Looking across to Horn Head from Croaghnamaddy, with bog cotton growing on the cliff top in the foreground.

 

 

Horn Head is one the magnificent peninsulas on the north coast of Co. Donegal, with its larger neighbours Rosguill, Fanad and Inishowen further to the east.  We drove out to the Head, following the signs from the village of Dunfanaghy.  The signs led us initially to the slopes of the 252m high Croaghnamaddy hill where there was parking to view Horn Head proper across a small bay.  We were well up Croaghnamaddy at the viewing point, with cliffs in front of us where it dropped sheer to the sea.  Behind us were less steep slopes so we took the short walk to the summit, crowned by a trig pillar.  There were amazing views there for such a small hill, around the coastline and inland to the Derryveagh Mountains.

 

 

Horn Head from the viewing point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking over to the Rosguill and Fanad Peninsulas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving at the rock strewn top of Croaghnamaddy.

 

 

Unfortunately, the beautiful weather we had been enjoying began to change at the summit of Croaghnamaddy, and cloulds moved in, although some of the dramatic storm clouds visible in the distance still provided photographic interest.

 

 

The trig pillar on the summit, itself crowned with a small cairn.

 

 

 

 

Looking across Dunfanaghy to the Derryveagh Mountains and stormy weather.

 

 

Looking east to Marble Hill beach and beyond to Ards beach.

 

 

Storm clouds to the west.

 

 

Dunfanaghy beach under stormy skies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After descending Croaghnamaddy again, we took the short drive round to Horn Head itself until the road ended at a parking area.  From there it was a walk of about a kilometre to an old watch tower dating from the Napoleonic wars.   There were further great views at the watch tower, and along the walk out to it, particularly of the dramatic cliffs around the Head, and back across to Croaghnamaddy.

 

 

At the parking area at the end of the road out on Horn Head.

 

 

A view of the cliffs on the walk out to the watch tower.

 

 

Looking back to Croaghnamaddy where it drops steeply to the sea.

 

 

 

 

Getting close to the watch tower and a tribute to an unknown Kate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from inside the tower ruins.

 

 

At the watch tower and looking to Horn Head.

 

 

 

Looking further west to more cliffs.

 

 

Finally, back at the car parking area, with a view to the line of mountains in the northern part of the Derryveagh range from Muckish on the left, to Errigal on the right with its peak hidden by clouds.