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DOOCHARRY AND FINTOWN |
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A minor road east from Lettermacaward follows the Gweebarra five
miles inland to DOOCHARRY , a tiny place with just a couple of pubs and
a grocery, which acts as the gateway to some of the most dramatic
scenery in the county. From Doocharry you can head further upstream
northeast along a narrow and tortuous lane past Slieve Snaght , through
the Glendowan Mountains and skirting the southern edge of the Glenveagh
National Park to Lough Gartan . The desolate, though beautiful
countryside bears little sign of human impact and you'll be lucky to see
any life beyond the odd sheep or fluttering bird.
Another road heads five miles southeast from Doocharry through rugged,
rock-strewn moorland, streaked by turf banks, to FINTOWN . On the way
look out for the splendidly set Glenleighan hostel (tel 075/46141,
www.an-tor.de/glenleighan ). Fintown itself is a simple roadside village
set at the foot of towering mountains in the Finn River valley where the
river broadens to form an elongated strip of lake. Once again, the
setting has a mythical background: it was here that Fergoman was
attacked by wild boars and cried out so piteously that his sister was
driven to distraction and dived into the lake, where she drowned.
Running beside the lake for a mile or so is the Fintown Railway (May-Sept
daily 11am-5pm; tel 075/46280; £2/¬2.53), a restored stretch of narrow-gauge
track along which original rail carriages run. There's little else in
the village apart from a few bars and a traditional music house , Teach
a' Cheoil (sessions Thurs and Fri). Roads head southwest to Glenties and
off eastwards to Letterkenny or Ballybofey.
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