Lough Gill(Loch Gile in Irish Gaelic) is a lake near the town of Sligo in Ireland. Straddling the counties of Sligo and Leitrim, this lake is a delight to discover, with its twenty or so islets and surrounding hills, overgrown with forest and moorland…
Lough Gill is 8km long and 2km wide, and is ringed by a tourist road known as the R286. Whether you’re travelling by bus, bike or car, the route is well worth the detour!
The tour starts north of Sligo, in the direction of Dromahair. You’ll then pass through Hazelwood, a pretty little forest on the shores of Lough Gill. You’ll be able to stroll along the paths, and you’ll even come across a few sculptures along the way!
After your stroll, get back on the road: the R286 takes you away from the lake for a little while, giving you a superb view of Colgagh Lough, a small nearby lake.
Parke Castle – BlackburnPhoto – cc
Continuing on, we enter County Leitrim near Parke Castle, a 17th-century castle overlooking the whole of Lough Gill. It was built for Robert Parke, a wealthy local landowner who wanted to supervise his surrounding plantations. The castle is open to visitors for €3 per person, and offers exceptional views of the lake and surrounding area.
Shuttle buses for cruises on Lough Gill can be booked at the foot of the castle. These are available both during the day and in the evening, and offer some pretty nice dinners. For further information, please contact Rose of Innisfree.
After Parke Castle, take the R288, still heading for Dromahair. After the village, take a small road to Innisfree Pier. This jetty faces the island of Innisfree. This small island was once one of the playgrounds of the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats: as a child, he would isolate himself here when spending vacations with his grandfather.
Charmed by the scenic beauty of Lough Gill and Inisfree, he later wrote a poem there called “Lake Isle of Innisfree”.
We then take the R287 to join County Sligo and reach the southern end of Lough Gill. We then approach Dooney Rock, a promontory in the forest overlooking the lake with breathtaking views.
A small path leads to the lake, where the forest and sky are reflected in the lake, creating a breathtaking spectacle! The Ben Bulben and Knocknarea can be seen here.
Just before the end of the tour, we come across Tobernalt Holy Well, a religious site built on a small river which then flows into Lough Gill. The sanctuary has been considered a sacred place since the Celts, who celebrated Lugnasad here. Saint Patrick himself is said to have baptized many pagans in the 5th century!
Today, the site is still considered religious. It welcomes many pilgrims and other religious visitors.
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