Lough Key, Lough Ree & Lough Erne by boat

Our base at Carrick-on-Shannon is the ideal starting point for exploring the Shannon, Ireland’s longest river. It’s a long way from any commercial traffic, navigable for 220 km, has only six locks, and has lakes that are sometimes real inland seas. You’ll be bowled over by the beauty of the landscapes bordering the river. As you cruise southward, you cross Lough Ree
to reach the lively town of Athlone, the Celtic site of Clonmacnoise and then Portumna, with its Renaissance castle. If you head northwards, you take the Upper Shannon towards Boyle, with
its delightful little 12th-century Cistercian abbey, before reaching Leitrim. Then you enter the Shannon-Erne Waterway which meets the Erne to the north, the other great Irish river. The canal, which is 63 km long, has been magnificently restored and takes you through a dreamlike landscape dotted with picturesque villages like Ballyconnel and Belturbet.

Start your boating adventure in the town of Carrick-on-Shannon, a quintessential Irish town full of local charm and idyllic Irishness. The town is the largest in County Leitrim and the smallest county town in the entire country. Many start their Shannon Erne waterway holidays here, and it is easy to see why. The town is a hub of activity and has been for many years, being a major crossing of the river Shannon has only boosted this title.

Although considered the gateway to the Shannon Erne Waterway, the town itself has a number of attractions that are worth visiting before you set off on your boating holidays. The Carrick Bridge and Quay are some of the town’s more iconic landmarks and show the trading history of this area of the river better than anything else. Carrick-on-Shannon is also home to the Dock, an art centre housed within a renovated former 19th-century courthouse building.

Once you have secured your Shannon-on-Carrick boat rental, you will need to decide on which route you will take along the River Shannon. Heading northwest, your canal barge route will take you to Lough Key from Carrick on Shannon. The start of this river route will mean you cross your first county border, crossing from County Leitrim to County Roscommon. As you cross the county border, you will enter your first lough, Lough Drumharlow. Known for its rich wildlife and fish species, this is a great introduction to the Irish waterways. Heading farther north-west, you will arrive at the first main stop off of the Shannon-Erne waterway, Lough Key.

This two-thousand-acre lake is a scene of breath-taking beauty and has a number of must-see sights dotted around its green shores. Lough Key boat hire is also possible if you wish to start your journey here. Lough Key has many natural charms that make it a great place to stop off as you make your way down the River Shannon. Dotted with numerous small islands, Lough Key has been inhabited for centuries and even boasts a folly castle on the aptly named Castle Island. Along the southern shore is the 800-hectare Lough Key Forest Park. The forest is a natural wonder and is well worth a stop-off. The park is home to a visitors’ centre, numerous hiking trails and a tree canopy walk. This is the perfect place to immerse yourself in Ireland’s woodlands.

Coming back on to the River Shannon, the Shannon-Erne waterway takes you north, diverting your trip to the uppermost main lake of Lough Allen. Sitting just south of the river’s source of Shannon Pot, Lough Allen covers a huge 14 square miles and is one of the larger lakes in the area. Nestled between two mountain ranges, the Slieve Anierin mountain range to the east and the Arigna hills to the west, Lough Allen is the perfect place for windsurfing – perfect if you fancy a change from your Lough Allen boat hire. Apart from the excellent windsurfing conditions, Lough Allen is also home to the award-winning Lough Allen Adventure Centre. This centre is a hub for all sporting activities around the water’s edge, including kayaking, hiking and more. The town of Drumshanbo sits at the southernmost point of Lough Allen and is a great stop-off point for stretching your legs and visiting a well-preserved Irish town, complete with pubs, restaurants and shops.

Continuing on the River Shannon Erne waterway, you will wind your way through the northernmost countryside of the county and across the border into Northern Ireland. This section of the route joins the River Shannon with the River Erne via the Shannon–Erne Waterway canal, and canal boat hire here is also possible. On entering this section of the canal, you will come up against a series of Shannon Erne waterway locks. These locks are simple to navigate, yet there is always a friendly local there to give boaters a hand.

