Siúlóid Loch na Caillí

Official walking route

Explorer Tom

Siúlóid Loch na Caillí lets Crolly show off two excellent sides of Donegal: the lived-in village and the open bog road climbing towards a lake in the hills. Follow the purple arrows and the day gradually stretches out around you; I would say the lake has arranged this personally, but lakes rarely answer their correspondence. This is the longer of two linked Crolly loops. Sport Ireland gives it 10.1 kilometres, a moderate grade, about two hours and 45 minutes, and 370 metres of ascent. Start and finish at Ionad Naomh Pádraig in Upper Dore, and follow purple arrows on a white background. The shorter Siúlóid an Chlocháin Bhig shares parts of the route, but its green arrows take a different line and return after 6.3 kilometres. Check the colour whenever the paths divide; otherwise your tidy plan for the afternoon may acquire a few surprise kilometres. The trail circles Crolly on tracks and minor roads before extending by bog road towards Loch na Caillí, the lake that gives the walk its name. The shift from settlement to open ground is a pleasure in itself. Look back at the country you have crossed, then let the hills ahead set an easy pace. Sport Ireland describes river and coastal views as well as a view east towards Dunlewy. The open stretches can feel very different when cloud or wind moves in, so take a layer and enough time to return in daylight. Discover Ireland describes both loops leaving the village and heading towards the bog roads, with the longer route stretching farther towards the lake. Near the end there is also an optional riverside extension known as Lala Harden's Walk. It is a separate extra, not part of the stated 10.1 kilometres. If your legs and daylight agree, it can add another view of the estuary; if they do not, the main purple loop already gives you plenty. The bog road itself is reason enough to come, with the big Donegal landscape doing its best work without a ticket desk. Moderate means you should plan for a real walk, even though much of the route uses roads and tracks. Wet ground can change the feel of a path, and minor roads still carry traffic. Keep to the marked line, close gates as you find them and leave the lake and its surroundings undisturbed. The route listing does not give a special dog rule, so check current signs and keep any dog under close control around homes, wildlife and stock. Do not make an unmarked shortcut through a field simply because the finish looks near. Return to Upper Dore with a better sense of how Crolly fits into its hills and water. This loop has earned its longer distance: village, bog road, lakeward country and changing views all get a turn. Give the purple arrows your attention and the scenery your time; Donegal will take care of the rest.

What is recorded here

Sport Ireland records Siúlóid Loch na Caillí as a loop route, 10.1 km, graded moderate, with a listed walking time of 2 hours 45 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 625

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

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.1 km
Walking time: 2 hours 45 minutes

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Photo credits

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Ciaran Mac Murchaidh / Geograph Britain and Ireland, Wikimedia Commons
Kenneth Allen, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
P L Chadwick, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kenneth Allen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Rossographer, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kieran Evans, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
N Chadwick, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Rossographer, Wikimedia Commons
Donegal Daily; original photographer not named in article, www.donegaldaily.com

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