Arainn Mhor - again

 Thursday 8th May 2025

 A second visit to Arainn Mhor island. We enjoyed it a lot last time, and wanted to complete the ‘round-the-island’ walk.  About  7 miles, and still hot.

A special treat was seeing dolphins as we approached Leabgarrow harbour. 

We had a brief chat to a woman on boat. She’s from Dumfries but lives in the ‘last house on the island’, as it happened, on the road we walked on today. 

We started the day out with coffee in a lovely sheltered cafe (The Dock) near the harbour. Delicious scones, made by the owner’s sister.  She also told us about steps down to the sea at the lighthouse - we didn’t visit them today. https://thedockarranmore.com/arranmore-steps (Always save something for the next time!)

A lifeboat training exercise was in progress on the shore.

We did the rest of the round island walk, in a clockwise direction this time.

All great apart from the unfortunate incident of the little white dog on a lead…

Lovely walk though, great views, mediterranean colours. 

Back to Leabgarrow harbour in very good time for our 6pm boat -

we were the only passengers, though there were a few waiting in Burtonport for their return trip!

Back at the house there were very striking, beautiful sunset colours again.  

A visit to Árainn Mhor

 Part of the ‘Round the Island’ walk. 10 miles (16 km) with 1100 feet (335 m) of ascent.

the full walk

Our route, with elevation profile - always exaggerated, but looks impressive!

We caught the ferry over to Arranmore Island, from Burtonport. The weather was hot.

Some highlights - the views as we climbed out of the main village;

the walk down to the lighthouse and back,

with skylarks, cuckoo and choughs; the man in a car taking his dog for a walk;  the “bog road”;

the Beaver island connection;

the few other people - a couple of blokes drinking ? tea? in front of a house; the runner near the lighthouse; the couple taking a walk near the chough cliffs; a group of German walkers;  the lack of cars;

the cafe ‘An Bolgam Beag’ (the Little Cup of Tea - named by a boy from the island); the very friendly young lady serving , who was born on the island and spent a lot of time there; 

the man on the boat from Larne, who took a photo of us, and then talked about birds and Tory Island.

The day finished with fish and chips at McCafferty’s in Dungloe

and a magnificent sunset from the house!