Lovely lake north of Ennis with walking trails, free parking and lots of ducks waiting to be fed!…read more You can also hire a kayak / paddle board there this summer. Unfortunately if it rains while you're there, the only shelter is under a tree. No cafes nearby but there is a little local grocery store across the road

One long cruise great captain and crew. Upper and lower deck for great views of the river and…read moreshoreline.

From the owner: Step on board one of our modern, clean, safe and comfortable passenger boats, in their idyllic…read moresetting on the shores of Lough Derg, Ireland's pleasure lake with its breath-taking views of Counties Clare and Tipperary, Killaloe River Cruises provide sight-seeing tours on Ireland's finest waterway, the River Shannon. The relaxing tour is accompanied by a captain and crew. The views from our purpose built cruise boats offer the best opportunity to explore and capture the River Shannon, its wildlife and spectacular scenery. Both of our boats depart from the quay on Lakeside Drive, Ballina Killaloe. The towns have been awarded the heritage town status because of their rich and historic past. Killaloe/Ballina offers a wide variety of shops, boutiques and walking trails. Later you can stop off at the restaurants and bars each with its own brand of cuisine and fine pints. Killaloe River Cruises have been in operation from Killaloe/Ballina since the year 1999. James Whelan the owner of both boats has worked in the boat hire business since 1991. His father who owns Whelan's Foodstore in the town decided to start hiring boats as people were constantly inquiring in the shop as to the possibility of taking in the local scenery. James first started with a small 12 seater passenger boat that was purchased in Dingle Co. Kerry and then brought to Killaloe and called the "Brian Boru". In the year 2000 a new 50 seater passenger boat called the "Spirit of Killaloe" was acquired...

THE LOUGH (Nature Reserve) The Lough (lake) has long been a…read morefavourite haunt of Cork strollers and I joined them today. The outer path must be close to a mile long and is favoured by joggers and others on reasonably serious exercise missions. Many car loads of kids have been brought to the urban lake which has attracted a big variety of wild birds over the years, mainly swans and ducks. The kids and the adults love to feed the birds but, after a recent bout of disease, the City Council has notices up telling people not to feed the traditional bread, asking that the likes of lettuce and cabbage be provided instead. The birds once again seem to be thriving and the Lough continues to draw the children of the city. Back in the middle of the previous century, it was a favourite spot to go skating in winter but global warming has put an end to that.

Have some lovely memories of going for romantic strolls around The Lough. It's a lovely place to go…read morefor a walk and I can see why it's such an attraction for other strollers and joggers.

Portumna Quay is a nice place to visit for a range of reasons:…read more Swimming Fishing Canoeing Photography Dog walking Lake watching We did all but one of those on our first visit alone. There is a section for swimming only, so you wont be bothered by jetskis or boats. There are toilets too, which were unlocked when the lifeguards came on duty, at around midday I think it was. It's one of the great amenities Portumna has.

We used to visit Portumna Woods, which is what we used to call it, regularly as children. It was so…read moremuch fun and to us there was only the one walk, marked out with numbered stumps that we use to race each other to reach first. Today its the same but different. The one walk is not how I remember and there are no numbered stumps. But there are new path signs and many more walks, all of different distances and cycling as well as walking is encouraged. The weather on this occasion was fabulous, clear blue skies and a blazing sun, for February it was as good as it could get. But its not always sunny, the last time I was there in January it was milling rain. But it was still great. The trees, the deer (if you are lucky), the water fowl and the lake, this place is really enchanting. There are toilet facilities by the carpark, both of which are free. How good is that!

