Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall
Walking Trail · Donegal
Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall is a 2.7 km easy waymarked loop in Donegal, starting near Bunbeg.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Easy | Easy | 1 hour 30 minutes |
Getting there
Starts at Pier on Gola Island, near Bunbeg.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 55.08346, -8.36175
- Irish Grid reference
- B 772 271
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 1
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
Public transport
The Cricket (Gola Ferry) approx. 15 minutes crossing from Bunbeg Pier @ 11.00 am & 2.00 pm Monday to Friday; weekends every hour between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm. Bus - Donegal Town to Bunbeg: Monday to Thursday and Saturday Departure 12.05 and 19.05 / Friday Departure 12.05, 16.30, 19.05 and 20.50 / Sunday Departure 18.05 and 22.40
About the trail
This walk follows the gently undulating sandy roadways on the eastern half and up the centre of the island, passing amongst the now mostly deserted houses and by the lake. There is superb oceanic, coastal and island scenery with an abundance of birdlife.
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Donegal County Council
Trail Management Office, Community Development & Planning Services, Station Road, Lifford. Tel: 074 9153900 ([email protected])
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Siúlóid Cois an Ghaoth 7.7 km away · 0.8 km trail
- Siúlóid an Chlocháin Bhig 8.3 km away · 6.3 km trail
- Siúlóid Loch na Caillí 8.9 km away · 10.1 km trail
- Loch Chonaill Railway Walk 9.5 km away · 1 km trail
- Burtonport Loops - Lúb Chroicheach Mhór 12 km away · 4.6 km trail
- Siúlóid an tSean Bhóthar Ianrainn 12 km away · 5.3 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall?
2.7 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 40 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1 hour 30 minutes.
How hard is the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall?
Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall start?
Starts at Pier on Gola Island, near Bunbeg. The trailhead is at 55.08346, -8.36175 (Irish Grid B 772 271).
Can you bring a dog on the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall without a car?
The Cricket (Gola Ferry) approx. 15 minutes crossing from Bunbeg Pier @ 11.00 am & 2.00 pm Monday to Friday; weekends every hour between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm. Bus - Donegal Town to Bunbeg: Monday to Thursday and Saturday Departure 12.05 and 19.05 / Friday Departure 12.05, 16.30, 19.05 and 20.50 / Sunday Departure 18.05 and 22.40.
Who manages the Slí Ghabhla (Gola Island) - Sli Dhun na nGall?
Donegal County Council. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Donegal
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.