mary and uh she was giving me a going to give me a lift to Dunny Gol and catching the bus. We packed up the car with everything and Mary’s big tent and all our stuff and um when we were just stopping for something to eat and I put my hand down next to a fishing rod and I’ve got a hook stuck in my finger. So, we’ve run around a couple of GPS um trying to avoid A&E. also looked on YouTube h of options of maybe trying to take it out myself. Um, but we have a practice in Dunning Town where I’m getting the bus from, a walk-in practice. So, please God, they’re going to help me out now. All sorted. I’m just back in Dunny Town now and waiting for my bus. This uh trip turned into be a bit more financially expensive than planned. H but delighted that this is sorted and uh that I’m able to catch my bus on time.