I’ve commented over on Youtbe too #Candidcuddles, This is just stunning – that derelict church was striking against that scenic backdrop. The Lough Conn Drive is a looped drive of approx 102km around majestic Lough Conn. This article describes an anti-clockwise journey. #bloggerclubUK, Wow! At various points along the drive you’ll spot three beautiful lakes, Lough Corrie, Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. This drive brings you to the lake-studded and wooded district of South Mayo, where at various points on your journey, you will pass by three beautiful lakes, Lough corrib, Lough Carra and Lough Mask. Head back to Headford and turn left at the traffic lights, take the R334 signposted for Cong. After approximately 16 km turn left for Annaghdown on the L2118. In this part of Ireland there was little other employment and the land was not as productive as the fields east of Lough Corrib, the mine provided at least some opportunity to earn a wage. Through this small but vibrant city the River Corrib, Lough Corrib’s only outflow, makes its way powerfully into Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Note I wasn’t asked or paid to promote Tourmakeady – it was just a fun family day out. The monks were evicted by Henry VIII in 1542 and the buildings fell into a bad state of disrepair until Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness undertook restoration work after buying nearby Ashford Castle in the 1850s. Learn how your comment data is processed. Galway makes an ideal base for the Lough Corrib scenic drive, as this is a circular route and one of Ireland’s livliest cities. Turn left onto the N59 Galway to Clifden road past the only building of note here – Peacocke’s Hotel. The Franciscans first came to Ross Errilly in 1351 but the earliest extant sections of the buildings date to the mid fifteenth century. Love days / trips out like this. En route there are plenty of things to do, sights to see and places to eat so read on to discover more. Discover 106 vacation rentals to book online for your Turlough Round Tower, Castlebar trip. The route begins and finishes in Galway providing a perfect circular drive along both shores of Lough Corrib that is great for a day’s adventure. My family & I drove through Tourmakeady over the weekend & it was so beautiful that I decided to start videoing so you could enjoy the scenery too. A sandy beach is nestled at the edge of the lake and it is ideal for a swim or a picnic lunch on a sunny day. The house, built in a traditional manner, offers visitors breathtaking views over the lake and the Partry mountains in a tranquil scenic setting. Ideal base for touring the West of Ireland. I’ve always wanted to visit the West of Ireland, if you keep on showing me all these lovely places don’t be surprised if I rock up on your doorstep one day! In the distance mountains begin to rise towards the right and the shimmering lake with a multitude of wooded islands lets you know that this is a view worth stopping to admire. With magnificent mountainous views on your doorstep and close proximity to the popular fishing lakes of Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, this is an ideal residence or country bolt hole away from the hustle & bustle. In the small but pretty village of Clonbur follow the road around to the left for Cornamona and Maam. One of Ireland’s great scenic drives, the Lough Corrib drive in County Galway is a circuit of an inland sea with ever-changing scenery,  ruins, castles, sheep-lined roads and plenty of places to visit. A real gem in this part of Ireland is found at the peaceful Brigit’s Garden, designed by Chelsea gold medal winner Mary Reynolds. Cong, Kylemore and Scenic Drives Croagh Patrick & Doolough Valley - Please help me out with a little more information. Lough Carra flows into Lough Mask, which feeds into Lough Corrib through an underground stream which becomes the River Cong. No spam! We do the same now we have a little one. It dates from the 15th century. Clonbur is one of those places whose placename causes confusion, just like Dingle or An Daingean as seen on our Dingle Scenic Drive. 24/7 Customer Service. I have to say though, I think that is the best beer garden view I have ever seen! Go for an early morning walk or evening stroll along the many lakeside pathways and enjoy the fresh unpolluted air. I still remember our drives fondly as a child – unless they were the 8hr drives to visit family. We used to go for Sunday drives when we were little. The ruins of Cong Abbey are the real star attraction in the village. Find out more on my About page. Tourmakeady is a popular spot to visit in the summer months for fishing, walks & drives. Descending from the height of the pass, the wide open plain of Connemara lies before you. Lakeshore Self-catering and Angling situated in natural wooded surroundings on the shores of Lough Mask. Defiantly made me want to visit island, thanks for posting. Comfortable 3 bedroom bungalow in an area of outstanding scenic beauty, close to Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. Fishing is free on Lough Corrib and there are good stocks of brown trout, sea trout and salmon. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The Scenic Drive will remain open to private vehicles and commercial shuttles through Dec. 24, when it will close for shuttle operation until Jan. 2, 2021. If the video didn’t appear, watch it directly on YouTube by clicking here. After 3 km turn right and the small harbour is your first view of the lake situated alongside impressive ruins. Christmas Nail Trends - which one is your favourite?? A commemoration to 20 people who died on the lake during a boating tragedy in 1828 is situated beside the harbour. Cuddle Fairy's motto is: There's positivity around every corner. Keep straight on the N84 if you want to skip this location. We were driving for ages & the lake was there the whole time. And it is in driving from Galway along the N59 after Oughterard that the landscape changes to that which is typical of Connemara – bogs, lakes, mountains and sky. Opening Hours: 09:30 – 18:00 daily 16/03 to 28/10. A walk along the river bank upstream from Spanish Arch will show the force of the short River Corrib. I’d love to go back one day and this place looks stunning. