Rathmullan Beach is hugely popular with residents of Letterkenny and surrounding areas. Couple this with the many holiday home owners and the beach can be quite crowded, particularly at weekends in the summer months. It is generally quiet midweek in the morning time though and the walk is delightful, offering views across the Swilley toward Inch Island and Inishowen.
- Trailhead: Rathmullan pier car park (1) (Toilets available)
- Length: Approx 4.5km for full there and back walk to the end
(see note below) - Time: 45 min to one hour depending on pace.
- Ascent: None.
A note about tides.
It is important to note tide times for Rathmullan before planning this walk. The beach is not pleasant at high tide, and unless the tide is very low you will not be able to get past an outcrop of rocks (2) about 1.3 km down the beach. It is worth noting that there is a very pleasant pathway called Batt’s walk that can be accessed from the roadway above the car park (3). This continues through trees past holiday chalets more or less parallel to the shore and can be enjoyed if the tide is high.
Combined Beaches Route
I’m going to outline a full 5.4 km there and back walk that takes in most of the main Rathmullan beach and also the very beautiful Kinnegar strand.
Set off from the pier car park northward along the main beach. After approx. 1 km, where the beach beings to curve very slightly to the left, look for a decent gap in the dunes on your left and go through it on to a well trodden dune path that leads you toward the chalets.
At the end of this path turn right onto Batt’s Walk and after a very short climb round a turn the path goes straight for about 80 m. You will come to the tarmac drive that services the chalets and here you turn right and then immediately right again onto the Kinnegar Road (Sometimes called The Sea Lane). This is a public road so be mindful of traffic as you continue for 300 m and round a left hand bend. Take the next entrance on the right, go through the small grassy parking area, and you will come out on Kinnegar Strand.
From here it’s a lovely beach walk on a gentle curve to the end of the strand, after which you simply turn and retrace the route back to the pier.
