Overview
Red Bull named Tullan Strand Ireland’s best beginner surf beach in 2016 – but that’s a verdict for surfers under instruction, not swimmers. The two-kilometre beach runs from the north-eastern edge of Bundoran to the Erne estuary near Ballyshannon, backed by dunes and the Dartry Mountains, and its rip currents are strong enough that swimming is officially advised against. Come to surf or to walk.
Surfing
The long, gently shelving sandbank makes a consistent beach break that works across most wind directions and all stages of the tide, throwing both lefts and rights – forgiving ground for learners, reliable for intermediates. The best set-up is a west swell with an offshore south-easterly, though it stays rideable in a wide range of conditions.
Two surf schools work off the sand, Bundoran Surf School and Murf’s Surf School, running group and private lessons with boards, wetsuits and transport from town. Prices change, so check current rates when you book. If you’re going out on your own, read a forecast first; the same rips that make it a poor swimming beach catch out surfers too.
Walking and scenery
When it’s flat, the strand opens into a wide walking beach, with the dunes behind giving shelter for a picnic and a natural playground for children. The Dartry Mountains fill the view south, and low winter light across the dunes is the photographer’s window. The Roguey Cliff Walk from Bundoran leads round to the strand and is the way to get some height over the coast. The dune grasses hold the sand together and shelter ground-nesting birds; you’ll see gulls and waders working the tideline.
Just south of the beach are the Fairy Bridges and the Wishing Chair – sea-arches and worn rock formations that were Bundoran’s first tourist attraction, and still worth the short walk.
Facilities and safety
- Parking: a free car park sits right at the strand and fills fast on summer weekends; a paid car park nearby (2 m height barrier) charges in summer, roughly 9am–6pm from Easter to the end of September. Bundoran Main Beach has more paid parking.
- Access: mobi-mats are laid across the soft sand in season, giving wheelchair users a firmer surface onto the beach.
- Toilets and food: on the Bundoran promenade and in the town centre, a short walk away.
- Safety: don’t count on a lifeguard, and treat the water with respect – the rips are strong and swimming isn’t recommended. The Bundoran RNLI station is on call year-round, which tells its own story.
History underfoot
There’s more here than sand. Early inhabitants knapped tools from the flint in the rocks, and during the Second World War a British aircraft – a Halifax – came down near the beach. A monument marks the spot, tied to the secret ‘Donegal Corridor’ that let Allied aircraft cross neutral Irish airspace to reach the Atlantic.
Getting there
- By car: from Dublin, the M1 then N2 and N15 north to Bundoran; the R267 leads to Tullan Strand Road at the eastern end of town.
- Bus: Bus Éireann routes 242 and 250 serve Bundoran; it’s about a 10-minute walk from the town centre along the R267.
- Cycling: the Wild Atlantic Way cycle route passes close by.
Arrive early for the free car park and the quieter water, surf the middle of the day if the swell’s up, and finish with the short walk to the Fairy Bridges.