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Shannon and Erne

The Shannon and the Erne

The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland running over 380km (240 miles) from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan to the sea at Limerick. The river is navigable for most of its length from Lough Allen to Killaloe and provides one of the most peaceful waterways in Europe. The River Shannon only falls 20 metres (60 feet) in this length, so is shallow and slow. This makes navigation tricky because of the depth, but easy because there are no currents. If you follow our excellent chart, you will have no difficulty navigating the River Shannon and its tributaries. There are a couple of large lakes - namely Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Lough Ree is shallow and lies in flat land, so is interesting with inlets and islands. Lough Derg is deep and is surrounded by hills, so has a spectacular shoreline but few islands and inlets. You can travel up the River Boyle tributary to Lough Key which is very scenic and easily navigated.

Lough Erne is divided in two by the town of Enniskillen. Upper Lough Erne is shallow and has so many islands that it is more like a series of rivers than a lake. Very under-populated, it is the best place on the entire river to truly get away from it all. Some of the most remote and lonely jetties are on this lake. Lower Lough Erne is deeper and more open and more popular with boaters. There are plenty of places to visit, including some of the best heritage sites in Ireland. The picturesque Kesh River winds through fields to the tiny village of Kesh with a hotel, shops and pubs. The lowest point of navigation on the Erne is the village of Belleek where you can visit the world-famous pottery.

Click here for a map of The Shannon and The Erne.