
Crummies Bay is a cove inlet, close north of Dunree Head on the eastern shore of Northern Ireland's Lough Swilly. It offers an anchorage in a scenic and rural setting.
The small bay offers an exposed anchorage, being shallow almost out to its entrance points, but is serviceable in conditions from north round through east to the south. However, in the case of the latter quadrant, it can be exposed to the swell which sometimes rolls up the Lough. Being unencumbered by outlying hazards it has straightforward access night and day, at all stages of the tide and in all reasonable conditions.
Keyfacts for Crummie's Bay
Last modified
July 10th 2021 Summary
A tolerable location with straightforward access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
this is the position of the anchorage in the bay
What is the initial fix?
The following Lough Swilly Initial Fix will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in northwestern Ireland’s coastal overview for Erris Head to Malin Head
. A set of waypoints to assist when running up lough can be found in the Lough Swilly route
.
Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Crummie's Bay for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Dunree Bay - 0.7 nautical miles SSE
- Scraggy Bay - 2.1 nautical miles SSW
- Lenan Bay - 2.3 nautical miles NNE
- Portsalon - 2.4 nautical miles W
- Macamish Bay - 4 nautical miles SSE
- Pincher Bay - 5 nautical miles NW
- Buncrana - 5.5 nautical miles SSE
- Rathmullan - 6.6 nautical miles S
- The Lough Swilly Marina - 7.4 nautical miles SSE
- Mulroy Bay - 9 nautical miles W
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Dunree Bay - 0.7 miles SSE
- Scraggy Bay - 2.1 miles SSW
- Lenan Bay - 2.3 miles NNE
- Portsalon - 2.4 miles W
- Macamish Bay - 4 miles SSE
- Pincher Bay - 5 miles NW
- Buncrana - 5.5 miles SSE
- Rathmullan - 6.6 miles S
- The Lough Swilly Marina - 7.4 miles SSE
- Mulroy Bay - 9 miles W
What's the story here?

Image: Greg Clarke via CC BY-SA 2.00
Crummie Bay is entered to the north of Dunree Head and Illan Horadivna Rock and is almost completely surrounded by the mainland where the Owenerk River estuary gently discharges into the Lough splitting the beach in two. The cliffs on the mainland offer some protection from the east, but the bay is exposed to westerly winds and to the swell which rolls into the Lough which can make life uncomfortable when moored.
The head of the bay gently shelves from between the points of the entrance where the 5 metres contour resides.

Image: Michael Dibb via CC BY-SA 2.0
How to get in?
Why visit here?
Anciently known as An Port Bán from the Irish an Phoirt Bháin meaning port of the white lea-ground, it has been called Crummies Bay since Napoleonic times. The beach at the head of the bay is also known as Dunree Beach.
Image: Greg Clarke via CC BY-SA 2.00
Crummies Bay is a delightful little cove open to the west and nestled between Dunree Head and the Urris Hills with a deep white sandy beach that is perfect to land a dinghy upon. There are no facilities at this location and that is its joy, a lovely horseshoe shaped bay in its natural state with steep rocky hills at both sides, which most likely you will have all to yourself. Don't be surprised if you see rock climbers on the cliffs surrounding Crummie's Bay as this is one of the must-visit locations for this activity.
From a sailing perspective, the scenic little cove is ideal for a quiet and tranquil picnic on the beach, with an opportunity to explore further along the shoreline. It is ideal for a boat with a family to let loose and safely explore.
What facilities are available?
There are no facilities at this remote location.With thanks to:
Graham Wilkinson.
Crummies Bay, Lough Swilly, Donegal, Ireland
Image: eOceanic thanks Greg Clarke via CC BY-SA 2.00

Crummies Bay as seen with the Urris Hills and Dunree Head
Image: eOceanic thanks Greg Clarke via CC BY-SA 2.00
About Crummie's Bay
Anciently known as An Port Bán from the Irish an Phoirt Bháin meaning port of the white lea-ground, it has been called Crummies Bay since Napoleonic times. The beach at the head of the bay is also known as Dunree Beach.

Image: Greg Clarke via CC BY-SA 2.00
Crummies Bay is a delightful little cove open to the west and nestled between Dunree Head and the Urris Hills with a deep white sandy beach that is perfect to land a dinghy upon. There are no facilities at this location and that is its joy, a lovely horseshoe shaped bay in its natural state with steep rocky hills at both sides, which most likely you will have all to yourself. Don't be surprised if you see rock climbers on the cliffs surrounding Crummie's Bay as this is one of the must-visit locations for this activity.
From a sailing perspective, the scenic little cove is ideal for a quiet and tranquil picnic on the beach, with an opportunity to explore further along the shoreline. It is ideal for a boat with a family to let loose and safely explore.
Other options in this area
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Alternatively here are the ten nearest havens available in picture view:
Coastal clockwise:
Lenan Bay - 1.4 miles NNEMalin Harbour or Slievebane Bay - 7.7 miles NE
Portachurry - 10.6 miles NE
Portmore - 10.9 miles NE
Culdaff Bay - 9.1 miles ENE
Coastal anti-clockwise:
Dunree Bay - 0.4 miles SSEBuncrana - 3.4 miles SSE
The Lough Swilly Marina - 4.6 miles SSE
Ramelton - 6.5 miles SSW
Rathmullan - 4.1 miles S
Navigational pictures
These additional images feature in the 'How to get in' section of our detailed view for Crummie's Bay.




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