Inishowen Way - The Route
Section 4 Malin Town to Malin Head
Leave Malin Town on the Malin Head road, and walk 3k along this coastal road, descending to the beach just beyond Malin Presbyterian church. Walk along Five Finger Strand for approx 2k until you reach the bottom of the Knockmany Bens, just beyond the beach car park.
Leave Malin Town, and climb a narrow road up the hill to Glacknabrade, turn left at the T junction, and first right, continuing through a cross roads to gain the beach just beyond Malin Presbyterian Church. Walk along Five Finger Strand for approx 2k until you reach the bottom of the Knockmany Bens. Just beyond the beach car park, cut up right, through a short area of sandhills, and follow the fence steeply up the edge of the escarpment, until you reach the viewpoint/car park at GR 42406 53613
The views from here are stunning, over the Isle of Doagh, Trawbreaga Bay, Dunaff Head, etc, and they continue as you skip, gradually downhill, along the cliff tops, crossing a fence and stream at GR 41564 54022 to reach the promontory Fort at GR 41182 54108 It is possible to descend from here to storm beach, but continue along the clifftop to another fence at GR 41251 54337, and descend gradually to a spur at GR 41251 54424 just opposite the big stack of Stookannillar. Descend the spur, and pick up a sheep track North/rightwards at GR 41172 54455 (exposed for a short period with a rock step where care is required!) to gain the rocky shore just below a big rock Pillar (The Big Cigar) at GR 41204 54497. Continue along the stony shore to gain a track, passing caravans on the right. The track swings inland at Culoort (GR 41239 55755) and this can be taken, but it is more direct to continue along the shore over some rocks and more storm beach to join the road at GR 41375 56345.
Follow the road along the coast and then inland over a bridge, towards Ballygorman, to join the main road. Turn left to the Crossroads Inn (Refreshments), where the left fork is again taken, and followed for approx 850m to GR 41237 57735. Take the minor road up the hill, by Northtown, which soon becomes at track, leading to Ballyhillin GR 40350 58939. Wend your way through the thatched cottages of Ballyhilin, and turn right GR 40014 59093 up to the prominent tower of Bamba’s Crown, and Ireland’s most northerly point. There are no facilities here, but you might be lucky enough to coincide your visit with Dominic’s excellent mobile coffee Emporium!
A track leads West from the lower carpark GR 39636 59476 along the coast, and this is a very worthwhile excursion, which includes local attractions such as “Hells Hole”, Skildren Mor and the “Devils Bridge”. This wild coastline makes up for the general disappointment of the rather dull “Bamba’s Crown”. You can pick up a track at Breasty bay which will bring you back to the road at GR 39581 59125. Retrace your steps through Ballyhillin, by Esky Bay, passing the Curiousity Shop and the famous Malin Head weather station, to Ballygorman, where there are lodgings and a campsite.
Allow 5-6 hours.
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Clonmany to Malin Town Section 4Section 5 Malin Head to Culdaff Section 6 Section 7