BUNCRANA , a few miles north of Fahan, is the largest town on the peninsula and its high street is a long cavalcade of shops and bars, many with names saluting one or other of the local clans - Grant, Hegarty, McGonagle, McLaughlin, O'Doherty. The town is packed out during the summer, for this is the Derry people's unrivalled seaside resort, and the streets are especially thronged during the annual music festival during the last week of July. To escape the crowds, take the left turn that runs down to the pier at the north end of the main street and you'll reach the coastal path to Stragill Strand , a beautiful and isolated stretch of golden sand. The view across Lough Swilly here is delightful, as if the waters were those of a large mountain lake. Also well worth visiting is the community-run Tullyarvan Mill (May-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-5pm), a mile north of town off the Drumree road, which has a craft shop and café and hosts regular exhibitions and musical events.

Buncrana might have plenty of amenities, but there are surprisingly few places to stay . The seasonal tourist office (June-Aug Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; tel 077/20020) on the waterfront should be able to help, but rooms are in especially short supply during the July music festival. For B&Bs ; try Ross na Rí , Old Rd (March-Oct; tel 077/61271; £26-33/¬33.01-41.90), or Kincora , Cahir O'Doherty Ave (tel 077/61174; £26-33/¬33.01-41.90). There are a couple of hotels : the Lake of Shadows , Grianan Park (tel 077/61902; £55-70/¬69.84-88.88) overlooking the lough; and, the larger Inishowen Gateway , Railway Rd (tel 077/61144, inigatho@iol.ie ; £90-110/¬114.28-139.67).

For eats in Buncrana, there are the lunchtime specials at the Cranberry Café or, for more substantial fare, the more upmarket Ubiquitous , also on Main Street. The Town Clock Restaurant offers everything from breakfasts to evening meals. The Drift Inn , Railway Road, is a popular choice for pub lunches, and Dorrian's , Main Street, is another good bet. Buncrana is jam-packed with pubs . If you're looking for a plain and unpretentious bar try Hutton's or Roddens . More upbeat venues include O'Flaherty's , which often has traditional music in summer, and McCallion's music bar. At the weekends, car- and coach-loads of northerners pour over the border to dance into the small hours at clubs such as Liberty's or Club Sands in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel .