ALL YEAR Sandrock Holiday Hostel is OPEN

Yes,  despite the closure of many rural hostels in Ireland, Sandrock Holiday Hostel in Malin Head is still open to holiday makers ….  provided guests pre book.   Variable accommodation requirements available at genuine budget prices at a prime scenic location.          See us on Youtube.
  View the rest of this site for information.
Accessible by pulic transport all week including Sundays…
Self catering facilities, safe sea dips swimming from pier below, walks, friendly bars, restaurant and other eating facilities, supermarket, and more.  Visit www.govisitinishowen.com

Ferries for 2025

    • The Scenic Lough Foyle Ferry 2025

    • OPENS    EASTER 2025
    • From 15th to 27th APRIL 2025
    •  9am to 8-15pm
    • Foyle Ferry – Greencastle to and from Magilligan Northern Ireland( ROUTE TO GIANTS CAUSEWAY)

    Linking the Wild Atlantic Way with the Causeway Coast.

    We are delighted to announce that daily  Summer Schedule sailings will continue.
    Full details check out latest sailing times on our website www. loughfoyleferry.com
    Tel: +353 74 93811901

 
Important information regarding  sailings – http://loughfoyleferry.com
 

 LOUGH SWILLY FERRY  2025

 

Lough Swilly Ferry Summer Schedule
Operating between Rathmullen and Buncrana 2025    CHECK ON GOOGLE.

Now known as the Lough Swilly Ferry telephone 087 211 2331.   The journey times and fares can be found on the website www.swillyferry.com or email: loughswillyferry@gmail.com  Booking is essential for vehicles

The scenic journey time is 40 minutes.  Operating  7 days  Summer Service from June 2025 between 10am  to 6pm (Buncrana) and 10-40am to 6-40pm (Rathmullan) on a first come, first served service.

Check website for Summer Timetable 

See   www.swillyferry.com   Email: loughswillyferry@gmail.com

Telephone: 00 353(0)87 211 2331

Visit Malin Head and Inishowen in 2025

HOSTEL IS OPEN but please pre-book

To pre-book contact me direct by phone or email *,

I can often offer private guest rooms to families and groups of friends, even sometimes, singles and couples to a budget self catering seaside break.

See us on www.govisitinistohowen.com this site and ALL that this fantastic area has to offer. This is an excellent site for guests to make plans when visiting  Malin Head and this Peninusla  – Inishowen

Also try  FACEBOOK look up Malin Head Community for up to date news and things happening in Malin Head.

or GOOGLE  or TRIPADVISOR for even more photos and info

*Please note I am no longer in collaboration with HOSTEL WORLD and therefore do not have an on line booking engine facility.  This is to enable me to better control our guest bookings.

*For bookings either send an email request to sandrockhostel@gmail.com  

OR

telephone my mobile 086 3256323 (This is a dumb phone so do not send text)

I will confirm all bookings by email.

 

Be aware that the hostel is located very close to the sea and we are surrounded by numerous birds.  So the sounds of the sea and the morning choruses of the birds may not appeal to everyone. 

Also at night the skies can be very dark with light activety events very visual or on moonlit nights the whole area including the entire sea areas can be lit up. Then there can be spectacular sunrises and sunsets. All these sights and sounds can be available at the hostel.  Also be aware that the occasional serious stormy weather with rough seas can be scary.

 

 

YOU MAY SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS  During the long nights and dark skies!  Due to low light pollution Malin Head in Inishowen is the best place to witness this astronomical phenomenon!         Look up on Google: ‘aurora borealis forecast’

 Northern Lights

 

 

March

NORTHERN LIGHTS – Watch the sky light up

As seen at Malin Head . More predicted!

YOU MAY JUST SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR>>

 February and October and November 2023 and again in February and March 2024 huge exposure of Aurora throughout Ireland and Malin Head.   See Donegalweatherchannel. ie

More seen during October especially 2024!

During the long nights!  Due to low light pollution Malin Head in Inishowen is the best place to witness this astronomical phenomenon!         Look up on Google: ‘aurora borealis forecast’

Just watch the sky light up !

CAR HIRE PROBLEMS and ADVICE

2024 Car Hire Problems have eased considerably according to recent Hostel guests.

Find your rental car. Simple. Transparent. Affordable.
Check the following app: ‘billiger-mietwagen.de’
Whether you are looking for the cheapest price or a rental car with the best insurance , you will find the right option with them.
billiger-mietwagen.de is your partner for individual mobility and Germany’s leading rental car price comparison portal since 2003. They compare rental car providers and also organizers such as Rentalcars or Auto Europe so that you can easily find the best deal – with or without insurance.

