Ireland’s greatest hidden gem lies a few hours north of the infamous Cliffs of Moher, yet it is ten times more impressive. On my first tour of the Wild Atlantic Way, when I only had time for the Cliffs of Moher or these cliffs, I chose these based on a couple of reddit posts. That was probably the best decision I could’ve made. By the time I visited the Cliffs of Moher, they were underwhelming compared to the jaw dropping scenery at this place. As an added bonus, there are way less tourists at this destination, and the entrance fee is cheaper. So, replace your visit to the Cliffs of Moher or simply make a detour afterward, but whatever you do, you must visit Slieve League.
About
Slieve league (Sliabh Liag) cliffs are nearly three times the height of Cliffs of Moher, making them some of Europe’s highest cliffs. The water below has a blue tint which juxtaposes mossy covered rock in a way that convinced me I must be in Iceland. The images of this place speak for itself:
Photos by Kaj Robers
Slieve League is a stop on the Wild Atlantic Way located in County Donegal, which means it’s not far from other top rated nature sites. I went in February and had a perfectly good experience, so no worries about when the “best” time to visit is. The stunning scenery supersedes the need for sun and warmth. However, prepare for insane wind no matter when you go.
I spent about 2 hours here, mostly just putzing around and gawking at the scenery. I could’ve stared at these cliffs for hours, but this is about the time the wind starts to hit your bones. There are trails going further up the cliffs that allow you to spend even more time here if you like.
There is no entrance fee to see the cliffs but parking costs €5-€15, Depending on where you park (see more on that in the Accessing slieve league section). We parked at the ranger station and walked about 25 minutes to the top. Not only was the walk a stunning leadup to the cliffs, but there were only a handful of people there, allowing us to frolick through the road and grab some unobscured photos
Photo by Kaj Robers
Tip: you can skip the walk to the top, but don’t!! You’ll miss breathtaking scenery, a freshwater lake nestled in the hills, and maybe even some sheep on the way up
Photo by Kaj Robers
Cliffs Of Moher vs Slieve League
Don’t get me wrong, the Cliffs of Moher are still a beautiful and majestic place to go, but they don’t quite give that immersive feeling – the one where you’re standing in front of something that looms so large over you that your problems feel miniscule and you begin to wonder how the earth is real. I think it is because you view the Cliffs of Moher from further back, so you don’t get to experience the enormity of them up close. That plus the throngs of tourists and over commercialized visitor center at Moher. My recommendation is that you do both if you can, preferably Cliffs of Moher first. But if you only have time for one, I vote for Slieve League!
Here’s a comparison summary to help you decide:
| Cliffs Of Moher | Slieve League |
| Cost: €8-€15 per person | Cost: €5-€15 per car |
| 1.5 million visitors/year1 | 160k visitors/year2 |
| 214 meters tall | 598 meters tall |
| Many bus tour options | Very few bus tour options |
| Boat tours available | Boat tours available |
| Accessible by public transport | Partially accessible by public transport |
| Stop on Wild Atlantic Way, Co Claire | Stop on Wild Atlantic Way, Co Donegal |
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliffs_of_Moher
- https://www.sliabhliag.com/a-mountain-of-experience-behind-the-new-path/
Accessing Slieve League
Distance to: Donegal ~1hr, Galway ~ 3.5hr, Dublin ~4hr
Car: Access by car is easy and probably the best option. You can park at the visitor center for free (4km walk or €6 shuttle bus in summer) or park at the ranger station for 5-15 euros (€5 for 3 hours or €15 per day). You can also drive directly to the top in the off season to cut off about 25 min of walking, but I don’t recommend doing that. The walk is steep but paved and provides a stunning lead up to the cliffs. It’s not even uphill the whole way!
Tour: Bus tours to Slieve league are few and far between. Most tours are private car tours (beyond expensive) or E-bike tours. Virtually no tours leave from Dublin, and a few from Galway, but most from Donegal. If you’re traveling without a car and this is your only option though, do not let this stop you! Slieve league is worth searching for a tour
There are also boat tours which allow you to view the cliffs from below. I have not done this, but I’ve heard good things. These often leave from Killybegs and aren’t terribly expensive. The pro here is that you get to see multiple attractions on this ride, and maybe even some dolphins or seals.
Public Transport: Slieve league is only partially accessible by public transport, but it’s not impossible and this place is worth the effort if it’s your only option. If you’re using public transport, you’ll first need to get yourself to town Donegal, then to Carrick, at which point you have to take a taxi or walk. It is a 45 minute walk from Carrick to the visitor center, and from there you can must walk another 4km (~50 min) or, in the summer, you can get a shuttle for €6. The walk from Carrick to the vistor center is not a pedestrian street, so it might be better to opt for the taxi. The taxi can take you further than the visitor center, all the way to the ranger station, which only leaves 2km to walk to the viewpoint. The scenery of the last 2kms is worth the hike!
Alternatively, you can use public transport to get to Donegal or Killybags, and from there you can take an organized bus, bike, or boat tour.
Getting to Donegal OR Killybegs:
From Galway or Sligo:
- Bus Eireann #64 service from Galway to Derry, via Killybegs and Donegal town
- There is also a private bus – Bus Feda. The journey with Bus Feda takes an hour less than the Bus Eireann service, but the departures are less frequent (about 2/day each way) because it caters mainly to students. Be sure to check out the route and timetable here.
From Dublin:
Expressway route 30
From Derry:
Bus Eireann #64 service
Getting to Carrick:
From Donegal:
Where to Stay
The two closest large towns are Donegal and Killybegs. Killybegs is cuter than Donegal in my opinion, but slightly smaller. They are both stops on the Wild Atlantic way but not must-sees. So, if you have a car, take this chance to have a cozy cottage-esque local immersion experience. There’s no use in me listing off specific stays when you can hop on an accommodation website of your choice and find hundreds of options. I have a raving review of the place I stayed, which unfortunately is no longer listed, but I’ll set the scene to give you a vibe to strive for.
I stayed outside Donegal in the guest room of a retired teacher through Airbnb. James was a wonderful host with great stories. The room was separated from the main house with its own bathroom AND dining room, where homemade banana porridge and soda bread was served every morning (a breakfast I never believed I would enjoy until I went to James’!) As if this wasn’t perfect enough, the dining room overlooked grassy fields of sheep too. It was just close enough to town to grab dinner at night and come back to a real home in the hills for the evening. I hope you can find something just as lovely!
Other Nearby Attractions
Slieve Legaue is within an hour drive of
- Malin Beg
- Maghera Beach
- Glenlough Bay
- Loughros Beg Bay
- Teelin Pier
- Muckross Head
- Fintragh Bay/Beach
- Killybegs Town
- Donegal Town
Stopping at all of these would be too much and probably get old, since they are all along the same peninsula, but definitely add a few to your list if you have time. None of these compare to Slieve League, so you don’t have to worry about overlap there. But the bays and beaches can look similar. I would recommend at least one beach or bay and one town. There isn’t much to do in Donegal besides a castle, but it’s close to Slieve League and is a tourist stop, so you might end up sleeping there. Killybegs is small in population, but it’s Ireland’s largest fishing port!
Killybegs Harbor
Seal in Killybegs
Fintragh Beach
Fintragh Bay
If you want to know more about the history and significane of slieve league, check out the offical website. For more on opening times and visiting logistics check out the other official website.