What do you look for in a holiday?
If your answer is great food and drink, beautiful scenery, wonderful accommodation, rich culture, natural wonder and something just a little bit different, then we’ve got the location for you.
Ireland’s Lakelands is an area that stretches through four zones of water: Lough Erne, the Upper Lakelands with Lough Allen & Lough Key, Lough Ree and Lough Derg.
It’s full of natural and cultural wonders and has something for everyone’s taste. Here are 7 reasons why you’ll absolutely love it!
By boat or land
The Lakelands can be explored by either boat or by land. If the water option is to your taste, you can hire boats that sleep 2-12 people and it’s a fantastic way to enjoy it.
There are 500kms of navigable waterways on the Shannon and while there you can stop off at in the beautiful towns of Killaloe, Ballina, Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon and Enniskillen.
If you’d rather stay on dry land, the Lakelands has some of the finest hotels in the country – from beautiful estates to boutique B&Bs.
Relax… or don’t
The area is full of relaxing spas and retreats, but if you’d prefer a more exhilarating time, there’s plenty of that too.
Fantastic watersports, such as kayaking, canoeing and water-trampolining are on offer, as well as a great choice of off-water activities such as walking, cycling, horse riding and golfing in the area.
Perfect for art buffs
You can get creative with arts on Lough Derg or visit the Celtic Roots studio in Ballinahown or Luan Gallery in Athlone. Every where you turn along the Lakelands, there is an artist’s studio or gallery.
It really is the perfect place to visit for art fans.
Travel along Waterways Ireland’s newest recreational holiday experience
The Shannon Blueway is the first holiday experience of its kind in Ireland, providing trails both on land and on water which are safe and easy to use.
Activities available on water include stand-up paddle boarding, canoeing and cruising. You can also trail by bike or engage in some mountain climbing, it’s completely up to you.
Beautiful wildlife
Lough Derg is a magnificent lake located between the counties of Clare, Tipperary and Galway, surrounded with fabulous viewpoints and characterful Lakeshore villages. In fact, it’s so special that a white-tailed sea eagle has moved in and made a permanent home here.
This is just one of the many beautiful creatures you’ll see while making your way along the Shannon to our Lakes.
An incredible amount of heritage
Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly is Europe’s first university and lies within the Lakelands. It was founded by St Ciaran in 6th century and is full of interesting history, ranging from the early days of Catholicism to the Vikings.
The Lakelands also holds Athlone Castle. This castle, which lies in the middle of the town, dates back to the 13th century and has a long, dramatic and bloodstained history.
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Perfect couples’ getaway
If you’re looking for somewhere beautiful to travel with your beau that is not too far away, but feels like a real holiday, then the Lakelands could be the place.
The scenery in the area is fantastic and beautiful food, drink and wonderful entertainment will make this a journey neither of you will forget in a hurry.
So get booking now!
For lots more inspiration and ideas on planning a Lakelands break visit www.discoverireland.ie/lakelands #thisisLIVING. Supported by Fáilte Ireland & Waterways Ireland”.
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