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A Drive around Lough Derg – Ireland’s Pleasure Lake - Self Drive
Oct 13 2011 08:32 AM | Bhushan in Self Drive Tours
A Drive around Lough Derg – Ireland’s Pleasure Lake
+353 (0)61 317522
touristofficelimerick@shannondev.ie
Lough Derg is one of Ireland's largest inland lakes. It is surrounded by mountains and has a shoreline of surprising complexity, with bays large and small and a series of small islands. The lake sits along the path of the River Shannon between three adjoining counties, Galway, Tipperary and Clare. The roads around the lake offer stunning views and pass through many charming small towns, which offer many waterbased activities such as swimming, angling, sailing, boat cruises, canoeing, wind surfing and waterskiing.
Drive : The lake drive goes northwards, up the Shannon, passing a great earthen mound known as Brian Boru's fort. Then you meet the first great bay and can relax at the neat picnic place beside an old jetty. This is the part of the lake most loved by people engaged in water sports and on a fine day the bay is full of canoes and wind surfers. Then the road rises to leave the lake and goes through the hillside village of Ogonelloe, before descending again to follow the margin of Scarriff Bay. . Less than a mile down the hill from Ogonelloe is one of the loveliest viewing points on the whole lake drive where you can view the monastic round Tower of Holy Island. The drive takes you through the villages of Tumagraney, Mountshannon, one of the busiest yachting centres.
A signpost to Williamstown, at Whitegate, the next village, takes a winding route down to the lakeside and another of the old harbours. Then the road leaves the waterside and stays away from it all the way to Portumna. The little old harbour at Portumna has been enlarged to accommodate one of the biggest fleets of hire cruisers on the Shannon, a week or two afloat makes for a marvellous holiday. Cross the river by the long, low bridge and proceed to the delightful village of Terryglass. Take the road from Terryglass through Ballinderry to Coolbaun, where you may turn right at the crossroads for a lakeside diversion, joining the main road again at Ballycolliton and a right turn for Puckaun.
Thence you may proceed directly to Nenagh, or be tempted to follow a winding route which ends by the lakeshore at Dromineer, one of the most distinguished centres for fishing and boating. From Dromineer follow the signposts to Nenagh, a market town so ancient that its Gaelic name Aonach testifies to its importance as a fair ground.
The road going west from Nenagh goes through Newtown, where you might turn off to see the old watermill and Portroe to the best viewing points on the entire lake drive. If you turn left in Portroe you have the fun of an exceedingly steep and narrow road that leads to the graves of the Leinstermen, high on the slopes of Tountinna Mountain. A lower, gentler road leads straight on from Portroe to a less exalted but satisfactory lookout place. The journey ends by descending to the riverside once more, entering the village of Ballina, which vies for the provision of excellent food and drink with its partner Killaloe at the other end of the thirteen arch bridge.
Distances : Distances, Killaloe to Tuamgraney 16kms; Tuamgraney to Williamstown 16kms; Williamstown to Portumna 26kms; Portumna to Terryglass 11kms; Terryglass to Nenagh 26kms; Nenagh to Portroe 10kms; Portroe to Ballina 12kms. Total round trip 117kms
Download the brochure here : Lough Derg Drive
+353 (0)61 317522
touristofficelimerick@shannondev.ie
Lough Derg is one of Ireland's largest inland lakes. It is surrounded by mountains and has a shoreline of surprising complexity, with bays large and small and a series of small islands. The lake sits along the path of the River Shannon between three adjoining counties, Galway, Tipperary and Clare. The roads around the lake offer stunning views and pass through many charming small towns, which offer many waterbased activities such as swimming, angling, sailing, boat cruises, canoeing, wind surfing and waterskiing.
Drive : The lake drive goes northwards, up the Shannon, passing a great earthen mound known as Brian Boru's fort. Then you meet the first great bay and can relax at the neat picnic place beside an old jetty. This is the part of the lake most loved by people engaged in water sports and on a fine day the bay is full of canoes and wind surfers. Then the road rises to leave the lake and goes through the hillside village of Ogonelloe, before descending again to follow the margin of Scarriff Bay. . Less than a mile down the hill from Ogonelloe is one of the loveliest viewing points on the whole lake drive where you can view the monastic round Tower of Holy Island. The drive takes you through the villages of Tumagraney, Mountshannon, one of the busiest yachting centres.
A signpost to Williamstown, at Whitegate, the next village, takes a winding route down to the lakeside and another of the old harbours. Then the road leaves the waterside and stays away from it all the way to Portumna. The little old harbour at Portumna has been enlarged to accommodate one of the biggest fleets of hire cruisers on the Shannon, a week or two afloat makes for a marvellous holiday. Cross the river by the long, low bridge and proceed to the delightful village of Terryglass. Take the road from Terryglass through Ballinderry to Coolbaun, where you may turn right at the crossroads for a lakeside diversion, joining the main road again at Ballycolliton and a right turn for Puckaun.
Thence you may proceed directly to Nenagh, or be tempted to follow a winding route which ends by the lakeshore at Dromineer, one of the most distinguished centres for fishing and boating. From Dromineer follow the signposts to Nenagh, a market town so ancient that its Gaelic name Aonach testifies to its importance as a fair ground.
The road going west from Nenagh goes through Newtown, where you might turn off to see the old watermill and Portroe to the best viewing points on the entire lake drive. If you turn left in Portroe you have the fun of an exceedingly steep and narrow road that leads to the graves of the Leinstermen, high on the slopes of Tountinna Mountain. A lower, gentler road leads straight on from Portroe to a less exalted but satisfactory lookout place. The journey ends by descending to the riverside once more, entering the village of Ballina, which vies for the provision of excellent food and drink with its partner Killaloe at the other end of the thirteen arch bridge.
Distances : Distances, Killaloe to Tuamgraney 16kms; Tuamgraney to Williamstown 16kms; Williamstown to Portumna 26kms; Portumna to Terryglass 11kms; Terryglass to Nenagh 26kms; Nenagh to Portroe 10kms; Portroe to Ballina 12kms. Total round trip 117kms
Download the brochure here : Lough Derg Drive
