A royal welcome awaits at Lough Eske Castle Hotel and Spa

It was a six hour road trip, but Lough Eske was worth every minute of the drive, says Martin Claffey.

THE end of every great journey deserves its reward; a place of rest for the weary traveller.

When it came to this particular trip along the Wild Atlantic Way, the Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel and Spa in Co Donegal was my destination of choice for taking things at a slower pace and a break from the road.

Lough Eske Castle is not quite the last stop or end of the road of the 2,500-kilometre Wild Atlantic Way — you’d have to continue another hour along the Inishowen Peninsula to complete the journey — but having made my way from Cork, it did present too good an opportunity to indulge in the finer points when it comes to rest and relaxation.

Far from my southern comforts, this was some northern soul.

After a six-hour road journey, it was time for our travelling party — my wife and seven-month-old baby were along for the ride — to kick back and relax.

Nestled between the shores of Lough Eske and the Bluestack Mountains, this 96-room hotel and spa is built on the site of a restored castle dating back to the 17th century, and is the only five-star hotel in Co Donegal.

There’s a turbulent history to this establishment. Originally associated with the famed O’Donnell clan, it fell into the hands of the Brooke family after the Flight of the Earls.

They rebuilt Lough Eske Castle in 1861 and it changed hands several times in the early 20th century.

It operated as a hotel from 1930 to 1939 before it burned virtually to the ground after a ballroom fire in 1939.

Having fallen into serious disrepair, it was purchased in the 21st century by developer Pat Doherty (based in London but originally from Donegal), and a multimillion euro renovation was carried out.

Reopened in 2007, the hotel has been restored to former glories and is already a winner of the World Luxury Country Hotel award.

For our group, after our long journey, the first calling was to the bed.

After an hour’s nap, I took in a swim in the impressive pool. There’s a well-equipped gym here too, but that was for another day. Next on the agenda was dinner.

Cedars Grill is the beautiful on-site restaurant at Lough Eske Castle.

Locally sourced meat dishes are the speciality, and the braised beef was a winner.

Dinner here isn’t cheap — a steak will set you back around €36 — but the quality is good.

A four-course table d’hote menu is available for €55 and if you’re hungry enough, may provide better value.

You can usually judge a restaurant’s fare by the numbers of diners, and when we dined it was full, not just with hotel residents but there was also a local club outing enjoying a meal there, which is certainly a good sign.

After a good night’s sleep, we were in full spirits and ready for the day ahead.

We had eaten dinner early on our first evening and it was a good thing, too, because the next morning’s breakfast was a gala affair, with an impressive buffet providing plenty of fresh options cooked to order along with the traditional Irish breakfast staples.

It really would be a shame to lie in and miss this.

I went for a walk around the grounds, checking out the series of impressive statues, though cycles around the grounds and beyond are also available.

Lough Eske Castle’s spa offers an opportunity to indulge. Along with the thermal suite, there’s a full package of message and treatments available, with special pampering packages also available.

Revitalised, it was time to get back on the road and do some sightseeing.

While the facilities at Lough Eske Castle tempted us to stay put, the wonders of Tir Chonaill were too good to miss, and they are many.

The Slieve League, about 45 minutes up the road from Lough Eske, is the peak of one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe – whilst not as famous as the Cliffs of Moher, the Slieve League is more than twice as high.

It’s still not too arduous a trek to get here (even with a pram), and the views are breathtaking, looking right across Donegal Bay, stretching as far as Mayo. It’s a sight to behold.

The Slieve League is only a toe-dip into the county though. The beaches are rightly famous (Rossnowlagh Beach is 20 minutes away); an hour up the road, Malin Head is Ireland’s most northern point, the very tip of the island.

Glenveagh National Park is a walker’s delight, while Donegal town, on the doorstep of Lough, Eske, is bustling and beautiful, with its own impessive castle and storied history.

There’s even a Daniel O’Donnell museum – strictly for real fans.

Spent from the day’s activities, we arrived back to enjoy dinner in the hotel’s Gallery Bar, which provides tasty bistro-style bar food at decent prices, washed down with a creamy pint.

As with all good things, the end comes too soon, and the next morning, after another king’s breakfast, it was time to quit the castle.

We travelled back toward Cork refreshed and restored, with minds wandering to the final destination for our next road trip. It’ll do very well to match Donegal’s Lough Eske Castle.

Solis Lough Eske Hotel and Spa is open Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday, through until March, with the exception of Monday December 7 and Tuesday 8 and is open through Christmas from December 16 through to Monday January 4.

Rooms available from €170. For reservations contact 074 9725100 or [e-mail]