In this landscape photography guide, I share the most spectacular photo locations in County Donegal in the north of Ireland. I include both seascape and landscape photography spots. Donegal is known for its rugged coastline, dramatic cliffs, and wild landscapes. It offers some of Europe's best landscape photography opportunities, from Malin Head in the north to the Slieve League mountains in the south. In this article, I cover the following photography locations:

Muckross Head
Sturrall Ridge
An Port
Maghera Beach
Slieve League
Malin Head
Fanad Head
Great Pollet Arch
The Devil's Backbone
Portsalon Beach
Murder Hole Beach
Crohy Head
Dunlewey Church
Mount Errigal

Why Donegal is Great for Landscape Photography

Donegal is home to some of the most spectacular European seascapes, many of which you'll still have for yourself during sunrise and sunset. It has become a rarity in many parts of the world. Yet, Ireland and Donegal, in particular, provide such an abundance of photo spots that it doesn't get too crowded during a photo shoot. There are places like Fanad Head Lighthouse or Crohy Head where you will sometimes meet other photographers. However, there are usually many different angles and compositions to explore at those locations, so you can still express your artistic vision. Donegal On Location

Another reason to visit Donegal is its mountains. Those aren't the highest mountains in Ireland, but they offer fantastic views. And if you're up for an adventure, you'll even find spots that have yet to be photographed. To do so and make the most out of a visit to Donegal, you should plan enough time. I recently spent two weeks exploring it, and it never got boring. I advise staying at least one week to experience Donegal's raw beauty. Stormy morning at Fanad Head Lighthouse in Donegal.

Stormy morning at Fanad Head Lighthouse in Donegal.

When To Visit

People say that in Ireland, you can get four different seasons in a single day. And from my experience, this is true. And it doesn't matter when you visit. While Summer provides the highest temperatures with up to 18°C in Donegal, even then, you'll usually get a lot of rain. For Donegal, that means between 12 and 15 days of rain per month. The good thing is that you don't need sunny weather for photography. On the contrary, if it's stormy and the weather is unpredictable, this can lead to spectacular photos. It's one of the reasons you shouldn't shy away from visiting Donegal in autumn, spring, or even winter. The conditions can be harsh, but your photography will benefit. During those times, it's also less crowded than during summer, and the prices for an Airbnb or cottage are more affordable. Donegal Landscape

My last visit to Donegal was in September. It provided a great mix of weather with winds up to 80km/h that had the sea raging. The days were also still sufficiently long to cover enough ground. Later in the year, the days can get relatively short, and you should factor this in if you want to do hiking and scouting during the day. If you want to experience coastal flowers and bloom in areas like the Poisoned Glen, late spring or early summer might be a better fit. For the heather season, you have to come in Summer. Donegal is full of heather, which must look fantastic in bloom. I missed it by just a few weeks.

How To Travel to Donegal

Getting to Donegal is easy. If you travel internationally, you fly to Dublin and rent a car there. In three to four hours, you can drive up to Donegal. Just be aware that in Ireland, like in the UK, you must drive on the left side of the road. If this is your first time doing it, it'll take a few kilometers to get used to. But don't be afraid of it. Many roads in Donegal are so narrow that there is little difference anyway.

Where To Stay

Driving from the south-western end of Donegal to its north-eastern point can take up to three hours. That's why staying in a single place is only ideal if you don't mind spending much time in the car. The photo spots I share below are distributed across all of Donegal, with a few hot spots. The Fanad Peninsula or the area close to it is a great location to make your home base. Up there, you'll find endless photo opportunities within a one-hour radius. I stayed in a cottage in Portsalon for one week, which I had rented from Shamrock Cottages. I recommend their service. If you're looking for a cottage to rent in Ireland, you'll find the most extensive selection on their website. Alternatively, you can also explore what Airbnb and Booking.com have to offer. To explore the south-west between Slieve League and Crohy head, Glencolumbkille is a great starting place. From there, you have locations like the Sturral Ridge in walking distance and many other interesting photo spots within a one-hour driving distance.

Donegal Photo Spots

The list of landscape and seascape photo locations in Donegal is long. It took me two visits to Donegal, with a total of 17 days, to photograph them all. Everything else would have been a rush because the unpredictable Irish weather did not provide the right conditions every day. Keep this in mind when planning your trip. There will be days when you won't be able to take a photo because of the weather. Thankfully, Donegal has some great pubs for those rainy days. Dramatic light at Muckross Head with the view toward the Slieve League Mountains.

Dramatic light at Muckross Head with the view toward the Slieve League Mountains.

