Top 7 Lakes around Leitrim

Lough Allen is a prime destination for water sports enthusiasts, offering opportunities for kayaking, Canadian canoeing, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The Lough Allen Adventure Centre provides equipment and instruction. Lough MacNean and Glencar Lake also offer activities like canoeing and SUP boarding.

Lough Allen is internationally renowned for pike and trout fishing, with large pike often caught. Lough Melvin is famous for its exceptional salmon and trout fishing, home to unique Gillaroo, Sonaghan, and Ferox trout. Lough MacNean is popular for boat fishing, especially for pike and trout during the mayfly season. Lough Garadice is a significant coarse fishing destination, abundant with bream, tench, roach, and pike. For more information on angling, you can visit Leitrim Tourism's angling page.

Yes, Keeldra Lough is Leitrim's only officially designated swimming spot, featuring excellent water quality, a sandy shore, and facilities like toilets, changing rooms, and parking. Lough MacNean Amenity Area also provides car parking, picnic areas, and a playground. Acres Lake in Drumshanbo offers a floating boardwalk and is ideal for a relaxing break with children.

Lough Gill is surrounded by lush woodlands like Hazelwood and Slish Wood, providing scenic walks and cycling trails. Keeldra Lough features a 2.7 km lakeside walk. Glencar Lake has three walking routes from its car park, exploring the countryside, woods, and lakeshore, with the Glencar Hill Walk offering exceptional views. Lough Melvin also offers diverse hiking landscapes with crystal-clear waters and rocky shorelines.

Lough Gill is famously associated with poet W.B. Yeats and features Parke's Castle, a 17th-century fortified manor house overlooking the lake. Lough MacNean lies within the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, offering access to unique geological landscapes and ancient woodlands, along with a sculpture trail. Lough Rynn is home to the luxurious Lough Rynn Castle Estate & Gardens.

Cormongan Pier on Lough Allen is a popular swimming spot within the Shannon Blueway, known for its calm waters. Keeldra Lough is an officially designated swimming spot with excellent water quality and a sandy shore. The sandy shore near Rossinver on Lough Melvin is also noted for its excellent water quality and is a favored spot for wild swimming.

Lough Allen is home to the rare Irish Lady's Tresses orchid and pollan, a freshwater fish relict from the last Ice Age. Lough Gill is a protected site supporting Atlantic Salmon, otters, and pine martens. Lough Melvin is internationally recognized for its unique range of plants and animals, including three distinct species of trout. Glenade Lough is a Special Area of Conservation supporting unique wildlife like the white-clawed crayfish.

Many lakes offer excellent opportunities for hiking and cycling. For broader outdoor activities in the region, you can explore various routes. For example, you can find hiking routes around Leitrim, road cycling routes, and general cycling tours in the area.

Lough Gill is famously associated with the poet W.B. Yeats, who drew inspiration from its serene beauty, particularly the iconic Lake Isle of Innisfree. Glencar Lake is also renowned for its proximity to Glencar Waterfall, which was immortalized in Yeats' poem "The Stolen Child".

The lakes in Leitrim offer beauty year-round. Spring and summer are ideal for water sports, swimming, and enjoying the lush greenery. Autumn provides stunning foliage for walks, while winter offers tranquil, atmospheric landscapes for quieter visits. Specific activities like fishing may have seasonal peaks, such as the mayfly season for trout fishing on Lough MacNean.

Acres Lake in Drumshanbo is home to Ireland's first floating boardwalk. This 600-meter boardwalk forms the beginning of a 6.5 km linear walking and cycling trail along the Shannon Blueway, offering spectacular scenery.

Lough Gill is exceptionally picturesque with its small islands and lush woodlands. Glencar Lake is renowned for its stunning setting and its close proximity to the iconic Glencar Waterfall, offering magical views. Lough Allen, nestled between Sliabh an Iarainn and the Arigna Mountains, provides expansive lake views, particularly from Cormongan Pier.