O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop
Walking Trail · Clare
O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop is an 11.6 km moderate waymarked loop in Clare, starting near O'Briensbridge.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 3 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Riverside Park in O'Briensbridge, near O'Briensbridge.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.75176, -8.5017
- Irish Grid reference
- R 661 668
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 58
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
This loop follows red arrows along the banks of the River Shannon and the tow path of the Errinagh Canal as far as Clonlara, returning along the embankment of the Shannon Headrace. Apart from the climb up onto the embankment this is a level walk on sandy path, sandy road, tarred road and grassy path. It passes through a section of natural woodland. It is a very pleasant countryside walk although some of the riverbank may be wet.
Before you go
There may be some sections of wet ground as the trail is situated at the riverbank, so walking boots may be required. Please keep dogs under close control
- Waymarking
- Red arrow on yellow background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
O’Briensbridge Community Group
Killaloe Tourist Information Office Killaloe Heritage Centre The Bridge Killaloe Clare Republic of Ireland Telephone: +353 61 376866
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- O'Briensbridge - Errinagh Bridge 0 m away · 7.5 km trail
- O'Briensbridge - Parteen Weir 0 m away · 4.7 km trail
- East Clare Way 7.5 km away · 168.8 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Killaloe Loop 7.5 km away · 2.5 km trail
- Lough Derg Blueway - Killaloe to Twomilegate (Ballycuggeran) 7.5 km away · 5 km trail
- Ballycuggaran - Crag Wood Walk 9.4 km away · 7.1 km trail
Common questions
How long is the O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop?
11.6 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 10 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 3 hours.
How hard is the O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop start?
Starts at Riverside Park in O'Briensbridge, near O'Briensbridge. The trailhead is at 52.75176, -8.5017 (Irish Grid R 661 668).
Can you bring a dog on the O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop?
Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.
Who manages the O'Briensbridge - Old Barge Loop?
O’Briensbridge Community Group. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Clare
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.