Joe’s Cozy Lodge

The wind forecast showed more strong winds from the north. After our battle yesterday, Carrie and I didn’t want another fight on our hands. We decided to take a short day to Bundoran, where we’d shack up in a hostel.

On our way to Bundoran we gathered enough energy to take a side trip to Mullaghmore Head, which according to our Wild Atlantic Way map was a tourist destination not to be missed. The Head sticks out from the southern shores of Donegal Bay. From there surfers can risk their lives by surfing waves up to 100 feet high. This area is one of the primo big wave surfing locations in the world.

As we rode around the Head we didn’t see any gigantic waves. We did however get a nice view of a castle on the hillside with what looked like an Arizona mesa in the background.

When we arrived in Bundoran, we stopped at the first hostel we saw to ask for availability. They were booked. This was unexpected. Bundoran didn’t seem like much of a destination.

The guy told me to check next door at the other hostel, Joe’s Cozy Lodge. Lucky for us Joe had a room available in his Victorian home. Joe bought the place and revamped it himself. I believe this was his first year in business.

Joe turned out to be a great host. His place had a nice, laid back surfer vibe, something perfectly at home in Santa Cruz. He moved to the area so he could be close to good surfing.

We found out that the reason it was hard to find a room was because surfers from the rest of Ireland get off work Friday evenings and head to Bundoran for a weekend of wave shredding.