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Lake Cruise & Cottage Tour

Combine the historic look back at traditional skills and way of life with a pleasant voyage around Dunlewey lake.

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PRICE
From €15
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DURATION
3 hours
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The Gráinne Rose boat on a lake cruise at Dunlewey, Donegal

Dunlewey Lake Cruise

Embark on a 1/2-hour guided cruise aboard The Gráinne Rose on Dunlewey Lake, nestled beneath Mount Errigal. This tranquil journey offers breathtaking views of the Poisoned Glen and insights into local history, including tales of the ancient crannóg and the Guinness Estate’s haunting “Green Lady.” Narrated stories of Irish mythology, such as the battle between Lugh and Balor, enrich the experience, making it a captivating blend of nature, legend, and culture.

View through the trees of the White-washed Weavers Cottage in Dunlewey, Donegal.

Weaver’s Cottage Tour

Situated in the heart of Dunlewey, the Weaver’s Cottage Tour offers a glimpse into Ireland’s weaving traditions and the life of the Ferry family. Known as Teach Mháire Mhór, the cottage was home to Manus, Pádraig, and Sophie Ferry and is preserved to reflect traditional rural life. Visitors explore historic weaving techniques and local heritage, beginning with an audio-visual presentation on Dunlewey’s history, the Ferry homestead, and the region’s vibrant weaving trade.

Our Experiences

View of Errigal Mountain, Donegal from Dunlewey centre playground on a bright Summer day
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Virtual Errigal

Price: From €5
Oil painting of Errigal Mountain and Donegal landscape, with fiddle and Trad Tráthnóna text in top.
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Trad Tráthnóna
(Live Music Sessions)

Price: €10pp
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The Grainne Rose boat docked in the harbour, with Dunlewey Lake, Donegal and mountains behind.
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Lake Cruise on
‘The Gráinne Rose’

Price: From €8
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Weaver's Cottage with white-washed walls and red half-door in Dunlewey, Donegal
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Cruise & Weaver’s Cottage Tour

Price: From €15
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Close-up of a Donegal Tweed spinning wheel at Dunlewey Weaver's Cottage, Donegal.
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Donegal Tweed Experience

Price: From €5
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What Our Visitors Are Saying

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We had a fantastic day at Dunlewey Centre during Heritage Week. This place is most definitely an underrated gem. The friendly farm animals, relaxing boat trip, and brilliant playground were the highlights of our visit. The play park is probably one of the biggest and best-maintained we’ve ever been to—perfect for families with kids.
Anita, on Google Reviews
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We usually take a wee visit to Dunlewey every year, and it never disappoints. Our boys absolutely love it. There were a few new attractions this year, which was a lovely surprise, and the boat trip on the lake is always a highlight. We’ll definitely be back next year. The food, the music, and the warm atmosphere make this great value for money.
Sabrina, on TripAdvisor
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Dunlewey Centre is a must-see experience. We loved every minute of our visit. In the Café, we enjoyed coffee, tea, and delicious sandwiches. The staff provide excellent service. We also took a scenic tour on the lake with Peter and Paul—it was fascinating. Plenty of beautiful crafts and prints to admire and purchase. Stunning views!
Pearl, on Google Reviews
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This is a good day out. You can go horse riding/trekking at the entrance to the centre. You can go for long or short walks around the centre, hill or road, your choice, very scenic. You can purchase souvenirs, food, a little bit of history, with a wee story thrown in to give you an idea of life in the old days.
Aisling, on TripAdvisor
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Despite living not too far away from Dunlewey it was our first visit and I was amazed at how fabulous this little hidden gem is! Lots of exciting things for kids to do, ours are aged between 2 and 8, the bumper cars and pedalos were a huge hit as was the great playground and zip wire.
Joy, on Google Reviews
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Great day out! We took the cottage tour and it was brilliant, so informative and fun (Martina was our guide). We also took the boat trip on Dunlewey Lake and it was class, great views of the surrounding scenery and again lots of history and local stories. A must visit if you are in County Donegal.
Ciara, on TripAdvisor
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Fantastic place for children and families. We took the cottage and boat tour, which also included free entry into the play park. The cottage was a walk through time and really interesting. The lady taking it showed us how to yarn wool and it was great. The boat ride was refreshing and gave a detailed account of the surrounding land.
Margaret, on Google Reviews
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A great day out for the whole family. We did the boat trip on the lake, the tour of the old house and enjoyed the craft fair that was on. The kids loved the bumper cars, the peddle boats and the indoor play area. The outdoor play area looks like it was just upgraded and the kids had great fun there.
Ed, on TripAdvisor
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A very well stocked gift shop as you enter the centre. A wide variety of cards, art work, jewelery knitwear, soaps, candles among a huge variety of giftware. A very friendly, smiling and helpful staff member made us feel so welcome and also recommended the local amenities and accommodation.
Evelyn, on Google Reviews
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Brilliant family day out. We have 3 kids under 4 year old. Decent food cafe, bumper cars, paddle boats, playground were brilliant. Very friendly staff, give our children on a go anything they wanted and if they didn’t like something they kindly helped them out and suggested something better for them.
Aidan, on TripAdvisor