Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay
Paddling Trail · Clare and Galway
Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay is an 8.75 km intermediate waymarked linear route in Clare and Galway, starting near Williamstown.
Note from the trail operator
Difficulty: Exposed to wind in places and close to the navigation channel, suitable for intermediate paddlers capable of self-rescue.
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 | 3 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Williamstown Harbour, near Williamstown.
Finishes at Illaunboe Quay.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.9437, -8.33145
- Irish Grid reference
- R 77770 88123
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
Turning left (North) as you leave Williamstown harbour, you pass private marinas and the public shore road (1 km). There are a number of small bays to explore, look out for the two busts on the navigation markers near to the big island ‘Illaunmore’ (3 km). There are a number of small islands and then you cross two and then a third small bay. This section has few areas to land on. After the farmland you enter another area of reeds, look carefully here for a narrow channel (7.3 km), nearly a kilometre long which brings you to an interior hidden small lake Lough Alewnaghta. Otherwise follow the bank North and you will see a short reed channel to a slipway and the car park at Illaunaboe Quay (GPS: 52.992583, -8.354944).
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 - Williamstown (Dromaan) to Church Bay 0 m away · 7.6 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Dormineer to Garrykennedy via Tamona Little and Youghal Quay 4.1 km away · 11 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Dromineer to Luska 4.1 km away · 6 km trail
- Sli Eala 4.1 km away · 10.4 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Garrykennedy to Youghal Village and Little Tamona 4.4 km away · 4.5 km trail
- Lough Derg BLueway - Mountshannon and Cloonoolia Bays 6.8 km away · 6.6 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay?
8.75 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. Sport Ireland estimates 3 hours.
How hard is the Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay?
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 - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay start?
Starts at Williamstown Harbour, near Williamstown. The trailhead is at 52.9437, -8.33145 (Irish Grid R 77770 88123).
Who manages the Lough Derg Blueway - Williamstown Ilaunaboe Quay?
Waterways Ireland South Shannon Operations Division. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Clare and 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.