Ring of Lough Derg Cycleway

Ring of Lough Derg
Cycleway

Bike Ride Description:

Take the meandering Ring of Lough Derg Scenic 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
errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Glocca Morra B&B makes no warranties as to the conditions,
safety, distance, accuracy, or suitability of any route for walking, running, hiking, or cycling.