Lough Ree

Lough Ree, the middle of the three great Shannon lakes, stretches north from Athlone for about 25 km, with a shoreline of islands, reedy bays, and limestone karst. The town is the main base for Shannon navigation in this section — boats can be hired by the day or week, and a week on the water exploring the islands and quiet inlets of Lough Ree is one of the great underrated Irish holiday experiences.

The lake is also a serious birdwatching destination. Whooper swans winter here in large numbers, and the islands support one of the most significant colonies of common terns in Ireland. Coarse fishing — mainly bream, perch, and pike — is the other draw. The town's marina is a five-minute walk from the castle.

things to do sight wildlife
A story
Lough Ree has its own serpent legend — the Loch Ness of Ireland. Reports of a large creature in the lake date to the 6th century, when three priests claimed to have seen it from a coracle. More recent sightings in 1960 by three priests fishing on the lake were taken seriously enough to be reported in the national press and investigated by naturalists, who found no satisfactory explanation.