Horn Head
Corrán Binne · Co. Donegal
Rising almost sheer from the Atlantic to around 180 metres, the quartzite cliffs of Horn Head are among the most dramatic in Ireland — and among the least visited of Donegal's great headlands. The head shelters the pretty town of Dunfanaghy and Sheephaven Bay, and its cliff ledges hold one of the country's most important seabird breeding colonies.
Cliffs, birds and a blowhole
In early summer the cliffs are loud with razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and fulmars, with puffins and choughs also making an appearance. Bring binoculars: this is one of the best seabird-watching sites on the north coast.
The headland is also home to McSwyne's Gun, a famous blowhole that in heavy westerly swells was once said to be heard miles away, and to a ruined Napoleonic-era signal tower with views stretching from Tory Island in the west to Malin Head in the east.
The loop drive and walks
A narrow single-track road loops around the head from Dunfanaghy, with viewing points along the way — drive it anti-clockwise for the best reveals, and use the passing places generously. Walkers can follow paths from the road out to the signal tower and the cliff edges; sturdy footwear is essential, and the unfenced edges demand respect in wind.
Getting there
Horn Head is signposted from Dunfanaghy, which sits on the N56 about 40 minutes northwest of Letterkenny. Dunfanaghy itself is worth your time: a former workhouse heritage centre, galleries, good food and the vast tidal expanse of Killahoey Beach. Marble Hill Beach, one of Donegal's finest swimming strands, is ten minutes away.
Where it is
55.2244°N, 7.9822°W
Nearby stops
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