Siúlóid Cois an Ghaoth

Official walking route

Explorer Tom

Siúlóid Cois an Ghaoth is a wonderfully small detour with a large Donegal habit: it gets you beside the water and then makes you forget the clock. The path follows the tree-lined Gweedore River estuary near Crolly, where the tide and the light are quite capable of putting on a show without asking for applause. Sport Ireland records this as a moderate, linear walk of 0.8 kilometres there and back, taking about 20 minutes. Its start is off the main Siúlóid at the beginning of An Clochán Beag, at the head of the estuary, and red arrows on a black background mark the way. That round-trip figure is useful: you do not need to double it when planning the short outing. The named path is an estuary-side spur, not an unbroken route all the way to Bunbeg or a second version of the longer Crolly loops. The setting is the reward. Trees frame the banks while the river moves towards wider water, and even a brief pause can reveal a different colour or reflection. A trail visitor mentions benches and places to sit along the walk, though such furnishings can change; treat them as a possible bonus, not a promise. The route manager is Ionad Naomh Pádraig. In a place like this, a slow twenty minutes can be much better than a fast ten. The estuary may have a tide, but it has no obligation to keep your timetable. This little branch also helps make sense of the nearby Siúlóid an Chlocháin Bhig. Discover Ireland describes that longer loop reaching the estuary near the ancient crossing called An Clochán Beag, with a separate short riverside spur available there. Do not mistake its 6.3-kilometre loop for this 0.8-kilometre outing. If you join from the longer route, follow its own green arrows until the spur and watch for the red markers here. If you are coming only for the riverside section, check the mapped approach first; the trail listing does not promise parking beside the exact start. Keep to the path and give the water's edge sensible room, particularly after rain or when the bank is wet. This is an estuary, not a bathing instruction, and the route is for walking rather than a shortcut across private ground. Bring shoes that cope with damp patches. If you want a longer day, the two Crolly loops offer it, but decide which route you are following before the arrows begin to part company. That small bit of planning leaves more attention for the view. There is no need to inflate Siúlóid Cois an Ghaoth into a great expedition. Its trick is precisely that a short, tree-lined meeting with the Gweedore River can feel like a proper discovery. Give it twenty unhurried minutes, perhaps a little longer, and let Donegal prove that distance and delight are different measures.

Path conditions and access can change. Check the official route page before setting out.

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 0.8 km
Walking time: 20 minutes

What do you know about this place?Tap to add a comment or ask a question

What is recorded here

Sport Ireland records Siúlóid Cois an Ghaoth as a linear route, 0.8 km, graded moderate, with a listed walking time of 20 minutes in County Donegal. This page keeps the official start point; the route's local history and the places passed along the way still need to be added.

From Sport Ireland Outdoors 624

Places near here

Photo credits

Ciaran Mac Murchaidh / Geograph Britain and Ireland, Wikimedia Commons
Maker not stated on source page, commons.wikimedia.org
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Maker not stated on source page, en.wikipedia.org
Maker not stated on source page, www.irishcentral.com
Maker not stated on source page, www.youtube.com
Kenneth Allen, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Rossographer, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Siúlóid an Chlocháin BhigOfficial walking route · 920 yd

Explorer Tom Siúlóid an Chlocháin Bhig has a name that may test your tongue and a route that rewards your feet. This Crolly loop…

Standing stone in Cnoc An StollaireStanding stone · 1422 yd

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Cnoc An Stollaire is basically a giant square block that’s 1.9 meters tall! I bet it used to be the…

factory1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Factory in Killindarragh was built c.1900 with those serious crow-stepped gables, yet locals say Black and Tans used it…

Crolly Railway StationRailway station · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Crolly Railway Station, built c.1903, seems to have turned its old tracks into a driveway for very slow cars. I bet the…

Heath CottageHouse · 1.4 mi

Explorer Tom Heath Cottage in Meenderrygamp is sick of people asking if the ghost inside actually pays rent. It’s mid-nineteenth…

Mapped cemeteryCemetery · 1.5 mi

Explorer Tom “Mapped cemetery” in County Donegal has a secret talent for making the wind sound like it’s playing a very off-key…

Holy well in Rann Na FeirsteHoly well · 1.7 mi

Explorer Tom Holy well in Rann Na Feirste marks two spots that were formerly holy. They sit close to the shore amidst poor pasture…

Standing stone in Rann Na FeirsteStanding stone · 1.7 mi

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Rann Na Feirste has collapsed and is now lying on its side like a giant that fell asleep during a nap…

Teach Pobail Phádraig Naofa [Saint Patrick's Catholic Church]Church/chapel · 1.7 mi

Explorer Tom Teach Pobail Phádraig Naofa [Saint Patrick's Catholic Church] was built around 1935 with green-painted corrugated-iron…

An ChuirtHotel · 2.0 mi

Explorer Tom An Chuirt in Gweedore is shaking its head at Storm Desmond’s leftovers right now. It’s proud of surviving that mess…

The HarbourRestaurant · 2.1 mi

Explorer Tom The Harbour in County Donegal is likely counting fish while we sleep, assuming it’s not busy judging our taste buds…

Annagary HillMountain / peak · 2.5 mi

Explorer Tom Annagary Hill. A trigonometric point perched at just one hundred and six metres, looking down on its own little town…

More walking routes in County Donegal · All of County Donegal

Add to this placeAdd a picture Add a detailed tip Add a story

Explore the map1,095,414 places to discover

Next place · or swipeSiúlóid an Chlocháin Bhig