Donegal Daily and Donegal Woman readers voted in their thousands in a Readers' Poll to select their favourite beach - the Top 10 is sure to inspire you to visit a new place this summer.

We here in Donegal are blessed with expanses of clean sandy shores with breathtaking sea views. We all have a favourite destination and our readers were eager to highlight their favourite coastal hideaways.

Over 3,000 of you voted in our readers’ poll and the overall winner in top place was Carrickfinn Beach!

Carrickfinn is a stunning sandy beach in Gweedore Bay near Annagry, west Donegal. This Blue Flag beach is popular for bathing and bird watching from the shore. The sand dunes and grasslands are ideal for spotting wildlife and rare plant species.

The beach is located in a Natural Heritage Area along the Wild Atlantic Way. Carrickfinn has risen to fame this year as it lies beneath the flight path of Donegal Airport – voted the second Most Scenic Airport Landing in the world by Private Fly.

Travellers get an incredible birds’ eye view of Carrickfinn as they take off and land in Donegal, which is why the airport earned this accolade.

Landing at Donegal Airport

If you’re looking for a new beach to enjoy this summer then why not visit those in our Top 10:

  1. Carrickfinn Beach

  2. Narin/Portnoo

  3. Ballymastocker Bay Beach, Portsalon

  4. Arranmore

  5. Ards Friary

  6. Marble Hill

  7. Silver Strand Beach, Malin Beg

  8. Downings

  9. Rossnowlagh

  10. Cruit Island

If you are out and about enjoying Donegal’s beaches, make sure to tag @donegalwoman on Instagram!

Featured photo: Martin Fleming for Failte Ireland