Ring of Lough Derg Cycleway

Lough Derg
Cycleway

Bike Ride Description:

Take the meandering Lough Derg Cylceway and see the picturesque villages through three different counties!
Starting at Glocca Morra B&B in County Clare, turn left out of the drive towards Scarriff. Two km on the right hand
side you will come to the first of several lookout points. Here you can see Holy Island in the distance and also the
shorelines of Scarriff and Mountshannon. Continue on this road to the town of Tuamgraney where the East Clare
Heritage Centre is located in what is probably the oldest church in Ireland still in use. At the junction ahead, turn
right onto the R352 to Scarriff. Follow this road to Mountshannon where you can turn right past the Mountshannon
Hotel to the harbour. Here you can take a boat to Holy Island and see Ogonnelloe and the Arra Mountains of
Tipperary with Tountinna being the tallest. Back to the main road, turn right and follow the road through Whitegate
on the way to Portumna. You will pass through many small villages including Gorteeny and Power's Cross all in
County Galway. Follow into Portumna where you can stop off at Portumna Castle turning right past the church. This
old manor house is still under reconstruction and is worth the small admission price to see the grounds and first
floor. Don't miss the Kitchen Garden. Upon leaving the castle, go straight ahead to the junction and turn right. This
will take you across the bridge in Portumna, which is the northern most point of Lough Derg. Across the bridge you
enter County Tipperary. Follow the signs for the N52 to the village of Carrigahorig. Just up the hill take a right hand
turn to Terryglass on the R493. This will take you through the quaint villages of Terryglass, Ballinderry, Coolbaun
and Puchane. The narrow winding roads are well worth the trip when you enter Puchane where you will see old
thatched roof cottages that can be rented as summer holiday homes. Continue on this road in the direction of
Nenagh and back to the N52. Turn right and follow the signs to Dublin/Limerick N7 through 2 roundabouts. You can
turn right at the first roundabout to see the picturesque village of Dromineer. After Dromineer return to the N52 and
turn right. At the next roundabout, take the Portroe exit. This is the R494. Follow this road through Newtown and
before entering Portroe there is a turnoff to the right for Garrykennedy. Another great location for seeing Lough
Derg and Larkin's Pub is well known. About turn to the R494, turn right and about another 2 km after the town of
Portroe is a lookout point on the right hand side. Here you can see all of upper Lough Derg, and yes, Holy Island
and Mountshannon in the distance. Continue on the R494 in the direction of Ballina and at the mini roundabout turn
right to cross the bridge. Just past Molly’s turn right and this will bring you to the parking lot on your left and here
you can take the Spirit of Killaloe cruise at 2:30pm which brings you into the main basin of Lough Derg and gives a
history of the area and King Brian Boru. After the cruise you may want to explore the twin towns of Killaloe/Ballina
and walk along the canal built as a passage for boats around the 13 arch bridge before the hydroelectric scheme
flooded the area in 1929. Be sure to check out the Brian Boru Heritage Centre to learn about the history of Killaloe
and Ireland's greatest High King, Brian Boru. Next, return to the carpark and turn right at Molly's to cross the bridge
into Killaloe. At the end of the bridge turn right in the direction of Scarriff. Continue on this road and just before the
80km speed signs you will come to Brian Boru’s ring fort on your right hand side. This is a lovely serene ring fort
that has been dated to the time of King Brian Boru’s reign. Continue on in the direction of Scarriff and 2 km past
here is a small picnic area on your right called Two Mile Gate. Here you can feed the ducks and swans and take a
stroll around the area and for the courageous, take a dip in the cool waters of Lough Derg (The Lake of the Bloody
Eye). Continue on this road for about 5 km and you'll find yourself back home at Glocca Morra! Most cyclists like to
start and complete their journey at Killaloe and Ballina but, essentially, you can pick up on the cycleway, which is
signposted in both directions, anywhere along the route. All in all, a picturesque 115km cycle, with lots of potential
stop points of interest along the way.

Distance: 132km
Time: Approximately 2 - 2.5 days
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.

Terrain: Mostly flat with occasional steep climbs. Excellent scenery and lake views.
Traffic: On this route can be busy during peak holiday season. Otherwise very light.
Suitability: Suitable for people of medium levels of fitness.
Minimum Gear: Helmet, bike, mobile phone, fluid, snacks, waterproofs and a rucksack.

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information
provided on these maps, no responsibility will be accepted by Glocca Morra B&B for any
safety, distance, accuracy, or suitability of any route for walking, running, hiking, or cycling.