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Heading east on the N56 from Gweedore, the imposing and starkly beautiful mass of Errigal Mountain becomes increasingly prominent. From a distance the mountain appears to be snow-covered, but as you skirt the northern shore of Lough Nacung it becomes apparent that the white colouration has geological, rather than meteorological, causes. The minor R251 road leads to DUNLEWY , where the An Earagail An Oige hostel (tel 075/31180, mailbox@anoige.ie ) sits by the lough at the foot of the mountain. Here too, in the former Dunlewy Hotel , is the independent Lakeside Hostel (March-Oct; tel 075/32133). Quite often the area is shrouded in mist, but on a clear day the beauty of Errigal is unsurpassable, its silvery slopes resembling Hokkusai's images of Mount Fuji. A hike up to the top is a must and there's a waymarked trail from the road up the southeast ridge. The climb to the summit is well worth it for the stupendous views : virtually all of Donegal, and most of Ulster, is visible and you could easily spend several hours just sitting and absorbing the contrasts provided by coastline, loughs and mountains. Back down in Dunlewy village, there's a post office, shop and McGeady's bar. The lane next to the Lakeside Hostel leads to Ionad Cois Locha/Dunlewy Lakeside Centre (Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 10.30am-6pm, Sun 11am-7pm; tour of farm and outbuildings GBP3/?3.80, boat trip GBP3/?3.80, combined ticket GBP5/?6.33), an impressive visitor centre on the lough shore. There's an excellent restaurant here and a book-cum-craft shop, with maps of the area on sale. It's very child-friendly outside with a small farmyard 'zoo', adventure playground and pony rides on offer. For adults the highlight is the re-creation of the home of the notable local weaver, Manus Ferry. The boat trip around the lough is a pleasure for all ages. It's worth keeping a look out for details of the centre's weekly concerts during the summer, as it manages to attract some major names.
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