Friday will see a series of free events taking place around Lough Derg to mark the recent opening of the Lough Derg Blueway.
The events are being coordinated by the Lough Derg Marketing Group in conjunction with members of the tourism trade around the Lough Derg Blueway.
Events taking place include Kayaking in Terryglass; Ceramics Workshop in Dromineer; Try Sailing or SUP in Two-Mile-Gate; guided walks in Ballycuggaran and Scarriff; historical and leisure boat trips on Lough Derg from Scarriff; bike tours of Portumna Forest Park, karting in Portumna, and chocolate workshops in Tuamgraney.
Speaking in advance of the planned open day, Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development with Clare County Council, is encouraging locals to get out and explore the Lough Derg Blueway for themselves.
“The Lough Derg Blueway Open Day presents a series of free events for family and friends around Lough Derg to experience the essence of what a Blueway is,” said Mr. Cleary.
“You can get on the water in a kayak, Try Sailing or SUP, or alternatively you can go for a hike or guided walk. There will be bike tours, art exhibitions, chocolate making workshops and the offering is just a sample of what can be enjoyed around Lough Derg. Booking is essential and we expect places to be booked up quickly as the Open Day coincides with the Easter holidays for schools.”
The Lough Derg Blueway is a multi-activity recreational trail on and alongside Lough Derg, with easy access to canoe and bike hire, maps and trail information. The trails are family and group friendly whether it’s for a weekend away or a daily walk. Packages and activities can be found on www.BluewaysIreland.org.
The Lough Derg Blueway builds on the untapped potential of the existing waterway infrastructure in the region and is enhanced by attractive rural towns and villages of Portumna, Dromineer, Killaloe/Ballina, Scarriff, and Mountshannon. With 21 individual paddling trails, Lough Derg as the largest lake on the River Shannon offers its own unique Blueway experience. The Lough shore provides achievable paddling, walking and cycling trails including heritage trails with over 90 heritage sites and access to the long distance routes of the East Clare Way and Lough Derg Way.
For more information on events taking place on the day visit www.bluewaysireland.org and follow Discover Lough Derg and Blueways Ireland on Facebook where all events and contact details will be listed.