Mamore Gap

Mamore Gap is a cleft in the Urris hills at about 250 metres, crossed by a single-track road that climbs steeply from both sides with gradients and hairpins that make it one of the harder short drives in Donegal. At the top is a holy well dedicated to Saint Eigne, with a grotto, a statue and a set of steps; it has been a pilgrimage site for centuries and the tradition of leaving offerings and doing rounds at the well continues, particularly around the pattern day in August. From the gap the view runs down over Dunree, Lough Swilly and the Fanad peninsula opposite, and Fort Dunree with its coastal battery is a short drive below. The road is narrow with almost no passing places on the steepest sections, and it is a genuinely poor choice in ice, fog or in anything larger than a car.

What you actually see

• The holy well - Saint Eigne's, with grotto and steps at the top of the pass.
• The road - single-track hairpins climbing steeply on both sides.
• The Swilly view - down over Dunree to Lough Swilly and Fanad.
• The pilgrimage tradition - still observed, especially around August.

When to go

April to October. The pass is hazardous in ice and pointless in fog. The pattern day at the well falls in August and draws a local gathering.

Honest expectations

Very steep single-track with almost no passing places - not for large vehicles or nervous drivers. The well is an active devotional site, not a photo stop. Parking at the top is a couple of spaces.

Nearby

Fort Dunree is below to the south; Clonmany and Ballyliffin are north.