Activities / Things to do
- Dún Ulún House is a fantastic spot to stay, with lots of things to do! Your hosts will give you more information on any activities you are interested in, while staying. Free brochures and maps available in Dún Ulún House.
Swimming, Bathing & Surfing Beaches
- Kilcar and its surrounding costal communities have many beaches suitable for everyone! Enjoy a great day out swimming, bathing or surfing on the Wild Atlantic coast of Donegal. There is a swimming and bathing beach (Port a'Chabhlaigh) just 1km away from Dún Ulún House. There are two beaches in Muckross, Kilcar (Trá Lobhair) which is ideal for surfing as well as another beach (Trá Bhán) Is ideal for swimming and bathing. There are also other beaches in the nearby towns including Fintra blue flag Beach which has a boardwalk and the famous Silver Strand in Glencolmcille with over 100 steps.
- Many people also go for walks, jogs or runs along the sandy beaches with a lovely sea breeze. A beach is a lovely location for a picnic, to relax, take photographs, to look for seashells and to build a classic s sandcastle.
Hill Walking
- Hillwalking in the hills of Donegal is spectacular, Dún Ulún House is situated near a few mountains and cliffs, here are a few we recommend to try!
- Slieve League Cliffs
- Croagh Muckross
- Donegal's Secret Waterfall
- The Blue Stack Mountains
Boat Trips & Water Sports
- Sliabh Liag Boat Trips
The Nuala Star charter boat is based in Teelin Pier, Co. Donegal. Talk to Paddy for sightseeing tours to Sliabh League cliffs, the highest sea cliffs in Europe. You may go swimming at the foot of the Slieve league cliffs in the crystal clear water at many coves on your tour! You can enjoy deep sea angling on the tour in the Donegal Bay which has some of best fishing grounds in Ireland, where a wide variety of fish can be caught. There are many good dive sites within a short distance from Teelin harbour. We can find sites to suit all levels. You may also enjoy Bird, Dolphin, Whale watching.We will be pleased to make reservations for you for a trip on the Nuala Star on your arrival at Dún Ulún House.
Tel +353 (0)74 9739365 08762844688
- Slieve League Kayaking
Tel: 0749739154 0872541411
Rock Climbing
The County of Donegal contains more climbable rocks than the rest of Ireland combined. There are loads of Climbs of all grades are available to you near Dún Ulún House!
Muckross
Sail Rock
Malinbeg
Skelpoonagh Bay
Muckross
- Muckross Head is a very unusual crag composed of horizontally bedded sandstone interspersed with thin bands of mudstone that have been eroded faster and have produced the characteristic overhangs that make the rock climbing here excellent. There are over 50 climbs here!
Sail Rock
- Sail rock is an 80 meter high Quartzite sea cliff which forms the East facing wall of a huge scooped out amphitheatre. There are currently 8 recorded climbs on the wall from very amenable to very hard.
Malinbeg
- Malinbeg is a long standing rock climbing venue and provides good clean rock. The sea cliffs along this coastline provide excellent climbing on immaculate quartzite, easy access and large sea level ledge.
Skelpoonagh Bay
- Sitting in the beautiful Glencolmcille, Skelpoonagh Bay provides excellent sea cliff climbing in 5 shelter zawns. The 5 zawns each provide a very different climbing experience from each other.
Shopping
The village of Kilcar has a long tradition of spinning, knitting and weaving, local people are still using skills built up over generations to produce products and is well known for it. The village has the principal tweed hand weaving facility in Donegal, with shops selling high quality tweed products. Here are some knitwear / tweed shops nearby.
Knitwear / Tweed
Tel: 0749738194
Tel: 0749738233
Tel: 0749730070
Tel: 0749738355
Grocery Shops
Knitwear / Tweed
- Studio Donegal
Tel: 0749738194
- Fisherman Out Of Ireland
Tel: 0749738233
- The Glencolmcille Woolen Mill Shop
Tel: 0749730070
- Authentic Irish Knitwear
Tel: 0749738355
Grocery Shops
- Centra, Kilcar Co. Donegal
Bike Rental / Cycling
When staying at Dún Ulún House why not rent a bike for a day of a bike hire provider listed below and enjoy spectacular scenic cycles around Kilcar and South West Donegal. We also get a lot of cyclists who bring there own bikes too and head on some cycle routes around the area, you are sure to see a wonderful mix of coastal and highland landscapes on your adventures!
Tel: 0872118638
- Ireland by Bike
Tel: 0872118638
Fishing
- Dún Ulún House is an ideal spot for fishing with plenty of piers and beaches nearby and just 15 minute drive away from Ireland's premier fishing port, Killybegs. Kilcar has an Atlantic coast with a variety of different fish native including: mackerel, pollock, seatroat and more. Donegal is massive, in terms of both coastline and fishing... and the bay is a haven for excellent fishing especially off the charter boats. The shore can produce excellent fishing too, usually better as you travel west. You can not even begin to imagine the fishing that is available here, and the recent attention given to the Blue Fin Tuna fishery is only beginning to open the door to this fishing wonderland. There is two types of Donegal weather; if you can't see the mountains it is raining, and if you can see them, then it is going to rain!
- Deep sea angling (most popular in the area)
- Rock fishing
- River fishing
Irish Learning & Culture Courses
Coláiste Chara
Tel: 0749738088
Oideas Gael
- Coláiste Cill Chartha is in Kilcar Co. Donegal. It's aim is to instil a love of the Irish language in its students, it is a summer course where you learn Irish by having Irish classes in the morning then activities e.g. Sports, Arts, hill walks, beach days. In the evening there is discos, talent nights, quizzes and more all through learning Irish! There is a course for 13-18 year olds as well as one for 11 to 13 year olds. Students always have a fantastic time, making friends and having a fun packed holidays with many returning again and again!!
Tel: 0749738088
Oideas Gael
- Oideas Gael is in Glencolmkille, Co. Donegal and provides adult Irish language and cultural courses, including courses to learn traditional Irish instruments
Playgrounds
There are a few playgrounds near Dún Ulún House they all have benches for you to sit down and relax while the kids have a great time swinging, sliding and what not! Here are the closest ones. Kilcar playground is just about 2.5km away.
- Kilcar, Co. Donegal
- Carrick, Co. Donegal
- Glencolmkille, Co. Donegal
- Killybegs, Co. Donegal
Walking
The Kilcar Way Walk
- Trinity of equally beautiful walks.
- All starting in Kilcar village.
- Map available in Dún Ulún House.
Golfing
While staying at Dún Ulún House you could head off golfing for a day trip here are some golf courses nearby most golfers from Kilcar go to:
Tel: 0749545107
Tel: 0749734054
- Narin & Portnoo Golf club (45 min drive)
Tel: 0749545107
- Murvagh Golf Club (50 min drive)
Tel: 0749734054
Sightseeing
- Visit our Attractions Page to see places to go sightseeing!
Horse Riding
- Deanes Equestrian Centre is located in Darney, Bruckless Co. Donegal which is about a 25-30 minute drive from Dún Ulún House. They offer horse riding on their farm & with an indoor arena they provide horse riding all year round and give qualified instuction in lessons for all abilities, and also offer trekking & cross-country when the weather allows it. The all year round equestrian centre provides the following : Lessons - all abilities, Indoor Arena (25m x 45m), Outdoor arenas ( 20m x 30m ) ( 30m x 40m ), Showjumping Grounds, Trekking, Cross Country Course, Pony Rides and Tack & Gift Shop.