A holiday in Ireland would not be complete without hopping on one of its top-class boats and cruisers. Having a boating holiday in Ireland is surely one of the better ways to delight in the beauty of the country's unspoiled rivers and lakes.
Your boating holiday will normally allow you to cover a vast area of Ireland's uncrowded waterways. Spanning over 800 kilometers of navigable waterways, the Shannon/Erne system of lakes and rivers is one Europe's longest but least crowded waterways. It is a kind of trip that allows you to be serene with nature but at the same time offers you some lively activities to make your holiday picture perfect. While on your boating holiday, you can join other healthy activities such as forest walking, cycling, and golf? Boat operators should normally be able to provide cycles and give details of neighboring golf courses.
There are hundreds of moorings, quiet harbors, marinas, as well as busy towns and quiet villages that will see along the way. As you travel and bask in the breathtaking scenery, opportunities also abound for you to get a taste of Ireland's culture and heritage.
If you are looking for perfect solitude and tranquility, the vast cruising grounds of Lough Erne in the North, Lough Ree in the midlands, and Lough Derg in the south will rarely let you see another boat in view. For a more lively cruise, the Upper Shannon offers lots of waterside pubs and restaurants where you will most likely meet other groups that are also in a boating holiday in Ireland.
The Shannon/Erne Waterway can be divided into three sections:
1. The Lower Shannon -- the area from Killaloe to Athlone which includes Lough Derg.
2. The Upper Shannon -- from Athlone to Carrick on Shannon, including Lough Ree and Lough Key.
3. Lower and Upper Lough Erne -- connected to the River Shannon via the Shannon/Erne Waterway.
The Lower Shannon
Killaloe, a bustling town, marks the limit of the Shannon navigation for hire boats, the most southerly point on the waterway.
Lough Derg is known for its idyllic little towns and villages with small harbors and moorings. On the northern shore of Lough Derg, you will find the Portumna National Park, which has its own harbor and is well worth a visit. Other interesting towns in The Lower Shannon are Banagher (with marina berths for cruisers), Ireland's ancient Christian capital Clonmacnois, and historic Athlone.
The Upper Shannon
Although it is very large, Lough Ree is safe for boating and offers awe-inspiring beauty all around it. It has a diverse wildlife and a good fishing spot, too. Up river from Lough Ree, you will pass through rivers and small lakes, passing small villages and towns until you reach the town of Carrick-on Shannon. The town, a major cruising center for the Shannon waterway, offers lots of pubs, hotels and restaurants as well as facilities for provisioning boats.
Lough Erne
Heading north east of Carrick-on-Shannon will lead you to the Shannon/Erne Waterway, the gateway to Lough Erne. The Shannon/Erne Waterway links the river systems of the Shannon and Upper and Lower Lough Erne and connects these two waterways passing through the towns of Leitrim and Ballinamore.
Lush green meadows surround upper Lough Erne, which in itself contains hundreds of small islands. Between the upper and lower loughs lie Ennilskillen, a busy market town that teems with shops, museums and large castles.
Royal Canal
Not to be missed on a boating holiday in Ireland is a cruise along The Grand Canal and the River Barrow. Here lie some of Ireland's most interesting boating and fishing waters. Once a busy trading artery, Ireland has now confined the Grand Canal exclusively for leisure boating. More than 130 kilometers of classic cruising takes you through 43 locks from downtown Dublin to Shannon Harbour where the canal joins the Shannon system.
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