 

 

PRE 2024 Problems:

In the recent years wouldbe guests have been experiencing extreme cost problems in obtaining car hire 2022/2023.  So much so that was the main reason for cancellations with us at the hostel.

We have discussed this with many guests at the hostel with the following advice given:

Some more LATEST ADVICE September 2024……..  could be great news.  A French guest and computer expert stated the he hired a car for €17 per day!!!! through the  following:    His advice is the site to rent a cheap car is: rentalcars.com  https://www.rentatcars.com/

MORE  RECENT ADVICE September 2024 another guest used Booking.com/cars and was directed to Dollar car hire and paid €150 for 9 days hire of a small manual car.  Avoid automatic cars … much more expensive she said and watch the day charges .. even a one hour overlap and a whole day will be charged.

PREVIOUS 2024 problems:

In August 2022 Philip stated that he did the following: Prior to his holiday, months before, he kept scanning car hire firms for ‘Flexible’ rates and eventually a very good quote came up on the dates he required with a small SUV with the ‘Sixth Car Hire ‘  Company from Dublin Airport.

Other Guests quoted use ‘GO CAR’ or a new app entitled ‘FLEET’.  Some guests approached Irish friends/family and borrowed their spare car(s) after arranging insurance.  We also noticed that some single or twosomes were travelling in small van rentals

Some guests searched car hire from car dealers away from the airports.  The car dealers in the towns of Newry and Sligo were used.   Some dealers even met guests at airports with their car hire.

Tony mentioned Enterprise Van and Car Hire in Letterkennny and Michael recommended DMG Car and Van Hire in Donegal Town  See www.dmgmotors.ie  – Google these for more info.

Any other car hire advice we here at Sandrock Holiday Hostel can pass on to wouldbe guests is welcome.   See at the top of above for some latest 2024 advice.

Buses now 7 days a week and Bank Holidays

Enhanced Bus Routes: 7 days a week and Bank Holidays

Malin Head to Carndonagh to Derry etc

New timetable starting Monday 21st October 2024

Routes will now operate seven daily return services Monday to Saturday and six daily return services on Sundays. The enhanced routes will provide a more frequent service in both directions, with early morning and late evening options available. This includes peak-time services for commuters to Derry and later evening services from Derry, catering to tourists, shift workers and those socializing.

The route will offer new Sunday services for the first time and improved connectivity to regional bus and rail services in Derry, while serving the areas of Malin Head, Carndonagh, Greencastle, Moville, Quigley’s Point, Muff, and Derry.

See all timetables on:

https://locallinkdsl.ie/timetables/

Adventurer DOM MEE returns 18 years later

Adventurer Dom Mee returns with Charlie O’Donnell on 31st July 2024 18 years after his hurricane battered kite boat washed up in Malin Head shore a year after Dom Mee was taken off (rescued) off the east coast of Canada durng Hurricane Rita. Charlie found the boat at the rear of the Malin Head Fishery which he managed then. In August 1996 Dom was attempting to cross the Atlantic in his little kite boat named Little Murka and survived four hurricanes, Irene, Katrina, Maria and Orphelia before Rita struck! Was rescued b Canadian Coastguard helicopter. One year later 1997 he was informed that Little Murka ha arrived in Malin Head and he rushed here to be reunited with his boat. Stayed in Sandrock Holiday Hostel and celebrated with the local fishermen. He later transported Little Murka back to his UK home. Dom Mee later rowed the atlantic from the Canary Islands to USA.
Another of his Adventurer exploits.

Malin Best Kept Village in the Whole of Ireland

June 2024

Malin was awarded the BEST KEPT VILLAGE IN THE WHOLE OF IRELAND at the awards ceremony in Belfast on the 18th June 2024.

Malin also won the Tidy Towns competions in 1970

and 1991

Another Film made in Malin Head !

Another Film has been made in Malin Head !   The movie set was in the Malin Head area for several weeks and several days here at Port Ronan.

The movie is entitled  Cry from the Sea starring Hollywood stars Aidan Quinn and Dominic Cooper and is being produced by Sepia Films  and ShinAwil and directed by Vic Sarin.

When released lookout for scenes in Malin Head.

The Inishowen Walking Festival

The Inishowen Walking Festival is now in its third year will be taking place the weekend of September 15th-17th 2023. Walks will take place all over Inishowen and have been organised by the local community centres in partnership with IDP, Go Visit Inishowen and Donegal Sport’s Partnership.
For a full list of walks and more information please visit our website which will take you to a link for tickets for the walking events.
www.inishowenwalkingfestival.ie