Umfinn Island Rock Climbing

 Umphin (Umfin or Iompainn) Island is a small uninhabited island living on the sea ward side of Inishmeane and just to the North of the much better known Gola Island.

The island sits approximately 3 KM from mainland Donegal and is normally surrounded by mildy tetchy seas. Umphin is home to a ground nesting colony of several thousand sea birds and sees very few visitors of the human kind.

Access to the island is by boat or if you are feeling Olympic by swim. There is no regular ferry service to the island and leisurely sea kayak paddle is an excellent way to approach and visit the island. On the landward (Donegal mainland) side of Umphin there is a perfect natural harbour and shelved landing beach between mainland Umphin and the outlaying Tornacolpagh Island.

The channel between the islands provides a very shelter landing spot which at low tide allows you to walk between the island as the sea retreats. The rest of the island's coastline is very exposed to every ripple of oncoming sea motion from all directions south west through to north and is effectivly guarded by sea cliffs for most of it's circumference.

 The granite sea cliffs on Umphin provide excellent Gola type sea battered granite up to 25m in height and on Buckaneers Wall on the south face lives one of Irelands most spectacular sea cliff roofs.   

 For all the other rock climbing locations found throughout Donegal and for more PDF guidebook downloads visit Undiscovered Donegal.  

 download the free Umphin guidebook, http://www.uniqueascent.ie/umphin_island.