This was day five of our Ireland trip and our Donegal road trip in a single day: after the storm had cost us our beach day the day before, we finally got one at Rossnowlagh, where you can drive onto the sand. From Rossnowlagh to Bundoran it is only a few minutes, and there we stopped at the seafront funfair and had a short, rainy look at the town beach. On the way back to our Airbnb in Lisacul we gave the Gleniff Horseshoe and Glenade Lough a second chance in better weather. This post is the overview. For every stop you get the short version here and a link to the full post with parking, van access and our honest verdict.

The Route: Rossnowlagh to Bundoran and Back

Rossnowlagh Beach lies on Donegal Bay in south Donegal, about 8 km north of Ballyshannon. From there it is a short drive to Bundoran, where Bundoran Adventure Park and the town beach sit right next to each other on the seafront. For the drive back to Lisacul we went via the Gleniff Horseshoe in County Sligo and Glenade Lough in County Leitrim, two places we had already visited on day two of our trip, from Roscommon to Sligo, when the weather was so poor that we wanted to see both again.

Stop 1: Rossnowlagh Beach

This was the beach day we had been hoping for. At Rossnowlagh you can drive onto the beach and park right on the sand, for free and without a height barrier, which was no problem for our Tourneo Custom. The weather was not ideal, but we spent two nice hours on the beach and even went into the water. One tip: as the tide comes in, the parking area gets very small, so check the tide times before you go.

→ Read the full post: Rossnowlagh Beach, driving on the beach, parking and tides.

Stop 2: Bundoran Adventure Park

A few minutes further on, the funfair on the Bundoran seafront was a welcome break for our daughter after the long travel days. It is a typical small amusement park, like the ones we have seen several times in England. Entry is free, but every ride is paid separately, and all car parks around it cost money. The closest one has a height barrier of about 2 m, while the paid roadside spaces nearby work for campervans. We are not big fans of these parks, especially of the many gambling machines, and moved on after a little over an hour.

→ Read the full post: Bundoran Adventure Park, prices, parking and our honest take.

Stop 3: Bundoran Beach

The way down to the town beach starts right beside the rides, so we walked down for a look. Just as we reached the sand it started to rain, and we did not stay long. Bundoran Beach is a Blue Flag beach with lifeguards in the bathing season, but to us it was a normal town beach. For a beach walk we would rather go to Tullan Beach a few hundred metres to the north, or back to Rossnowlagh for a proper beach day.

→ Read the full post: Bundoran Beach, Tullan Beach and which one we would choose.

Stop 4: Gleniff Horseshoe (Second Visit)

On day two the weather was so bad that the Gleniff Horseshoe hardly showed what it can do. Since it lies on the way from Bundoran back to Lisacul, we drove the loop a second time, now in better weather. The road is a narrow, single-lane loop of roughly 8.5 to 10 km with few places to stop or pass, so take it slowly. For us it remains a must-see in this region.

→ Read the full post: the Gleniff Horseshoe drive, route, viewpoint and tips.

Stop 5: Glenade Lough (Second Visit)

Our last stop of the day was Glenade Lough View in County Leitrim, also for the second time. On our first visit the weather was not on our side, and the place did not quite match what we had expected. This time the weather was better. The small car park at the southern end of the lake only has room for about six or seven cars, and a short jetty leads out onto the water below the Glenade Cliffs.

→ Read the full post: Glenade Lough View, the cliffs, the legend and the wrong turn.

The Whole Day on Video

All stops are in one video. Jump straight to the part you are interested in:

• Rossnowlagh Beach – Parking Our Van on the Sand – watch from 00:58
• Bundoran Adventure Park – A Family Break by the Sea – watch from 02:55
• Glenade Lake – Mountains & the Dobhar-chú Legend – watch from 04:45
• Gleniff Horseshoe – Returning to the Valley – watch from 06:54

Our Honest Takeaway

Day five was a mix of the best and the most ordinary. Parking on the sand at Rossnowlagh was the highlight, and for us it is reason enough to come to this part of Donegal, as long as you check the tides first. Bundoran Adventure Park is a short, fairly costly diversion for kids, and the town beach did not win us over in the rain. If you are in the area and the weather lets you down, do what we did and come back to the Gleniff Horseshoe and Glenade Lough on a better day.

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Planning your own Ireland road trip? Go back to day four, our North Mayo road trip from the Sligo coast to Erris Head, see every stop on our interactive Ireland road trip map and check our Ireland facts before you go.