Ireland- Donegal Smugglers Road

Today, we ventured to Smugglers Road, led by Sue, a guide with Donegal Equestrian Holidays. Smugglers Road is not too far from where we went beach riding, but the scenery is entirely different. No giant cliffs and breaking waves… instead we were passing through vast areas of bogs with mountains in the distance.

Sue told our group about how the road got its name, as we passed a large boggy plain, backed by mountains. Sue said that during The Troubles, the road where we were riding was actually used to smuggle arms and other goods into Northern Ireland. In earlier times, food was transported along the road.

We got to a spot where we were able to do some trotting and cantering, as we headed past an abandoned home, one of the many left over from the potato famine. As Sue told me about its history, the road felt so quiet and empty. Very different from carefree and dramatic beaches of Donegal.

Darley Newman is the host of the Emmy Award-winning Public Television series Equitrekking®, which takes viewers on horseback riding vacations around the world. Equitrekking is broadcast on PBS stations and on international networks in over 30 countries.

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