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A couple of miles west of Killybegs, signposts point the way to the Blue Flag Fintragh Beach . Further on, the road to Kilcar passes Kitty Kelly's Restaurant , open in summer (daily 5-9.30pm) for especially good Irish cuisine. Just after the Blue Haven Restaurant (Irish dancing on Thurs), the road divides. For the scenic route, take the road to the left, a narrow switchback ride along the coastline with stupendous views over the ocean, especially from Muckross Head , and the looming presence of the hills and mountains to your right. The roads meet again at KILCAR , a pleasant village that is a centre for the Donegal tweed industry: there are several small factories open to visitors. The village comes alive during its sea angling festival at the beginning of August, followed shortly afterwards by a raucous street festival. Boats can be rented from Jim Byrne (tel 073/38224), while Paddy Clarke (tel 073/38211) offers guided game angling and hill walking. Fishing tackle is available from McBrearty's , Main Street. There are five bars , including John Joe's which stages regular Friday night sessions. Teach Barnai (tel 073/38160), across the road, is one of Donegal's best restaurants , serving superb evening meals and extremely popular Sunday lunches. McGeehan's buses leave from outside John Joe's bar daily at 7.40am for Killybegs, Ardara, Letterkenny and Dublin, and at 6.40pm for Glencolmcille. Kilcar has B&B at Kilcar Lodge , Main Street (April-Oct; tel 073/38243; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) or nearby on the coast road to Carrick at Hillcrest (tel 073/38243; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) and Dun Ulun House (tel 073/38137; GBP26-33/?33.01-41.90), which also offers hostel accommodation. Alternatively, a little further on is Derrylahan (tel 073/38079, derrylahan@eircom.net ), run by Shaun McCloskey, set on a working farm and one of the friendliest hostels in the country; a shorter approach for walkers involves taking the right-hand of three options just outside the village and following the lane over the hill, though Shaun will pick you up from Kilcar or The Rock near Carrick on request. Derrylahan is an ideal base for exploring the beautiful countryside around CARRICK , especially Teelin Bay and the awesome Slieve League cliffs to the west. In the pretty village of Carrick itself the friendly and atmospheric Slieve League pub is a must and there are sessions here, at Enright's and the Central bars. Back on the coast road, Little Acorn Farm (tel 073/39386) offers riding and trekking . The road to TEELIN ( tigh linn , "house of the flowing tide") follows the west bank of the River Owenee, whose rapids and pools are good for fishing - licences are available from Teelin Sea Angling Club (tel 073/39079). Like most of the peninsula, the village is Irish-speaking and rich in folklore, which has been recorded over the last half-century by Sean O'hEochaidh, Donegal's great folklorist. The Rusty Mackerel pub (evenings only) is a welcome find, easily spotted by its garish colour and mural painting of one of its old fisherman regulars, and you can stay in the village at Sea Crest (tel 073/39108; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79).
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