A Hidden Weekend in Donegal: Dog-Friendly Escapes, Secret Beaches & Local Food Gems

Last weekend, we headed back to one of our favourite places in the world — Donegal. There’s something about that county that feels like the edge of the world and the heart of home all at once. It was super last minute, we were in bits as we couldn't get away the week before so when this came up we jumped at it. 

We stayed in the most beautiful old farmhouse we found on Airbnb. Nestled deep in a quiet valley, it had those kind of sweeping views you don’t forget — the kind where you catch yourself staring out the window for ages getting lost in the ever changing landscape.

Best of all, it was dog friendly — a huge plus for us. A lot of our adventures are planned around whether the dogs are able to come too, and this place was perfect for them. They had an enclosed garden to run around in, corners to sniff, and a warm stove to curl beside once the sun went down

We basically lived in the kitchen the whole time. With two big cosy chairs and a massive turf burning stove fire we didn't need much else. It was bliss.

Pizza by the Ocean in Dunfanaghy

We made our way to The Rusty Oven in Dunfanaghy — some of the best wood-fired pizza you’ll find anywhere in Ireland. We didn’t get a table inside this time, but we nabbed a picnic bench by the sea and enjoyed every bite right by the water. With a couple of pints from Patsy Dan’s to wash the pizzas down of course.

We made our way to Marble Hill. Despite the jellyfish invasion, I headed in for a dip, and it was magical as always. We had the whole beach to ourselves — a rare treasure in Donegal this time of year. There is something really special about that beach, it's hard to describe, but has something to do with the size of the beach itself (at low tide you can walk and walk for ages), the huge skies and the old trees behind.

Secret Beaches & Snorkelling

The next morning, we woke to pure sunshine pouring in through the low farmhouse windows. We headed out for today's adventures. Loads of people had left after the previous weekend's heatwave, and we had the place nearly to ourselves.

We tracked down a hidden beach near Downings that looked like it belonged in the Bahamas. Turquoise warm water. Soft sand. Enclosed and cut off from the world by cliffs and hills. Stunning. What made it really made it was the weather! The sun was shining all day and as much as we love Donegal in all weathers, when the sun shines it's off the charts amazing. 

I am getting more and more confident in the Ocean and headed out quite far this time. It is one of my favourite things in this world to do, diving to the ocean floor and slowly coming back to the surface, it really is another world down there. I went out exploring and seen shoals of tiny fish and jellyfish drifting about lazily. Meanwhile, Joe was stuck on the beach trying to wrestle three excited dogs. At one point it looked like a dog-induced sandstorm had hit!

Seafood, Pints & Hidden Gardens

We made our way into Downings for lunch at Fisk, one of our top seafood spots. We sat out the back of the Harbour Bar and tucked into some seriously good sushi, tacos, oysters, and fish and chips.

From there, we finished the trip with a stop at The Olde Glen Bar, a place that always feels like coming home. We couldn't get a table in the restaurant. This time as you really need to book a few weeks in advance. We did however discover their hidden beer garden surrounded by ancient stone walls. The Guinness was next level. We were on time for food from their Bia Box thankfully which is always epic. Sitting in the warm sun, sipping some of the best Guniness out there is hard to beat.

Back at the farmhouse, it was one final glass of wine, a fire in the stove, and a pile of sleepy dogs at our feet smelling of sand and the ocean. Donegal gave us everything we needed — quiet, chaos, and something to carry back with us.

Planning Your Trip to Donegal?

• ✔️ Stay: Our dog-friendly farmhouse on Airbnb, email or message us for the link
• ✔️ Eat: Fisk, The Rusty Oven, The Bia Box (Olde Glen Bar), Brú Lab
• ✔️ Swim: Marble Hill, for the Hidden beach email or message us :) It's soo good to tell everyone ;)
• ✔️ Drink: Patsy Dan’s, The Olde Glen Bar
• ✔️ Coffee: The Shack, Casa Cafe & Deli, Dunfanghy, Brú Lab, LetterKenny, Rossan Coffee Co - check their instagram for locations

Thanks for reading this folks, we will have a few more coming for other parts of Doengal and the West. - Michael