Natural Wonders in Co. Donegal
9 places
1.Assaranca Waterfall (Eas a' Ranca)
Park just feet from the cascade
A dramatic roadside waterfall on Donegal's wild Atlantic coast — park a few feet from the cascade, feel the spray, and carry on to Maghera Beach or Slieve League. No hike, no fuss, just nature at full volume after a good rainfall.
- Highlights
- Roadside access — park literally feet from the cascade
- Most impressive after heavy rainfall
- Perfect for visitors with limited mobility
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
2.Crohy Head Sea Arch
Three arches visible at low tide
A dramatic 25-metre sea arch — known locally as Na Bristí ("the trousers") — rising from the Atlantic off Donegal's wild Mullaghmullan Peninsula. One of Ireland's most photogenic coastal formations, rewarding those who make the short but rugged walk to its clifftop viewpoint.
- Highlights
- 25m sea arch with twin 'trouser-leg' rock pillars
- Three arches visible at low tide from the beach
- Spectacular sunset photography location
3.Malin Head
Home to Hell's Hole and Devil's Bridge
Ireland's northernmost point — a wild, wind-battered headland of sheer cliffs, thundering chasms, and endless Atlantic panoramas on Donegal's rugged Inishowen Peninsula. A Wild Atlantic Way signature discovery point and Star Wars filming location.
- Highlights
- Ireland's most northerly point
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi filming location (Planet Ahch-to)
- Dramatic cliffs, sea stacks & natural arches
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
4.Pólifreann or Hells Hole
where the Atlantic thunders into a cliff cavern
Hell's Hole (Pólifreann) is a sheer sea chasm at Malin Head, Ireland's most northerly point, where the Atlantic surges into a hidden cavern with a roar you hear before you see it. A short clifftop trail from Banba's Crown leads there past Star Wars filming ground and unfenced cliff drops.
- Highlights
- Ireland's most northerly mainland point
- Thundering Hell's Hole sea cavern
- Banba's Crown and the 1805 signal tower
- Facilities
- Good for kids
5.Caves of Maghera
20+ sea caves at low tide on a 5km white-sand beach
A hidden-gem white-sand beach beneath Slievetooey mountain on the Wild Atlantic Way, backed by cliffs honeycombed with more than 20 sea caves you can walk into at low tide. It is a 15-minute drive from Ardara, Co. Donegal.
- Highlights
- 20+ sea caves, 8 arches and 5 tunnels at low tide
- 5km stretch of fine white sand
- Dunes, cliffs and Slievetooey mountain backdrop
- Facilities
- Good for kids
6.Fairy Bridges
Bundoran's original tourist attraction since the 1800s
A dramatic coastal stretch of natural sea arches and blowholes steeped in folklore — Bundoran's original tourist attraction since the 1800s and the first Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point in County Donegal.
- Highlights
- Natural blowholes that erupt with sea spray at high tide
- 360° views across Donegal Bay to Slieve League and Mullaghmore
- Awarded TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice (top 10% of attractions globally)
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
7.Glenevin Waterfall
a 40ft waterfall in a wooded glen with fairy doors along the trail
A short, enchanting woodland walk on the Inishowen Peninsula leads to a 40-foot cascade tumbling over black rock into a tranquil pool — one of Ireland's most northerly waterfalls.
- Highlights
- Ireland's most northerly waterfall
- 40ft cascade over black rock into Pohl-an-eas pool
- Easy 1 km woodland trail suitable for all ages
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
8.Great Pollet Sea Arch
Newly built trail to a 20-metre sea arch
Ireland's largest sea arch — a 20-metre rock giant on the Fanad Peninsula, carved by the Atlantic over millennia and now reachable via a purpose-built trail.
- Highlights
- Ireland's largest sea arch at ~20 m (some sources say up to 45 m / 150 ft)
- Formed from Precambrian quartzite, part of the Dalradian Supergroup
- Newly built gravel pathway (opened April 2022) with free car park
9.Secret Waterfall
Rarest waterfall in a sea cave
A dramatic waterfall hidden inside a sea cave on Donegal's Slieve League peninsula — accessible only at low tide and known only to those who do their homework.
- Highlights
- Waterfall inside a sea cave — one of Ireland's rarest natural features
- Only accessible during low tide — timing is everything
- Thunderous after heavy rainfall; rainbows in the cave spray on sunny days
- Facilities
- Good for kids