Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park
Paddling Trail · Galway
Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park is a 12 km intermediate waymarked out-and-back route in Galway, starting near Portumna.
Note from the trail operator
Difficulty: Long and exposed to the wind in most places. Suitable for intermediate paddlers.
As recorded in the register on 2026-08-13. Check with Waterways Ireland South Shannon Operations Division before travelling.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canoeing/Kayaking/Paddling | Intermediate | Moderate | 4 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Portumna Water Recreation Park Trailhead, near Portumna.
Finishes at Portumna Water Recreation Park Trailhead.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 53.08356, -8.21158
- Irish Grid reference
- M 85873 03656
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
About the trail
Paddle from the recreation park along the bank on the right (west) and cross the entrance channel to Portumna Marina (.5 km). The tree lined shore of Portumna Forest Park with small bays and headlands is in front of you. At the large headland at Rinmaher the lake bank turns to the right and you enter a large bay with ten small scattered islands. The largest on the inside curve of the bay is Church Island and during March to July, please stay at least 250 meters away as the White Tailed Sea will be nesting then. When you round the next large headland, you may see one of the forest park’s walking trails and if you want to stop in the forest park for lunch or a walk, bring or download a copy of Coillte’s Portumna forest park’s map on your phone.
Who manages it
Waterways Ireland South Shannon Operations Division
Waterways Ireland South Shannon Operations Division
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Hayes Island 0 m away · 4.75 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Terryglass Harbour 0 m away · 3 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Harbour to Portumna Bridge 588 m away · 2.5 km trail
- Hymany Way 1.3 km away · 98.3 km trail
- Portumna Forest Park - Bonaveen Cycling Trail 2.0 km away · 10.3 km trail
- Portumna Forest Park - Bonaveen Walking Trail 2.0 km away · 10.3 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park?
12 km, recorded as a out-and-back route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 4 hours.
How hard is the Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park?
Sport Ireland grades it Intermediate, with an overall difficulty of Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park start?
Starts at Portumna Water Recreation Park Trailhead, near Portumna. The trailhead is at 53.08356, -8.21158 (Irish Grid M 85873 03656).
Who manages the Lough Derg Blueway - Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park?
Waterways Ireland South Shannon Operations Division. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Galway
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.