Rosguill Golf Break

Day 1

Old Tom Morris Links

On arrival to Ireland you will be met by a Tailor-Made Golf Tours representative and your chauffeur if applicable. After the tour bus has been loaded or your self-drive vehicle collected the journey to the Rosguill Peninsula will take 4 hours. A jourbney from City of Derry Airport would take 1½ hours.

The upscale Rosapenna Hotel was founded in the late 19th Century as part of a Victorian golf resort which now boasts the 3 Rosapenna courses. The nearby villages of Carrigart and Downings also have 3*** hotel accommodaiton and there are numnerous guesthouses nearby. Dunfabaghy is a slightly larger place about 25 minutes away where there are also a number of accommodation options.

Day 2

St. Patricks Links at Rosapenna

The first tee on the St. Patrick's links is 5 minutes drive from Carrigart, 10 minutes from Downings and 20 minutes from Dunfanaghy.

Glenveagh National Park, is situated on the eastern side of the Derryveagh Mountains. The Park contains 14,000 hectares of mountain, raised bogland, lakes and woodlands and is dissected by the valley which gives the park its name, Glenveigh (Gleann Bheatha) meaning Glen of the Birches. The Estate was established by John Adair who, in April 1861, evicted 244 tenants and cleared the land so as not to mar his views of the magnificent landscape. This ignoble history makes the beautiful views all the more poignant for today's visitor. The Park lands include the two highest mountains in Donegal, Errigal and Slieve Sneacht. At the south-west end of the park are the ice-carved cliffs of the Poisoned Glen, a corruption of the name in Irish which mean 'heavenly glen'. Lough Veagh has natural stocks of brown trout, salmon and artic char. The 19th century Glenveagh Castle with its neo-gothic architecture complete with ramparts, turrets and a round tower is open to the public. There are a number of pleasant walks through the fine gardens and guided tours of the castle interior. The Park has the largest herd of Red Deer in Ireland if not in Europe. The deer spend the summer on the Derryveagh mountains, coming down hill in winter. The Park is also home to meadow pipit, stonechats, grouse, ravens, siskins, tree-creepers, redstarts, wood warblers and occasionally peregrines and merlins. The Golden Eagle was reintroduced to the park in 2000. Having become became extinct 100 years ago, largely due to over hunting by both farmers and game keepers. The park is particularly spectacular when the prolific Rhododendron Ponticum are in bloom in early Summer.

Day 3

Portsalon Golf Links

The waters of Broadwater and then Mulroy Bay separate the Rosguill Peninsula (Rosapenna) from the Fanada Peninsula (Portsalon). A journey via the 'Bridge to Nowhere' that crosses Broadwater near Carrigart takes 30 minutes, about 5 minutes less than a more conventional route south around the water through Milford.

The Fanad Peninsula and Inishowen Peninsula are separated by Lough Swilly, a long, narrow glacial fjord that once was of military significance. Portsalon is on the northwestern shore of Lough Swilly and Ballymastocker Strand, one of the finest beaches in the world (lying immediately below Portsalon golf links) is accessible from the southern end on the R268. Indeed this R268 road is a scenic route back to Letterkenny that provides stunning views back over the strand to Portsalon and then incredible views of Lough Swilly to the village of Rathmullan. Consideration can also be given to the loop drive north from Portsalon to Fanad Head and the wonderful views from Fanad Lighthouse where guided tours are an intriguing experience.

Day 4

Sandy Hills Links

Rosapenna Golf Club clubhouse, for Old Tom and Sandy Hills links, is 5 minutes from Carrigart and 2 minutes from Downings. It is 25 minutes to Dunfanaghy.

A spectacular circular drive can be taken from Downings around the nothern end of the Rosguill Peninsula. The drive features many beautiful sandy beaches. In a clockwise direction the route first provides views over Sheephaven Bay to the hamlet of Doagh, an old fishing village. The road then turns east across the peninsula where there is a left hand turn that leads to the far north of the peninsula at Melmore Head. Along this road, popular with campers and caravanners, is Tranarossan beach, one of the loveliest in Ireland. From Tranarossan, or from a new trail beginning at a car park further on, it is possible to reach the intruigingly named Murder Hole Beach. Returning to Downings along the eastern shore overlooking Broadwater is a traditional thatched pub, An Sibin Ceoil (the singing pub) which serves food in a wonderful atmosphere. Back in Downings The Harbour Bar is among our very favourite in Ireland.

Day 5

Departure from Ireland

After a final night in Letterkenny, for those with suitable flights, it is 3¼ hours to Dublin Airport. If flights are earlier then accommodation is arranged closer to the airport the night before. Routing through London Heathrow allows departure from City of Derry Airport, just 45 minutes from Letterkenny.