Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way - 'the road to Tory Island'

This exciting and unusual new holiday focuses primarily on the natural history of the islands, mountains, lakes and coasts of Counties Antrim, Londonderry and Donegal in Ireland. Our ‘road to Tory Island’ begins in Belfast – a resurgent city bursting with national pride – and takes us via the nine glens of Antrim, onwards to Rathlin Island and the UNESCO World Heritage Giant’s Causeway. We next cross into the rugged Gaeltacht region of north-west Donegal and reach our ultimate destination, Tory Island, lying 10 miles off the Irish coast. Beyond the Tudor city walls of ‘Derry’ and the fabulous wetlands of Lough Swilly, lie miles of pristine sandy shores, winding roads over blanket bogs, hanging oak woods, small estuaries, great sea loughs, shallow lagoons and towering headlands. These are the haunts of some of the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’s’ most iconic birds: Whooper Swan, Red-throated Diver, Manx Shearwater, Corncrake, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Arctic Tern, Black Guillemot, Puffin, Rock Dove, Raven, Chough and the Irish race of Dipper. Mammals include Grey and Common Seals, whilst a range of interesting flora includes the rare Pyramidal Bugle (Ajuga pyramidalis).

Most remote of the Irish islands, in centuries past Tory Island has been home to both pirates and saints! In the 1950s, pioneering students of bird migration established an observatory at the lighthouse, their discoveries quickly putting Tory on the ornithological map. Frequently cut off by strong winds and high seas, the bird observatory was last manned in 1964, however, and Tory soon became a forgotten isle once more. Today, the sea crossing continues to ensure that the island’s incomparable birdlife – and the Gaelic culture of the remaining 140 islanders – remains intact, although thankfully the modern ferry means that the journey from Magheroarty lasts no more than an hour or so. Our two nights on Tory Island will allow us to enjoy its thriving Corncrake population, plus thousands of breeding seabirds including Little and Arctic Terns, Storm Petrels and four species of auk, as well as Peregrines, Choughs and, despite an absence of trees, Tree Sparrows. A long list of migrants and vagrants have also been recorded here and there is always the chance of a late straggler, even in mid June.