Welcome to the Official East Clare Tourism - Visit Clare website |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
-
-
-
- |
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Walking - East Clare Way |
The East Clare Way is 172km in length and ascends some 3,000 metres. Allow an extra 15km for detours to accommodation. It can be comfortably walked in 8 days with stage lengths ranging from 20 to 30 kms.
1. Killaloe to Broadford
2. Broadford to Tulla
3. Tulla to Flagmount
4. Flagmount to Whitegate
5. Whitegate to Scarriff
6. Scarriff to Killaloe |
Killaloe to Broadford - 19kms Ascent 575m
 The starting point for the East Clare Way is the heritage town of Killaloe. Killaloe is an important tourist centre on Lough Derg, the gateway to Clare.
Leaving Killaloe the route ascends via the Gap road. The views along here are magnificent, to the north Moylussa mountain and to the south across the Shannon to Limerick and distant Kerry. The route descends to Kilbane and proceeds through to broadford.
Broadford to Tulla - 38kms
 Leaving Broadford along the Limerick road the way climbs steeply up the Sallybank road with superb views back to the Slieve Bernaghs. The way descends passing some beautiful oak woodlands, west of Doon lake and on to O’Callaghans Mills. The way continues on to Tulla passing a variety of landscapes including bogland, woodland and pasture land as well as Kilgorry lake nearby.
Tulla to Flagmount – 48kms
 Tulla – the Irish name Tulach meaning a hill – is a hilltop village where St Mochulla founded the original church in 620 AD. Today the walls of the later 18th century structure can be seen. Tulla today is rich in the heritage of traditional music, home of the Tulla Ceile Band. Leaving Tulla and crossing the main Tulla Gort road the Way continues through the forestry track climbing gradually through the area known as Uggoon with views of distant Slieve Bernaghs to the south east and the Shannon estuary to the south west. The mixture of moorland, forestry and scrub in this stretch offer a range of habitats for animals like the Pine Martin, Red Squirrel and badgers as well as a variety of birdlife.
Climbing the moorland to Lough Ea on the foothills of Maghera mountain the way goes off to the right crossing bogland, home to a few Red Grouse and eventually descends by an old stone bog road. Continue the way via forestry and up to Ballycrown an area rich in flora including insectivorous Butterwort and Sundew and Cross-leaved heather to mention but a few. Descend the hillside with its beautiful views of Maghera, Knockbeha and Lough Graney. More than 20 different varieties of wild flowers exist in this area especially abundant in Springtime.
 The Way travels along the valley reaching Liss Cross and the old village of Cloonagroo lies off to the left in the valley. The Way rises via Knockanena descending to the Lough Graney Inn and passes through lowland bog at Doorus. Follow theWay to Dillon’s Wood, views to the right across Lough Graney are magnificent. Follow the Way to Flagmount.
Flagmount to Whitegate - 29kms
Flagmount to Mountshannon – 32kms
This can be a long and fairly strenuous hike and walkers without camping equipment should set out early and well prepared.
 Perched overlooking Lough Graney is the village of Flagmount. The late 18th century poet Brian Merriman’s poem Cúirt an Mheán Oiche was inspired here. Merriman a local hedge-school master, scandalised the establishment at the time with his social and political satrire on rural Ireland. A commemorative stone to him has been erected nearby at Bunshoon Bridge between Flagmount and Caher.
Climbing a steep land alongside O’Mara’s shop to reach the road above. Views back across the lake from here are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere along the East Clare Way.
 Climb Knockbeha mountain and left along the Glen road where there’s beautiful views over the Slieve Aughtys and glimpses of distant Lough Derg.
Now on the descent follow the Way in an easterly direction to Turkenagh. From here the Way descends through bogland and forestry and for the thirsty traveller you can opt to take the spur to Whitegate or  continue the Way to Mountshannon. With it’s fine harbour and modern marina Mountshannon is a picturesque village, a National Tidy Towns winner.
Whitegate – Scarriff – 26kms
Mountshannon – Scarriff 17kms
From Mountshannon the Way proceeds through Bohatch, Ardeevin and Cappaghabaun towards Scarriff. The long road down the hill offers an excellent view over Lough Derg and Ogonnelloe.
