Maghera Caves Cottage

Thanks for making us so welcome.

The location is perfect, and the cottage is so cosy. I wish we'd been able to stay longer

Pauline went way out of her way to greet us and introduce us to this lovely family home.

Hugh was most generous in allowing us to observe his sheepdog training. Amazing. BUT THE BEACH. . . glorious. We walked every day there as it was hard to leave to sightsee elsewhere. Sunsets are brilliant, the caves extraordinary. Neighbors all very friendly and helpful. A rare opportunity to stay in a spectacular setting. Plus wild blackberries.

We stayed for a fantastic week at the beautiful Maghera Cave Cottage and I have to say the photos do not do it justice!

The cottage is so well equipped with everything you could want and everything is of an extremely good quality. Pauline the host and her sons were so welcoming and helpful and always on hand should you need anything. The path to the beach is just at the side of the cottage and the walk through the sand dunes is amazing! Fantastic beach, caves and a waterfall nearby, the grandchildren loved it - we will be back for sure! Many thanks Pauline and family. Rebecca.

Fantastic stay house was amazing

Our family had a wonderful stay at the cottage.

We wish we could have stayed longer and would stay there again if we get the chance to return to Ireland. The cottage was spacious, clean, and comfortable. We enjoyed relaxing by the wood-burning fireplace in the evenings. The surrounding countryside was breathtaking; picturesque mountains, charming sheep pastures, and flowing waterfalls. It is also a short walk to a wide expanse of beautiful, sandy beach. The pictures don't do it justice.

Lovely cottage in a beautiful location, the cottage was very clean and comfortable with everything that you need, water needs to be boiled before using but this is not a problem there was copious amounts of bottled water freely available.

Short walk to a stunning beach ,the owners Hugh and Pauline are very friendly and thoughtful , we had a great holiday in this beautiful part of Ireland

We (2 adults and a 7 month old) stayed here for three weeks in April.

We had a fantastic time and loved the cottage and its stunning surroundings (right next to a gorgeous beach, nestled in under some impressive hills). I don’t think we’ve ever stayed somewhere so beautiful and picturesque. The cottage is spacious and well-equipped with a big wood burning stove that we curled up in front of on the rainy/windy days. We had no problems with the water - Pauline and Hugh went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed, occasionally checking in to see if there was anything else we might require. Hugh gave us insights into the local farming history and showed us different walking routes up and around the hills to the nearby lakes. Ardara isn’t far away so we often popped into the town for great seafood and the odd pint. The cottage also served as a great base for exploring more of Donegal’s wild Atlantic coastline. We couldn’t recommend it more!

Hosts Pauline and Hugh were so friendly and welcoming.

This cottage has only become available this year and I think that's why there are not many reviews, but don't let that put you off. The cottage has recently been completely redecorated and the kitchen and bathroom have recently been refurbished as new, also new flooring throughout. Fantastic new Neff hob and oven, new microwave etc and managed to cook some lovely meals for a cosy night in with a brand new log burner which also heats the house (as well as the central heating). The beds are really comfy too. Tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, herbs, oil, milk and biscuits in stock on arrival. Centra (a store) in Ardara also sell home made ready meals if you are a microwave dinner person. The Heritage Centre in Ardara is great for lunch, fab homemade veg soup. The cottage is situated just behind the dunes of Maghera beach and caves which are just amazing and a stones throw away to walk. The small field between the cottage and the dunes, behind the cottage, has sheep and it was lovely watching Hugh training a young pup to herd. There is a road from the house through the Granny Pass to south Donegal which is a spectacular drive, worth driving to An Port (20 mins) a deserted village and port with fabulous views over the Atlantic. Also you can take this road to Glen Columbcille and also Silver Strand and Sliebh Lieg (highest cliffs in Europe), all approx 30 mins without stopping but we kept stopping to admire the scenery and take photos! Also about 30 mins is, Killybegs, if you want to see a working fishing harbour with the best fish and chips. Further north there are loads of lovely peninsulas to drive around, eg Maghery, The Rosses etc and Dungloe is about 40 mins away with an Aldi and Lidl, if that's what tickles your fancy!!! From the house and beach it was a delight to see Ravens, Choughs, Wagtails, Yellowhammers, Robin, Hooded Crows and a few sparrows too. Due to the climate, many cottages of this age can be damp and fusty and this one does NOT have any signs or smell of damp and was a delight to stay in. We would recommend this cottage as perfect place to stay in Donegal and if you book it, we hope you enjoy it and the surrounding area as much as we did.