Beautiful park with lots of trees, walking trails and views of Lough Derg. Lovely spot to relax.read more

I went to Farran Wood with my husband recently and I'm so glad that I did. There is plenty of…read moreparking, toilets and a playground. I found this place to be beautiful and looking forward to going back again

FARRAN WOOD Been a while since I visited Farran Wood or…read moreFarran Forest Park to give it its full title. It is signposted from the main Cork-Macroom Road at Srelane (Ovens) and the entry fee is a fiver per vehicle. There is plenty of parking, toilets and a playground. The first and probably main attraction is the wildlife enclosure with large pond. Here, the red and fallow deer (including some very young inquisitive animals) come right up to the fence to say hello. The pond attracts duck and geese. There are two signed walks around the wood, the longer of which takes you down to the banks of the Inniscarra Reservoir, where the River Llee is held up to form a lake. The National Rowing Centre, which has its own entrance, is located within the park on the shores of the lake. Enjoyed my walk around the other day, even though the rain came down before the finish. Still, there was ample shelter under the trees. Headed then for the old shooting lodge which has been converted into a woodland ecology display centre but that was locked up. Temporary or permanent? There was no sign up but I have sent a query off to the Coillte and I'll let you know the answer.

One of my favourite woodland parks in County Galway. Coole…read moreis situated just a few miles outside the town of Gort in Co.Galway. Coole was originally the home of Lady Gregory who co-founded the Abbey Theatre with W.B.Yeats. Yeats wrote alot of potery whilst visiting Coole. His most well known poems about Coole are "The Wild Swans of Coole" and "To a Squirrel at Kyle-Na-No" Lady Gregory's home was knocked many years ago but the stables have been rennovated in recent years and now hold a visitor centre and coffee shop/cafe. there are wonderful trails arond the park and it's a haven for wildlife. I have spotted red squirrels here. There are also deer in the park and some beautiful swans on Coole Lake. It's a great place to bird watch. Plenty of car parking space and there is a lovely picnic area to be found within the walled garden. Lovely on a Summers day to spend a few hours here.

I hope that to see Coole Park beautiful,like was years ago. I have been there for Walk and relax…read more To enjoy the calm and natural beauty through more than 15 years. Still nice to go there, but nothing is beautiful like before 2014.

ATLANTIC POND Back in the good old days, middle of the last…read morecentury, the Atlantic Pond, close to the main GAA stadium, was a handy destination for car-less families seeking relief from the heat of the city and many a picnic of sandwiches and tea was enjoyed on its green grassy banks. The pond deteriorated after that but in recent years, the City Council have done much to restore it. The birds are back and enjoying life on the clean water and there are paths around the lake and besides you have the long walks on the Marina close at hand. The birds aren't quite as plentiful as they are in the Lough but today's visit indicated that this pleasant spot is attracting families once again and quite a few walkers and runners.

Went for a tour of a local island with this company last summer, and had a great time!…read more The tour guide was able to give us loads of information on the history and heritage of the island, seal spotting was included and then we were brought to a spot where we could swim and jump off the rocks into the water and just have fun in the sun, a great family day out for all, adults and children alike. I will note that kayaking can be quite a tiring activity, especially if you are younger or abit smaller in build (such as myself) it can be tough to paddle against the current, however the instructor/tour guide keeps a close eye on everyone and provides encouragement along the way, and it is worth it once you get to land and can enjoy the beauty that Ireland has to offer. We were exceptionally lucky, the day we kayaked was sunny (a rare occasion indeed!), but seeing as you are already getting wet from being in the sea I can imagine it would matter too much if there was a small shower or too throughout the day! The tour took a good couple of hours, including the kayak in and out to the island and back to the mainland, so I recommend bringing supplies with you (including a picnic of sorts, suncream, sunglasses, water and sensible shoes are a must!). Also be wary, parts of the tour can be quite overgrown, as this island is uninhabited, so while shorts may be needed for nice weather, longer, lightweight trousers may be a good idea to pack! The tour guide was friendly and positive throughout, another bonus, and I would highly recommend to anyone looking to do something a little more active and outside of the box.

This was one of my favorite activities in Doolin. A great way to experience the beauty of Ireland…read more If you like adventure, this is for you. Guides are great at reading the weather - and you can tell they love what they do.