Glenveagh National Park and Gaeltacht Culture

Meet your expert driver-guide and explore the wild beauty of Glenveagh National Park, passing iconic Mount Errigal and tranquil Gartan Lake. Visit the Glebe Gallery and Gardens, then tour Glenveagh Castle and its stunning gardens.

In the afternoon, immerse yourself in the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht region with a visit to Crolly Distillery, a traditional scone-making experience, and a stop at the legendary Leo’s Tavern.

Glebe Gallery and Gardens: This elegant Regency house, dating from 1828, is set in woodland gardens near the town of Letterkenny in County Donegal. The celebrated painter Derek Hill lived and worked here from the 1950s until the 1980s, when he presented the house to the Irish state – along with an extraordinary collection of art. Hill was a man of exquisite taste. The house itself, is as he left it – beautifully decorated with William Morris textiles and furniture of oriental design. His collection includes hundreds of works by some of the leading lights of the art world, such as Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Louis le Brocquy and Auguste Renoir. There are also choice pieces from further afield, including Japan and the Islamic world.

Glenveagh National Park is located in a remote and hauntingly beautiful wilderness of rugged mountains, pristine lakes, tumbling waterfalls and enchanted native oak woodland in the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains in the northwest of County Donegal.  At the centre of the Park, on the edge of Lough Veagh, is Glenveagh Castle, a castellated mansion, built as a hunting lodge in 1872 by John George Adair. Few destinations can boast the refined comfort of the Castle and Gardens set within the wild untamed Irish landscape. Your visit includes a guided tour of the castle where you can learn the wonderful history of this estate.  

The Crolly Distillery: Located in Croithlí, County Donegal, between the Wild Atlantic Coast and the majestic Derryveagh mountains including the stunning Errigal, our distillery home is a beautifully restored 1902 stone building and houses the first licensed whiskey distillery in Donegal since 1840. In keeping with local Gaeltacht distilling tradition, we use direct fired pot stills in our double distillation, sourced in the Cognac region and refurbished to produce beautiful spirit in Croithlí.

Leos Tavern: Renowned for its music as it is home to the world-famous musical talents Enya, Clannad and Moya Brennan. The walls are adorned with Gold and Platinum disks, memorabilia and numerous photos of the family with world famous musical faces such as U2. There’s always something going on at Leos Tavern, you never know who might be there. You can enjoy an optional dinner and of course the chance to sample a pint of the Black stuff or a wee dram.