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Tourmakeady is a popular spot to visit in the summer months for fishing, walks & drives. Dinner is available in the restaurant and the bar is well known for cocktails. What a gorgeous part of the world. Ireland is at the top of my list of places i want to go! An aside – Before the village there is an impressive large gateway and often a nice man who will charge a fee to visit the estate grounds of Ashford Castle, with remnants from the mid twelfth century the castle has been enlarged and modified over the centuries, most notably by Arthur E. Guinness known as Lord Ardilaun, great-grandson of the Arthur Guinness who in 1759 founded the world’s most famous brewery bearing his name. For more on the crazy narrow roads where I live, check out this post about the roads I drive. I am wife & mom to three amazing kiddies. The tragedy was immortalised in a poem by Raftery,  a wandering, blind, Irish language poet whose works were written down by contemporaries. • Most Scenic Location overlooking Lough Mask • 7km from Tourmakeady • Site of 0.078 Ha (0.19 Acres) • Total Floor Area 107 sq.m (1,152 sq.ft) • PVC Double Glazed Windows and OFCH • Accessible to Ballinrobe (27km), Westport (34km) and Castlebar (33km) The Lake District Drive This driving loop brings you to the heart of the Lake District. Mountain bikes can be hired from West Side Cycles in Galway and includes a free bike rack to put on your rental car to take the bikes out and back to the trail. Vacation rentals available for short and long term stay on Vrbo. #bloggerclubUK, So beautiful! This comfortable family home has amazing views of surrounding countryside. The lake, Lough Mask is huge! This is a classic Irish landscape, the brown and fawn colour spreading out on either side of the road in the flat countryside with evidence of peat cutting, a practice of cutting the bogland (made up of compressed vegetation), stacking and drying it to be burned as a fuel. For more see here. A still from the film, of John Wayne standing on the bridge is set into the ground here. Head north on the N84 Headford Road signposted for the towns of Headford and Castlebar following the eastern side of the lake. At the entrance to the village there is a roundabout, to the right there is a car park and in the busier months it is definitely best to park here and walk into the village a short distance away. Famous for its association with John Ford’s The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara that was filmed here in the 1950s, Cong is home to ancient monastic ruins and lovely walks through the woods leading to caves with streams and ruined castles. With regular tours of the 19th century mine workings, the hard life of a miner becomes apparent. One of the teachers at the college was Sinead Flanagan, and one of her pupils Eamon de valera, whom she married in 1910. Find out more at Panoramic Ireland. Helpfully some locals have added Clonbur onto road signs to aid navigation. It’s a beautiful spot x. In the village of Cross turn left on the R346. It is part of the NC500 route. #CandidCuddles, How lovely. The bridge crosses a navigable river with mooring just 3 km from the most northerly point of Lough Corrib. Europe - Help! Thanks for hosting #candidcuddles , Thanks so much Louise! This drive takes in Castlebar, Ballintubber Abbey, Ballinrobe, Cong, Clonbur, Tourmakeady and back to Castlebar. close by, the World Cup angling competition is held every year at the August weekend with up to 600 competitors each year, … Árd Aoibhinn Farm is found in a scenic and peaceful place near Tourmakeady, County Mayo and conveniently located along the shores of Lough Mask. GREAT DRIVE LOUGH MASK: The magnificent views over Lough Mask provide a suitably scenic finish to this year’s journeys, writes BOB MONTGOMERY STRETCHING … #bloggerclubUK, It looks lovely, I’m fortunate to live near the Lake District, so even though I hate having to drive 50 miles to get to work, at least I get a nice scenic commute through the Lakes! The Franciscan Friary of Ross Errily sits on a plain beside the Black River and contains fantastic stone work by mediaeval monks. The 40 room hotel features tastefully decorated rooms and is “One of the best places to stay in Ireland” according to the New York Times. Thats become my new mission statement since accepting I am returning to work. Totally agree that people should collect more moments and experiences #BloggerClubUK. Opening Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 daily 01/03 to 31/10 see www.glengowlamines.ie for more information. I love to connect with my readers - leave me a comment below or send me a note on social media! Inhabited by Augustinians on the site of a 7th century church, most of the buildings including the doorways date from the late 12th century. Do you have a favourite family outing or things to do together out of the house? This road is straight for several kilometres and will present you with the opportunity to view long distances across bogland to the left and right. For more information vestiges of a lake opt-out if you want to visit in the guide there good! 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