Direction advice Donegal -> Derry

Tawny

Hi all,

Just need a quick reply about directions from Donegal - Derry.

The google directions thingy says to go through Raphoe - is that road good or bad?

If its a bad road would it be quicker going through Letterkenny?

Thanks

fionnmar

What part of Donegal are you coming from?

fionnmar

Letterkenny - Derry is a good road - would generally be my preference. Look out for speed cameras though:rolleyes:

Tawny

Coming up from sligo - donegal town - derry

muffler

via Raphoe may well be a couple of miles shorter but its an awful road.

I would suggest Donegal Town > Ballybofey > Lifford > Strabane > Derry

or for a slightly better if longer road > Ballybofey/Stranorlar > Letterkenny (turn at first roundabout) > Manorcunningham > Bridgend > Derry

fionnmar

muffler wrote: »

via Raphoe may well be a couple of miles shorter but its an awful road.

I would suggest Donegal Town > Ballybofey > Lifford > Strabane > Derry

or for a slightly better if longer road > Ballybofey/Stranorlar > Letterkenny (turn at first roundabout) > Manorcunningham > Bridgend > Derry

+1

shiibata

always via Strabane for me too, used to take Raphoe route in the younger days but it is awful alright, dont want to get stuck behind a tractor on that road.

jonnygee

fionnmar wrote: »

Letterkenny - Derry is a good road - would generally be my preference. Look out for speed cameras though:rolleyes:

I know there are speed camera signs on the main Leterkenny to Bridgend road but I have never found any evidence that they actually exist, has anyone ever been caught out by a speed camera on this road, excluding the almost daily Garda presence at the roundabout at the end of the dual carrigeway.

byte

I prefer the Ballybofey > Strabane > Derry route myself. Road is good between Strabane and Derry.

Essexboy

byte wrote: »

I prefer the Ballybofey > Strabane > Derry route myself. Road is good between Strabane and Derry.

The stretch from Newbuildings to Ballymagorry is very narrow; if you get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle it can take forever to overtake. As Muffler said, via Letterkenny is slightly longer but better. Plus you do not have to pass through all those Loyalist hotspots which are festooned with flags. Not reassuring to the casual visitor.

jonnygee

The op asks if it would be best to go through Raphoe or Letterkenny, to anyone local the answer is clear, go via Letterkenny.

smashey

jonnygee wrote: »

The op asks if it would be best to go through Raphoe or Letterkenny, to anyone local the answer is clear, go via Letterkenny.

Eh, I think the lads were right in suggesting Ballybofey - Strabane - Derry. That's a good bit shorter than going via Letterkenny.

donegalman1

The Strabane to Derry Stretch can be very busy at times and there is one narrow part. Watch out for speed cameras too, very common there recently.

Although not a great road, via lifford and St Johnston is an option to get you to the city side easily, though if you are driving off peak the Strabane Derry route is best.

As for the spped camera signs on Letterkenny - Bridgend, they are all around the country and signify you are in an area where speed cameras may be operating, not necessarily fixed cameras, which are to be added this year. And there are often plenty of mobile speed checks on that road, a few hidden ones too.

jonnygee

I had to go to Brownes garage recently and went through st. johnston to porthall, couldnt believe how bad the road there has become with pot holes, it must be one of the worst around now. Probably not much chance of money to repair it in the forseeable future.

homer simpson

jonnygee wrote: »

I know there are speed camera signs on the main Leterkenny to Bridgend road but I have never found any evidence that they actually exist, has anyone ever been caught out by a speed camera on this road, excluding the almost daily Garda presence at the roundabout at the end of the dual carrigeway.

On this road daily, letterkenny - newtown for work and the girlfriend lives near newtown too, i've never been caught by a fixed camera, seen loads of mobile units mainly at murry motors and colm dillons garage just after murrys on the straight bit. sit at 70 most times never been stopped!