Muckross Head

The first photo spot you should visit is Muckross Head in southern Donegal. It lies close to the Slieve League, a 45-minute drive from Donegal town. From the parking area, you can either head straight down to the rock shelf to explore or walk along the top of the cliffs until you reach an area of fissured rocks that make a great foreground. You can photograph from there during any tidal conditions. On low tide, you can also explore at the bottom of the cliff. However, regarding the subject matter, the sharp rocks at the top are where you want to be for sunset. Blue hour photo of the Sturrall Cliffs

Sturrall Ridge

While it's possible to hike along the Sturrall Ridge, the strong winds at this exposed stretch of coastline make it a bit treacherous for photography. You'll have a much easier time photographing the Sturrall Ridge from the south. You can park close to Glencolumbkille and follow the path up the mountain toward an old watch tower, which you can reach in about 20 minutes. From the tower, head northward toward the cliff's edge to experience the spectacular view of the Sturrall Ridge. This location should work both during sunrise and sunset. Because of the weather, I didn't return after my midday scouting mission, though. I went to another close viewpoint. Follow the road through Glencolumbkille for about one kilometer. There's a bend in the road where you can park your car and head down to the coast to photograph the view in the image above. An Port Donegal

An Port

The drive toward An Port can be stressful because it's a single-lane road for most of the time. And if there's oncoming traffic, you'll often have to reverse toward one of the broader areas of the road. However, driving to An Port is worth the effort. You can hike straight up the hill on the right from the parking area for some spectacular views. The only difficulty is finding foreground interest. The heather had already faded during my visit, and it was hard to find a good composition. I also didn't bring enough time to explore further up the coast where you can find further sea stacks. So, learn from my mistake and be there at least two hours before sunset to find the best vantage point. At low tide, Maghera Beach shows endless patterns or tidal pools and sand.

At low tide, Maghera Beach shows endless patterns or tidal pools and sand.

Maghera Beach

If you have an evening with low tide during your visit, head to Maghera Beach. The patterns and tidal pools blew me away during my midday visit. During a brief moment of light, I took a photo that gives you an idea of Maghera's beauty. Imagine how this must look with a colorful sky reflected on the beach. The Slieve League Mountains under a cloudy sky

The Slieve League Mountains under a cloudy sky

Slieve League

I have visited the cliffs at Slieve League twice and have yet to get a photo I like. It's challenging to photograph because the lay of the land mandates a spectacular sky with dramatic clouds. Otherwise, the mountains will weigh too heavily in the right part of the photo. Another problem you'll face up there is the wind. You'll have to lean heavily on your tripod to keep it stable and use high ISO to freeze the foreground. Follow the little footpath up the mountain from the Sliabh Liag Viewing Platform for the best vantage point. The platform itself offers lovely views but no foreground interest. You'll find it further up as you can see in the cell phone photo I took during scouting.

Malin Head

One of the most photogenic places in Donegal is Malin Head, the northernmost point of Ireland. When you visit, park away from the main parking area; head to this spot for fast access. It's just a five-minute walk up the hill to the viewpoint from which I took the title photo of this article. Because I had a few days in the area, I went back another day for a night photo, which also works in addition to sunset. Unique Perspective of Fanad Head Lighthouse at sunrise from a nearby beach.

Unique Perspective of Fanad Head Lighthouse at sunrise from a nearby beach.

Fanad Head

One of the most popular photo spots in all of Ireland is Fanad Head Lighthouse. And for good reason. It's one of the most beautiful lighthouses in Europe, and thanks to the cliffs surrounding it, you can find many different compositions. The best time to photograph the lighthouse is in the morning of a stormy day. This place looks best with a huge swell and crashing waves. But be careful on the rocks and do a scouting trip during the daytime first so you don't stumble around the cliffs in the dark. If you have time in the area, you can also add a trip to Arryheerna Beach south of Fanad Head. You'll have a great view of the lighthouse from there if access is still allowed when you visit. The Great Pollet Arch during blue hour.

Great Pollet Arch

This place was still a hidden gem during my first visit to Donegal. Now, there's an official car park and a broad path toward the arch. It's just 15 minutes south of Fanad Head and an ideal location for sunrise. Make sure to check the tides before you go. A medium tide with a good swell is ideal for photographing the arch from the rocks in front of it. If the tide is too low, you'll lose foreground interest because there will be little water to create separation between the rocks. And a high tide will prevent you from accessing the stones you see in my photo here. A small mountain ridge in Donegal on a stormy evening in beautiful light.

A small mountain ridge in Donegal on a stormy evening in beautiful light.

