Inishowen, Co. Donegal 22 January 2026

Inch Island

Local News & Community

Visitor Guide

How to Get to Inch Island

Just 20 minutes from Derry city. Driving directions, bus options, and airport information for reaching Inch Island.

Inch Island sits in Lough Swilly, just off the coast at Burt in County Donegal. The good news: it's connected to the mainland by a causeway road (the Inch Banks), so you can drive straight onto the island. No ferries, no tide times to worry about—just follow the road.

Quick Reference: Driving Times

From Distance Driving Time
Derry city centre 12 km / 7 miles 20 minutes
Buncrana 12 km / 7 miles 15 minutes
Letterkenny 34 km / 21 miles 30 minutes
Belfast 130 km / 80 miles 1 hour 45 minutes
Dublin 250 km / 155 miles 3.5 hours
Donegal Town 80 km / 50 miles 1 hour 10 minutes

From Derry

Inch Island is just 20 minutes from Derry city centre—one of the closest rural escapes from the city.

Driving Directions

  1. Leave Derry heading southwest on the N13 (signposted Letterkenny)
  2. Cross the border into County Donegal (you won't notice—just the road signs change from miles to kilometres)
  3. Continue through Bridgend
  4. Enter the village of Burt
  5. Follow the road for 2km through Burnfoot village followed by Tooban village before turning left at the signposted Inch Wildfowl Reserve
  6. Follow this road onto the island

The turn-off is easy to miss if you're not watching for it. Look for the brown tourist sign for Inch Wildfowl Reserve.

Parking on the Island

The Inch Wildfowl Reserve has two free car parks:

  • Farland Car Park — 2km from the turn-off, near the start of the walking trail
  • Second car park — further along the loop road

From Letterkenny

Letterkenny is Donegal's largest town and a common base for exploring the county. Inch Island is 30 minutes away.

Driving Directions

  1. Take the N13 signposted Derry and Buncrana
  2. Drive approximately 20km, passing through Manorcunningham
  3. Enter the village of Burt
  4. After passing Callaghan's filling station, take the next left turn (signposted Inch Wildfowl Reserve)
  5. Follow the road onto the island

From Dublin

The drive from Dublin takes approximately 3.5 hours in normal traffic. There are two main routes, both passing through Northern Ireland.

Recommended Route (via Monaghan & Omagh)

This is the most direct route for North Donegal:

  1. Take the M1 north from Dublin
  2. Continue onto the N2 through Ardee and Monaghan
  3. Cross into Northern Ireland and join the A5 through Omagh
  4. Continue to Strabane, then take the A38/N14 toward Letterkenny
  5. At the Manorcunningham roundabout, take the N13 toward Derry
  6. Follow signs for Burt, then turn left for Inch Island

Note: This route passes through Northern Ireland. There are no border checks—the only differences you'll notice are road signs changing from kilometres to miles and currency changing from Euro to Pound Sterling (though you won't need to use Sterling unless you stop).

Alternative Route (via Enniskillen)

Take the N3 through Cavan and Enniskillen. This route is slightly longer but scenic, passing through Fermanagh's lakeland.

From Belfast

Belfast to Inch Island takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.

  1. Take the M2 north from Belfast
  2. Continue on the A6 to Derry
  3. From Derry, follow the directions above (N13 toward Letterkenny, turn right at Bridgend)

By Bus

Public transport to Inch Island is possible but requires changes. You'll need a car for the best experience.

From Letterkenny

Bus Éireann and Expressway operate services from Letterkenny toward Derry that stop near Burt. The journey takes around 40 minutes, with buses running every two hours (approximately 74 services per week).

From the bus stop, you'll need to walk or arrange a taxi to reach the island—it's about 2km from the main road.

From Derry

From Derry's Foyle Street Bus Station, you can take:

  • Bus Éireann 64 toward Letterkenny (stops near Burt)
  • McGonigle Buses or North West Busways toward Buncrana

Check Bus Éireann for current timetables.

By Air

City of Derry Airport (Nearest)

City of Derry Airport is the nearest airport, approximately 25 minutes from Inch Island. It has flights from London Stansted, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

Getting from the airport to Inch Island:

  • Taxi: Around ÂŁ25-30 to Inch Island (City Cabs has a rank at the terminal)
  • Car hire: Available at the airport
  • Bus: Translink operates a service to Derry city centre, then change for Buncrana/Letterkenny direction

Belfast International Airport

Belfast International is about 2 hours from Inch Island. It has more flight options, including routes from across the UK and Europe.

Aircoach operates direct coaches from Belfast airports to Derry. From Derry, you can hire a car or take a taxi.

Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport is the main international gateway to Ireland. From Dublin, you can:

  • Hire a car and drive (3.5 hours)
  • Take a bus to Letterkenny (approximately 4 hours) then taxi/bus onward

Donegal Airport

Donegal Airport (Carrickfinn) is on the west coast of the county, about 1.5 hours from Inch Island. It has limited flights from Dublin and Glasgow.

The Causeway

Unlike some Irish islands, Inch Island is connected to the mainland by a permanent causeway road called the Inch Banks. This means:

  • No tide restrictions — you can come and go anytime
  • No ferry required — just drive across
  • All vehicles welcome — cars, campervans, coaches

The causeway connects the island to the mainland at Burt. It's a normal road—no special precautions needed.

What3Words Locations

For precise navigation:

  • Farland Car Park: ///winks.cheered.sleepless
  • Turn-off from N13: ///crazed.fairly.lung

Tips for Your Journey

Border Crossing

Routes from Dublin and Belfast pass through Northern Ireland. There are no border checkpoints—you won't even notice the crossing except for road signs. Your phone may switch to UK roaming (check with your provider).

Fuel

Fill up before arriving—there's no petrol station on Inch Island. The nearest is Circle K in Fahan (known locally as Bradley's filling station) or Applegreen in Burnfoot.

Satnav

Search for "Inch Wildfowl Reserve" or "Inch Island, Burt, Co. Donegal" for reliable directions. Some satnavs may try to route you to "Inch" in Kerry—make sure you're heading to Donegal.

When to Arrive

The island is quiet year-round. For birdwatching, winter mornings are best. For walking, any dry day works well. See our tide times if you're planning coastal activities.

Once you arrive, explore our walking guide for the 8km Inch Levels trail, or find places to stay nearby.