A few miles over the border, you will arrive at Lower Lough Erne; a lake system joined to Upper Lough Erne. These two loughs make up one of the largest lake systems in all of Ireland. Lough Erne boat hire means you can start and end your Shannon River cruise here, depending on your chosen route. As the lough is made up of two separate lakes, Lough Erne boat trips can take you across 43 square miles of water, an epic trip that can allow you to see so much of both rural Ireland and rural Northern Ireland. Lough Erne has gathered a reputation for all things watersports, with the World Waterski Championships held here as well as wakeboarding competitions. Securing your Lough Erne cruiser hire during the same time as these competitions will add something special to your Lough Erne visit.

Heading north isn’t the only route you can take from Carrick-on-Shannon; with all of Ireland’s midland interior to discover, venturing south is just as rewarding. Setting out from Carrick-on-Shannon, boaters will come to a fork in the waterway, with the Royal Canal to your left and the River Shannon on your Right. The Royal Canal goes all the way to Dublin, but make sure you take the fork to the right as your hire boat cannot pass the low bridges and narrow locks of the Royal Canal. The man-made Royal Canal is a little more structured than the naturally occurring River Shannon and the historic Richmond Harbour adds an interesting element to your boating holidays in Ireland.

Shannon cruises can take any shape or form! Taking the right fork in the River Shannon after leaving Carrick on Shannon will take you farther into Ireland’s interior and will eventually mean you and your boat arrive at Lough Ree. Lough Ree boat hire enables you to boat across the second biggest lake in all of Ireland, a feat that helps you really take in the natural beauty of the lake. Lough Ree covers three different counties Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon, making it a perfect destination to really soak up Ireland’s culture and history.

The very southern point of Lough Ree narrows back into the River Shannon and flows through the town of Athlone, a destination at which most Lough Ree boat trips make a stop. Athlone is a town not far from Ireland’s exact geographical centre, yet there is more to this humble town other than its location. There is plenty to see and do in Athlone, from popping in for a drink at Sean’s Bar – the oldest pub in Ireland and possibly Europe, to visiting Athlone’s 13th-century castle.

As the River Shannon meanders further to the Lower Shannon area south, you and your boat will cross the county border and enter County Offaly, bordering on County Galway. Apart from more of the idyllic countryside passing by, you will eventually arrive at the quaint riverside town of Banagher. Although a small town, Banagher has a substantial river port, meaning you can opt for a Banagher boat hire if you wish to end or start your Shannon River boating holiday here. Along with being a practical place to start and finish your boating holiday, Banagher itself is a great place to pause the river travel and take in a new Irish town. As Banagher has always been a major crossing of the Shannon River throughout history, the town has its fair share of historical buildings and sights that are worth a visit. Top of these historical locations is Banagher’s Fort Eliza. This early 19th-century fort was constructed to repel a Napoleonic invasion and is as impressive on the riverside today as it must have been then.

Travelling down to one of the River Shannon’s most southern points is hugely rewarding. Not only to see the impressive Lough Derg but to see the semi-fortified house of Portumna Castle. Portumna Castle and gardens were constructed in 1617 and at the time had no equal in its grandeur and style. Visitors can now visit the 17th-century house in all its glory, harking back to a time in Ireland that is now gone. As well as the castled house itself, Portumna is home to an impressive 17th century walled the kitchen garden. This garden is a feast for the senses, with fruit trees, herbs, flowers and vegetables all growing in a display just as impressive as Portumna Castle itself.

A few miles south of Athlone and Lough Ree is one of the nation’s earliest Christian sites, Clonmacnoise. This 6th-century abbey stands in partial ruins along the River Shannon, making it a sight that is easy to see not only on foot but from your Carrick on Shannon boat hire itself. The site is an impressive mixture of the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers, three high crosses and a large collection of Early Christian grave slabs.

Pre-dating much of northern Europe’s conversion to Christianity, Clonmacnoise stands as an important site not only in Ireland but across the globe. On the verge of gaining UNESCO status, it is easy to see why it receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Special tours of Clonmacnoise can be organised by visiting the Shannonbridge Tourist Office or simply pulling your boat into the marina here. Being directly along the river bank means you can see one of the country’s most famous sites with a simple step from the boat.