Crickamore Loop

The shortest of the four, and the easiest to fit into a morning: about five kilometres, three quarters of an hour to an hour, starting and finishing at St Columba’s Community Centre. It takes in a scenic stretch of the old Burtonport railway corridor and comes back by quiet country lanes.

It is a walk for flora and fauna more than for views. The variety along the corridor is considerable, and the colour and the birdsong change markedly through the seasons.

Following the route

Blue directional arrows, with the route’s name on them, mark the way.

• A–B: leaving the car park, turn left and walk towards Burtonport for about 100 m, following the blue arrows marked Crickamore Loop — Lúb Chroicheach Mhór.
• B–C: turn left onto the local road until you reach the crossroads at Alcorn’s gatehouse No 24. Turn left and join the Old Railway Walk, where the tarred road gives way to gravel track, and follow it to the Dungloe Road opposite Sweeney’s gatehouse No 23. Take care crossing the road.
• C–D: carry on along the gravel track past Dungloe Road Station, under the bridge and through the ash woodland. Take the next lane on your left.
• D–A: continue on the tar road to the T-junction, turn right, and walk the remaining kilometre or so along the L1523 — the Pole road — back to the community centre on your left.

Before you go

• Minor roads and surfaced track throughout.
• Full services in Ailt an Chorráin, a short distance away.
• Dogs on leads. There are sheep on the land.
• Phone signal is generally good.
• Open all year. Grid reference B 731 147, OSI Discovery Series sheet 1.

In an emergency, call 999.