Scarriff to Killaloe – 30kms
 Scarriff is a thriving business town popular with anglers and walkers. The harbour in Scarriff has been upgraded and has mooring facilities for up to 30 cruisers.
Not far from Scarriff the Way passes through the village of Tuamgraney. Leaving Tuamgraney take the first right off the main road and begin the steady climb up into the Slieve Bernagh hills until you reach the townland of Caherhurley. Proceeding along  the Way overlooking Ogonnelloe there is some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole of Clare with Lough Derg and it’s many islands creating a landscape rich in beauty, colour and variety. A sight to behold!
The Way descends to the main road near Rinaman Point and veres to the right to re-ascend the hill through Crag Wood. The Way descends the beautiful Feenlea Glen eventually leading to Kay crossroads, an ideal spot to sit and enjoy a picnic before finally walking down into Killaloe. |
The East Clare Way
Tel: 00 353 65 6835912
Email: walks.ennis@eircom.net
Web: www.clarewalks.com |
| Ballycuggaran Trails |
Ballycuggaran ( Baile Ni Chogarain in Irish) Homeland of the O’Cuggarans, an important family at the court of Brain Boru.
The site is situated on Crag Hill on the lower slopes of the Slieve Bernagh Mountains overlooking Lough Derg. On the southern side of Crag is a fort, dating to the early Christian period which was the original home of the O’Briens and the reputed birthplace of St. Flannan. Aoibheal’s Rock, the legendary abode of Aoibheal, fairy queen of the O’Briens, is at the highest point of Ballycuggaran. The great oak woods that originally clothed these hills were cut down to fire the iron furnaces of east Clare as well as for shipbuilding.
The main tree species to be seen in this forest are spruce, larch, fir, oak, beech and ash. The higher slopes consist of heather, rush, broadleaved scrub and bracken. There is a large diversity of fauna in the area including badger, fox, woodcock and pheasant. Wild goats can be seen on the upper slopes of Slieve Bernagh.
There are 2 waymarked trails in this forest – one is a moderate looped walk called the Crag Wood Walk and this trailhead also gives access onto the East Clare Way.
3 km north of Killaloe on R463. Download location map
How do I get there?
Signed left off R463 Killaloe to Scarriff road. Short drive from entrance.
Parking Info
No of car spaces: 30
Features:
* Waymarked Trails
* National Waymarked Ways Trail Head
* Viewing Points
* Walking Trails
Activities:
* Walking/Hiking
Website: www.coillteoutdoors.ie
Contact name: Christy O Dea
Contact email: Christy.ODea@coillte.ie |
| Cahermurphy Trails |
Adjacent to Flagmount village on shores of Lough Graney.
Download location map
Site Description
Cahermurphy, ( Cathair mhurchu In Irish), Lough Graney and it’s environs is sometimes referred to as the “Killarney” of Co. Clare. It is an unspoilt area of natural beauty. The area was made famous by the poet Brian Merriman in Cuirt an Mhean Oiche written in 1780. Cahermurphy house was once the stately home of Arthur Knox, the famed traveller/writer. A stone caher or stone fort can still be seen from the road on the lands of the present owner.
The site is known locally as the White Sands because of the stretch of sandy lakeside shore. Most of the present woodlands date from the early 1950s and include lodgepole pine, Scots pine, Norway spruce Sitka spruce, alder ,birch and beech. Fauna include pine marten, badgers, squirrels and fallow deer and there are otters in the nearby Bleach river. Many species of birds inhabit the area and there is coarse fishing in the lake.
The nearby village of Flagmount is a popular area for recreation on Lough Graney. Both Flagmount and Cahermurphy are on the East Clare Way and the area has a rich heritage of historic sites, folklore, traditional music, song and dance. Facilities on site include car park, picnic site, fishing, lakeshore and river walks.
3.5 km north of Flagmount signed left off road to Gort. The site is 1km off the main road on the northern shore of Lough Graney.
Activities:
* Walking/Hiking
* Family cycling
* Fishing
Website: www.coillteoutdoors.ie
Contact name: Dermot Cunniffe
Contact email: dermot.cunniffe@coillte.ie
|
 |
|
 |
Read unbiased opinions about hotels & vacations at TripAdvisor. |
|
|
|