The Devil's Backbone

I'm sure most of you haven't heard of this location. I didn't know about The Devil's Backbone or Knockalla Ridge when I planned my trip to Donegal. Because I had one week on the Fanad peninsula, I wanted to see what else it offered next to Fanad Lighthouse and the Great Pollet Arch. So I studied the maps and found this little mountain range with a lake at the top. Getting up there is simple. Park your car here and hike straight up toward the lake. Then, follow the ridge on the right to several viewpoints. When I went up there, I had to battle 80km/h winds, which made photography challenging. But eventually, the sun broke through the clouds and delivered a fantastic light show. Different perspectives of Portsalon Beach

Different perspectives of Portsalon Beach

Portsalon Beach

As Portsalon was my home base on the Fanad Peninsula, I also explored the local beach. Toward its southern end, dunes and rocks provide interesting foregrounds when photographing in the direction of Dunree Head during sunrise. Waves crash on the shores of Murder Hole Beach during sunset.

Waves crash on the shores of Murder Hole Beach during sunset.

Murder Hole Beach

When I first visited Boyeeghter Bay, aka Murder Hole Beach, in 2012, it wasn't popular. I only knew about it from the homepage of a local photographer who had been there and shared his photo. Back then, I could park on the road and walk straight through some meadows to the beach. But times have changed. Direct access is now forbidden; you must park at the nearby caravan park. From there, it's a 30-minute walk to the beach. It would be alright if they had reasonable opening times for the car park. But when I was there, it closed at 8 pm, which made photographing the sunset impossible, because with closing I mean you won't be able to leave with your car afterward. So I didn't return to the beach. Thankfully, I had already taken a spectacular photo during my first visit. However, to avoid the restrictions of car park opening hours, you can take the longer hike from Tranarossan Bay and follow the path over Crocknasleigh Mountain. I haven't done the hike, so do your research when planning your visit. Dramatic cliffs and seastacks in golden light at Crohy Head.

Dramatic cliffs and seastacks in golden light at Crohy Head.

Crohy Head

The Crohy Head sea arch is one of Donegal's most spectacular photo subjects. During high tide, you can photograph it up from the cliffs; during low tide, you can head down to the shore and photograph the towering sea stacks from below. It's also easy to get to, contrary to what you might have read in other articles. First of all, the parking area on the road is wide enough to accommodate three cars while still allowing space for others to drive by. The climb down to the shore is also relatively easy. Just the last few meters require additional care, especially if wet. If the tide is in, you'll be confined to the rocks at the bottom of the climb. On low tide, you can explore around the rocks to the left and right. If the incoming tide cuts you off, it can get very uncomfortable.

Dunlewey Church

The Old Church of Dunlewey is a place where you can take photographs at any time of the day. The only thing you need is some moody clouds to emphasize the medieval feel of the scenery. You can park your car at the road behind the church and photograph it from the west. Dramatic sunset seen from the top of Mount Errigal

Dramatic sunset seen from the top of Mount Errigal

Mount Errigal

It took me less than 45 minutes to hike from the road to the top of Mount Errigal. After waiting out two rain showers, I was rewarded with the view in the photo above. It shows Lough Nacung and Dunlewey Lough during sunset. It's one of many photography options you have up there. If you head up during sunrise, you'll have an equally spectacular view toward the east. And the mountains to the south are great for photography with a telephoto lens.

Other Photography Locations

Temple Arch Horn Head

Marked as the "Marble (Temple Arch) Viewpoint" on Google Maps, this is one of the few spots that eluded me during my visits to Donegal. Had I known its name, it would have been much easier to plan a visit. However, the photos I had seen of it were named Horn Head, which is misleading, as I learned when hiking around Horn Head. The views around Horn Head are also spectacular but far from as photogenic as the Marble Arch. Once I realized that Horn Head was the wrong location, I drove to this little farm to hike through the meadows. I wanted to ask for directions there. But the only ones at home when I arrived were a pack of very protective dogs that didn't let me get out of the car. So I left without a photo and the hope to return someday.

Tory Island

Another place I have yet to go to is Tory Island. If you do a Google search on it, you'll know why I had to mention it in this article. If you can plan a night on the island, you'll be able to photograph some spectacular rock walls and sea stacks. The old Classiebawn Castle near Mullaghmore in County Sligo on a gloomy morning.

The old Classiebawn Castle near Mullaghmore in County Sligo on a gloomy morning.

Mullaghmore

Although Mullaghmore Castle is not in Donegal but part of the adjacent County Sligo, I must include it here. It's a fantastic photo subject. Just park your car on the road and head down to this cove. Alternatively, you can walk up the grassy hill a few 100 meters north to get a more downward perspective with Ben Bulben towering behind the castle.

Conclusion

As you've seen in this article, there's no shortage of excellent photo spots in Donegal. There's something to photograph in nearly any kind of weather. So don't let yourself get stopped by foul weather because the conditions can change quickly. The most important lesson I learned in Donegal is that you have to be in it to win it. Sometimes, the light only lasts for a short time, and if you aren't already on location, you might have lost the opportunity to take a great photo. [//]:# (!pinmapple 55.273233 lat -7.639419 long Donegal d3scr)

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