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The route onto the extremely beautiful and very manageable Rosguill peninsula starts by the side of Carrigart church; follow this road for a little, then fork left, and you'll pass the rabbit-infested dunes at the back of a tremendous and usually deserted beach. The three-mile strand runs in a scimitar's curve all the way back round to the southern end of Sheephaven Bay - it's a marvellous four-hour walk to Doe Castle, though when the tide comes in, you could have to do a mile or so of the journey on the lanes. At the top of the strand is DOWNINGS , a small and sprightly holiday centre patronized mainly by Northern Irish tourists, with caravan sites hogging the rear end of the beach and holiday chalets creeping up the hillside behind the village. The one pub you should be sure to head for is Downings Bar (also known as the Harbour Bar ), uphill at the far end of the village, a welcoming place with an open fire, lots of craic and music at weekends. The Beach Hotel has occasional summer sessions too. The most luxurious place to stay is the Rosapenna Hotel (March-Oct; tel 074/55301, rosapenna @eircom.net ; GBP90-110/?114.28-139.67), next to its own eighteen-hole golf course. Alternatively, there's the Beach Hotel (April-Oct; tel 074/55303; GBP40-55/?50.79-69.84), and a couple of B&Bs: Bay Mount (April-Aug; tel 074/55395; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) and An Crossog (May-Sept; tel 074/55498; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79). You can camp at Casey's Caravan Park (tel 074/55301). Downings' main street runs on round the west side of the headland to become the panoramic Atlantic Drive , first passing by the harbour slip road. Just before the pier is McNutt's tweed shop with a daytime coffee shop attached offering superb home baking. The drive runs right round the headland and also makes a stupendous eight-mile walk. The range of views encompasses the essence of Donegal - rugged landscapes in constant tussle with the Atlantic Ocean. About halfway round, a turning leads to Melmore Head where you'll find, perfectly placed at TRA NA ROSANN beach at the northeastern corner of the headland, an Alpine-style An Oige hostel (Easter-Sept; tel 074/55374, mailbox@anoige.ie ). A quicker way to get here is to take the right-hand fork on the way to Downings; it's also quite easy to hitch to the hostel, as everyone knows where you're heading. South of the Melmore Head road you'll pass the congenial Singing Pub (traditional music on Sat), sited on a turning up to the left. Opposite this turning and down to the right is Mevagh Church graveyard. It has an early Christian cross and an intriguing slab into which some cup-like cavities have been carved. And there's one gravestone that cannot but raise a smile: Pat MacBride 1910-86, Shoemaker and Philosopher .
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