Bikepacking Route: Donegal Back Roads and Boreens
‘Donegal Back Roads and Boreens’ was designed in the summer of 2024 to showcase some of my favourite locations in the southwest of the county.
At 137km, it’s rideable in a single day but best enjoyed slowly as a bikepacking overnighter, with a wild camp near the halfway mark on St. John’s Point beach (hotels are available in Killybegs).
Along the way, there are plenty of side quests on offer for adventurous riders wishing to cover more ground, such as the steep climb to the world-famous Slieve League sea cliffs near Carrick. You can really make this experience your own.
The route begins and ends in the village of Glencolmcille on the Wild Atlantic Way and consists mostly of quiet country roads, boreens, and abandoned farm tracks. Some sections follow the International Appalachian Trail Ulster-Ireland. Since it can be rough in places, off-road cycling experience and a minimum tyre width of 45mm are both recommended.
With plenty of easy resupply options, this one makes for an ideal first bikepacking trip or a hassle-free weekend escape.
View the route on Ride With GPS.
Disclaimer: The routes shared on this website are provided for general informational and inspirational purposes only. Conditions, access, terrain, weather and other hazards can change, so you are responsible for conducting your own research and assessing whether a route is suitable for your abilities, equipment and circumstances. If you choose to follow any route, you do so at your own risk and are solely responsible for your own safety and decisions.
Fustle Bikes Causeway Shoot
Fustle Bikes recently released an updated version of the Causeway, their popular aggressive gravel bike designed in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Built for rowdy trails and bikepacking trips, the Causeway G2 ticks many boxes as a do-it-all bike for the UK and Irish gravel scene.
I spent an evening on Cave Hill overlooking Belfast with riders Catriona and Pete to see it put through its paces and shoot some photographs for their new website.
We briefly set up Pete’s bike with a few Restrap bikepacking bags to demonstrate the versatility of the frameset.
Watching Catriona shred this downhill section put a smile on my face too.
The ‘Dunseverick Dingleberry’ colourway, Cat’s green top and the purple heather all worked perfectly together.
The views over Belfast from Cave Hill are really quite special on a late summer’s evening.
Everyone loves a good panning shot.
To find out more about Fustle’s range of gravel bikes, head over to ridefustle.com.