Slieve League is one of the tallest sea cliffs in Europe, and it is a very different thing from the more famous cliffs on the other side of the country. The mountain drops about six hundred metres straight into the Atlantic, in bands of red, yellow and grey rock that look like a painter's palette in clear light. From the viewpoint at Bunglass, you look along a curtain of cliff that is far taller than anything you have seen on the coast of Clare, and the sound of the sea reaches you from a very long way down.
The road to it is the real adventure. From the village of Carrick, you take a narrow lane that climbs steadily through bog and heather, past a small lake, with the Atlantic spread out below to the left. Gradients are steep in places, the surface is rough and the road is often single track, and when it is busy you may have to wait at passing places. In clear weather the view over Donegal Bay is huge, with Sligo's flat-topped Benbulben visible on the far side. In fog, which comes in quickly, the road becomes a wet tunnel, so choose a clear day.
The area is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht, where Irish is still spoken every day, and you will notice the signs are in Irish first. The little village of Teelin below the cliffs was a fishing harbour, and an old pilgrimage route climbs the mountain to a ruined chapel on the shoulder. The path known as One Man's Pass, a narrow ridge with a drop on both sides, is only for experienced walkers and in good weather.
Fuel is the sticking point. Killybegs, about fifteen kilometres away, is Ireland's biggest fishing port and has stations and cafes, and it is where the large trawlers dock, which gives the harbour a lively industrial feel. Donegal town and Ardara are the other options. Bring waterproofs even in summer, because the weather here can change in minutes. Spring and early autumn bring clearer light and fewer visitors, and the evening sun on the cliffs, in September, is one of the great sights of the north-west.