Overview
Maghera is a broad sandy beach below Slievetooey, near Ardara. The headland has sea caves and arches cut into its base. The beach itself is a wide sweep of white sand and dune on the northern side of the Slieve League peninsula in County Donegal, backed by big craggy cliffs. It works best as one stop on a looped coastal drive from Ardara or Glencolmcille, and the coast road passes Assaranca Waterfall before it reaches the beach.
Read this bit before anything else: there are strong currents here. Maghera is a beautiful beach to look at, but it is not a place to swim. Come for the sand and the mountain setting, not a dip.
Is Maghera Beach safe?
Stay out of the sea here. Strong currents and incoming tides can make the shore hazardous. Keep away from the sea caves and cliff base, even at low tide, and leave yourself a clear route back from the beach. The Atlantic comes back fast across flat sand and can cut you off against the cliff.
The Irish Coast Guard’s water safety guidance warns shore walkers about being cut off by an incoming tide and about rip currents. Check a tide table before you set off, keep children well back from the cliff edges, and treat the water with respect. The view is the reward here, not the swim.
The caves
The sea caves and arches at the base of Slievetooey are what draw many people to Maghera, and they are best admired from a safe distance. Incoming tides can cut them off, the rock underfoot is slick and the deeper caves lose daylight quickly, so do not go into them.
Folklore tells of a massacre here, with local people hiding in the caves, supposedly from Cromwell’s forces, though as the Ardara history people point out, Cromwell never came this far north, so it was more likely Vikings if it happened at all. One story has a lone survivor crawling through the caves all the way to Glencolmcille.
Wildlife
The cliffs and dunes carry more life than a quick look suggests. Sand martins nest in the soft cliff faces, six-spot burnet moths turn up in the dune grass in summer, and in spring and summer seabirds, puffins, guillemots and kittiwakes, work the ledges offshore. At low tide the rock pools fill with anemones, crabs and the odd starfish. Stay on the paths and keep off the loose dune vegetation.
Getting there and parking
The beach is signed off the R263 from the N15 near Ardara, with the last stretch a narrow coastal lane past Assaranca Waterfall. Follow signs for beach access and parking, and check any parking conditions at the entrance, as charges and arrangements can change. It is about a 15-minute drive from Ardara, and there are no buses, so you’ll need a car.
Nearby
- Assaranca Waterfall – a roadside cascade right on the approach lane, a short drive from the beach.
- Slieve League – spectacular sea cliffs, a drive south of the beach.
- Glengesh Pass – a hairpin mountain road with long views, roughly 20 minutes away.
- Ardara – the nearest town for lunch or coffee, known for its weaving heritage; the Ardara Heritage Centre fills in the local history.
Practical information
- Admission: The beach is free to visit.
- Parking: Follow signs for beach access and parking, and check any conditions at the entrance.
- Accessibility: Not suited to wheelchairs or buggies; uneven dunes and rocky ground need sturdy footwear.
- Swimming: Not advised, because of strong currents.
Mobile signal can be patchy on the lane in, so save or screenshot the tide times before you leave the main road. Pack a windproof layer whatever the month.