Sandrock Holiday Hostel

Top choice in Inishowen Peninsula


The cinematic view from this IHH hostel – at the end of the road, above a rocky bay on the western side of the headland – will take your breath away. Inside are 20 beds in two dorms, plus musical instruments and laundry facilities. There's a good kitchen and a cosy lounge with telescopes on hand for spotting basking sharks and dolphins.

Bike rental (€10 per day) is available. Ask about the very limited community-bus connections to get here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Inishowen Peninsula attractions

1. Banba's Crown

1.58 MILES

On the northernmost tip of Malin Head, called Banba's Crown, stands a cumbersome 1805 clifftop tower that was built by the British admiralty and later…

2. Carrickabraghey Castle

3.28 MILES

Sitting on Friar's Rock, this 16th-century tower is just north of long Pollan Strand and Ballyliffin Golf Club. The ruins are in bad shape so take care…

3. Doagh Famine Village

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Set in a reconstructed village of thatched cottages, this open-air museum is packed with interesting tidbits about the tragic Famine of the mid-19th…

4. Pollan Strand

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This lovely stretch of beach makes for pleasant walks on the sand; however, the atmospheric crashing breakers make it rather unsafe for swimming.

5. Tullagh Strand

6.48 MILES

Tullagh Strand, 2km northwest of Clonmany, is a little better for swimming than Pollan Strand, although it isn't recommended when the tide's going out.

6. Donagh Cross

8.45 MILES

The intricate 7th-century Donagh Cross (also called St Patrick's Cross) stands under a shelter by an Anglican church at the west end of town. It's carved…

7. Culdaff Beach

9.55 MILES

This Blue Flag beach is great for swimming and windsurfing. You can wander its gorgeous length and get lost in the grassy sand dunes, and there's a fun…

8. Clonca Church & Cross

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The gable ends and huge windows of the roofless shell of 17th-century Clonca Church frame views of the Donegal mountains. Inside there is an intricately…