Many of the species found there are unique to North West Ireland and share characteristics with the flora and wildlife of western Scotland.
Glenveagh’s rocky, exposed environment restricts plant and animal life. The soils are saturated with water and coated with peat, and the grazing is of poor quality. The fauna adapted to these circumstances is highly specialised, and the number and diversity of species vary with the seasons but remain usually low.
Glenveagh’s 16,000 hectares comprise the majority of the Derryveagh Mountains, the Poisoned Glen, and a portion of Errigal Mountain, and it’s a wonderful location to hike the hills and follow paths.
The park encompasses a vast region of north Donegal and is open to the public from all locations. Hill walking in Glenveagh National Park may be difficult for beginners, but there are also reasonably simple routes for all skill levels detailed here. Their famous ‘Trail Walker Bus’ can take you to some of their finest starting locations while easily parking your vehicle for your return.
The seemingly random chaos of nature, the rough sculpted shapes of cliff and granite mountainous mass rising dramatically over the dark and often turbulent waters of Lough Veagh, provide the backdrop to the ordered structure of Glenveagh Castle, with its charming courtyards, Walled Garden, Pleasure Grounds, and Woodland Gardens, which shines like silver when lit by the sun.
