5.
Owey Island: Lake under a lakeOwey Island located off the west coast of Donegal has more than one claim to fame, but perhaps the most significant is the lake under a lake. This is incredibly unique it is one of the only lake under a lake in the world. This is a typical lake, easily reached by a short stroll along the inland trail that leads north from the village on the island. The lake supplies the village with water however, there is another lake just beneath this one. The underground lake lies 50 metres below the surface and can be reached by descending into a small sinkhole that is concealed at the northern end of the upper lake. The sinkhole requires some manoeuvring and crawling, and the final third of the descent is extremely muddy. Beware that the descent is both dark and risky, but this leads to the northernmost point of the slender subterranean lake, which is a deep silt beach. Upon arrival at the underground lake, you will see that the cave is bioluminescent, glowing when a torch is shone upon the walls. The final destination and arrival point is called ‘The Pool of Tranquility’, a place of silence where no natural light can penetrate. The lake under a lake received recognition from RedBull in a list compiled about ‘amazing’ underground lakes. Owey Island placed second on the list losing out on the top spot to Salina Turda, a salt mine in Romania.
6.
Crohy HeadAt Crohy Head there is a formation of three remarkable sea arches, located near Maghery, off the Mullaghmullan Peninsula. Of the three arches at Crohy Head, the only one fully visible from the cliffside is the Bristi Sea Stack. The other two arches can be viewed from the beach. The Bristi Sea Stack is significant at Crohy Head as it rises approximately 150 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The sea stack is naturally formed from quartzite, a hard metamorphic rock which was once sand but through erosion and pressure from continental plates formed into a spectacular sea arch!The sea arches at Crohy Head attract thousands of visitors every year from tourists to rock climbers to photographers. It truly is a sight to behold.
7.
Crohy HeadAt Crohy Head there is a formation of three remarkable sea arches, located near Maghery, off the Mullaghmullan Peninsula. Of the three arches at Crohy Head, the only one fully visible from the cliffside is the Bristi Sea Stack. The other two arches can be viewed from the beach. The Bristi Sea Stack is significant at Crohy Head as it rises approximately 150 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The sea stack is naturally formed from quartzite, a hard metamorphic rock which was once sand but through erosion and pressure from continental plates formed into a spectacular sea arch!The sea arches at Crohy Head attract thousands of visitors every year from tourists to rock climbers to photographers. It truly is a sight to behold.
8.
Donegal AirportAlthough this may be the most widely known feature on the list, it had to be mentioned. Donegal’s only airport was opened in 1986 and it is situated in Carrickfinn. It is a regional airport which serves the North-west, facilitating flights to and from Dublin twice daily and the airport also offers flights from Carrickfinn to Glasgow four times a week. The Airport located on the Wild Atlantic Way was voted the number most scenic airport landing in the world. The airstrip received recognition for three consecutive years in a row by private jet booking service PrivateFly. Carrickfinn ranked above airports such as Msembe Airstrip, Tanzania and Skiathos (Alexandros Papadiamantis) Airport, Greece.Inspired by the recognition of being the most scenic landing in the world, recently, there was a four-part documentary series on TG4 about Donegal Airport. Aerfort Dhún na nGall showed viewers an insight into the running of a small regional airport which was portrayed through the stories of the passengers flying in and out and the airport and the staff responsible for keeping the vital service operating.