I wish my body clock didn’t wake me at 5am every morning would be lovely to sleep in like Richard he has no problems sleeping at any time of the day. It is another wet miserable day the sun is trying to shine through the grey sky. The views across the Assaroe Reservoir are lovely to wake up to but when you walk to the water’s edge to view the scenery to the left past the Lakeside Reception and Restaurant Complex you see the ugly sight of the Cathaleen Hydro Power Station.

The morning passed quickly Richard was a ball of energy washing the motorhome, he took advantage of their long hose and water, as the truck (that’s what Richard calls it) was quite muddy and needed a good wash. You know what happens when you wash cars, it rains.

We ventured off to explore Ballyshannon’s Mall Quay and Falls of Assaroe but it was nothing more than a slipway to moor your boat to go fishing in the estuary or river and there was certainly no falls as the hydro scheme up river has changed the nature of the river. The rain didn’t detour the three fishermen from going out in their boat but it did us.

Time to head off on our adventure to Mullaghmore a small fishing village suggested to us by a wild camper at Donegal. The scenery round the coast of Donegal Bay on the N3 was lush farmland, the usual sheep and cattle, trees lining the roadside, houses by the road, rolling hills and the view of the Dartry Mountains in the distance. The satnav took us on a little short cut down a narrow road through marshland and farms to join the R279 this is good peat country can see in the distance bags of peat on the side of the hills.

Mullaghmore is a picturesque seaside village the 3rd Viscount, Henry John Temple, better known as Lord Palmerston, built the stone-walled harbour in the village built between 1822 and 1841, which was designed by the marine engineer Alexander Nimmo and resided in the castle of Classiebawn a baronial style house standing on the peninsula overlooking Donegal Bay. Lord Mountbatten also lived there and was tragically kill here.

The rain stopped long enough for us to walk around the harbour and view the beautiful sights of the town, beach and across Donegal Bay out to sea. If it was a clear day we could see Killybegs, the rugged outline coast of Slieve League where we toured last Sunday. Richard couldn’t resist talking to the local fishermen moored by the pontoon cleaning their catch of the day and learnt there are 34 different species of fish caught in the bay.

The weather has cleared and we have back-tracked on the R279 to the N15 with pretty much the same scenery as before with glimpse of the ocean across the farmland and villages to the left and the Dartry Mountains, farmland, forests to the right. Lots of small villages to Drumcliff over the bridge round the Drumcliff Bay to the next busy town of Sligo with a big harbour and estuary.

A change of direction now as we enter the N4 motorway to continue the Wild Atlantic Way route to N59 passing under the motorway to Ballina our wild camping spot for the night. The scenery is very much the same except this time the Ox Mountains are in the distance on the left and Sligo Bay in the distance on the right. Beautiful lush green trees and bushed by the roadside and sometimes as a canopy to drive through and they do at times obstruct the countryside views.

It is late afternoon when we arrive in Ballina on the river of Killala Bay. After talking to the locals we park in the Fishermen’s Club Marina for the night. Across the road there is Keane’s Pub, small store, restaurant and other shops, so we are nice and secure for the night with security lights and fencing. Lovely views of the woodlands across the river, people fishing and going about their business in their boats up and down the river, lots to watch while listening to the radio. Richard enjoyed the evening strolling along the wharf talking to the locals about the river and fishing.