Great place to get away from it all.
I stayed here in the fall of 2000 and would definitely recommend a summer trip to this incredible hostel with direct access to the ocean and miles of sandy beaches and trickling waterfalls. Completely secluded - the nearest grocer is a good two mile hike (but an excellent hike along the moors and cliffs) to Castlerock. You can tour the remains of an 1800 estate and Downhill Natural Forest. The hostel itself is an old home renovated by a woman from Seattle,WA USA and her Irish hubby. It has all the luxuriousness of a B&B (although without the breakfast) with downy mattresses, hot showers with water pressure and bunk beds that you can actually sit up in. Location is perfect for a secluded get away, but again the nearest pub is two miles. Very clean since the owners actually live there The staff are incredible people. The Irish husband, a traveler himself, set out to create a backpacker haven with all the amenities that you would crave; even those things on the doors so they won't slam while you're sleeping! The Seattle woman is an artist with fabulous pottery skills. I was there to get away and didn't mingle much, but those travellers that I did meet were more than pleasant. Take the rail from Derry to Castlerock (about a 30min to 1hour ride). Give the hostel a ring-a-ling and they will pick you up.

Reviewed By: Kate Godin
October 2000