An Port

In June, I visited An Port in County Donegal, and on arrival, it felt as if I had reached the end of the world. As this wasn’t my first visit, I knew what to expect, but I was still deeply impressed by the remoteness. Since the mid-19th century, when people left An Port to escape famine, nature has set the tone. Derelict houses, a thatched shed and lots of sheep provided plenty of photo opportunities already along the way, and it felt as if the journey had taken much longer than it actually did.

As the name suggests, in the centre of the bay, there is a pier, which is in surprisingly good condition and still in active use. If you are looking for outstanding photo opportunities, you can head in two different directions. When making your decision, you should take the sun’s position into account. If you climb up the hill to the right, you can take photos towards the west and admire some bizarre rock formations off the coast and a beautiful view of the pier. In the other direction, a hiking trail leads along some spectacular cliffs and on through the hills to Glencolumbkille. Here you can photograph towards the north/north-east and get a prime example of Donegal’s rocky coastline in front of your lens.

As I arrived here in the afternoon, I decided to follow the hiking trail for a while and then walk cross-country along the cliffs. The coastal section offered plenty of attractive photo opportunities, and a few sheep also pushed themselves into the frame. I ended up with lots of typical Irish scenery shots, featuring green fields, a rugged coastline and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean.