North  West Ireland

This picture was taken at Magilligan Point, Northern Ireland's north-western corner. The view goes across Lough Foyle, which is the estuary of River Foyle. The opposite  shore lies in County Donegal, which belongs to the  Republic of Ireland

 
 
Malinbeg Beach in County Donegal, one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. In reality, the sky was completely grey, so the tobacco filter came in really handy! There's a steep staircase leading down from the parking lot, making the beach inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Donegal is Ireland's wildest region; disabled people need to be prepared for limted access and possibly  partial loss of mobility.   In turn, you will be rewarded with unspoilt scenery and absence of ignorant and disrespectful  tourist crowds.   We stayed at the Park House B&B in Dungloe. Access was O.K.: The bathroom was spacious enough, but had no grabrails. They put a plastic chair in the wheel-in shower, which IMO is  the preferable solution anyway . You just have to make sure it won't move or tip when you transfer into it from your wheelchair.
Visit the DTour-Website for additional info on accessible accommodation and restrooms. The folk village museum in Glencoloumbkille also has an accessible restroom now. Killybegs is a very good base for exploring that part of Donegal; the Bay View Hotel has accessible rooms and  seems to be quite a nice place to stay at. 

Two nice  pictures of Galway's inner city.  They are displayed here with kind permission of their creator Kai-Uwe Maack, whose website also contains many beautiful pictures of North West Ireland. Galway is the major city on Ireland's Atlantic coast.  It's a coloful and lively place, and much of this is due to Galway's 12,000 university students. The Salthill disctrict is a popular coastal resort, and its beach promenade is one of the best places to go on a sunny Sunday dafternoon.  I've put some accessibility information on  Galway on a separate page.
Clifden, the capital of Connemara. Connemara is a breathtakingly beautiful area in Western Ireland, ca. 75 km west of  Galway. Visit my Connemara/Mayo Page for more pictures and information.
Kinvara, a picturesque village in Co. Galway. 

 
The  Burren, a unique karstic area in northern Co. Clare, within easy reach from Galway. Try this link for further information. Clicking here will take you to a website containing pictures of a professional photographer.  Be sure to visit the Monk's Pub in Ballyvaughan, which is famous for its  Seafood  and also has accessible restrooms. 
The famous Cliffs of Moher, also approximately a 1 hour's drive away from Galway. Combined with the Burren, they make a nice day trip. Wheelchair users have access to a vista point, but everything else is inaccessible. Handicap restrooms are located in the visitor's centre 


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