Carrick-on-Shannon to Lough Key, Boyle and Lough Allen

Stock up in Carrick before you go: there are supermarkets in town and a farmers' market on Thursdays. Then head upstream and turn west into the Boyle River, which wanders through Lough Drumharlow to Cootehall. There are no locks today, so a late handover is no problem as long as you tie up before dark. Moor at the small public quay by the three-arched bridge, which takes about five boats; if it is full, carry on to the public mooring at Knockvicar Bridge. The Waterfront Restaurant at the marina opens Wednesday to Saturday evenings and from lunchtime on Sundays, and the barracks where John McGahern grew up holds a small exhibition (book ahead).

A short run upstream brings you to Knockvicar and Clarendon Lock, the only lock between the Shannon and Boyle. The keeper works it in the Shannon lock hours and takes lunch from 13:00 to 14:00 (+353 71 966 7011); a boom guards the weir beside it, so keep to the lock side. Lough Key is small but open water: if the wind is strong, wait in Knockvicar until it eases. Across the lake, look out for Castle Island off the forest park shore (no landing), then follow the Boyle River and its short cut to Boyle Harbour. It has room for about 25 boats, toilets, showers and a pump-out, but no shore power.

Keep the morning for Boyle. The Cistercian abbey, one of the best preserved in Ireland, opens in the summer season, and King House, the Kings' Georgian mansion, is a museum from Easter to Halloween. On Saturdays its courtyard fills with an artisan market from 10:00 to 14:00, a good chance to restock. After lunch, run back down the river and across the lake to the forest park marina, well under an hour away; if it is windy, wait in Boyle. The Waterways Ireland service block has toilets, showers, a pump-out and shore power on the Smart Card. Ashore are the tree canopy walk, the Moylurg viewing tower and the Lakeside Café, which looks across to Castle Island.

Cross Lough Key to Clarendon Lock, ideally outside its 13:00–14:00 break and not in a strong wind, then run down the Boyle River and up the Shannon towards Leitrim. Between the Boyle River junction and Leitrim you pass the works for the new Hartley Bridge, which run until September 2027: only the centre arch is open, boats heading upstream give way to boats coming down, and 5 km/h applies within 200 m of the site (Marine Notice 53/2026). Leitrim Village has a public marina with toilets, showers, a laundry and a pump-out, but no shore power. The Barge Steakhouse is a few steps away, and MJ O'Connor's by the canal has live music and wood-fired pizza.

About a kilometre from the village, Battlebridge Lock lifts you into the Lough Allen Canal: 7 km and three locks. The three share one lock-keeper line, so phone ahead (+353 86 812 7522 or +353 71 964 1552) and allow for the lunch break. Beirne's of Battlebridge, reopened in 2026, does bar food from Thursday to Sunday. Beyond Acres Lake and Drumshanbo Lock the lake opens up. Lough Allen is a reservoir whose level can vary by more than a metre: keep to the marked channel, and cross only in a light wind after checking the forecast. If it is blowing, stop in Drumshanbo instead. Spencer Harbour is a small public harbour with a picnic area and no services.

Wake up to the view of Sliabh an Iarainn, the Iron Mountain, across the water. Local tradition holds that iron shipped from this harbour went into Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge. The way back down the lake is open water again: read the forecast before you leave and stay put if the wind is strong. Through Drumshanbo Lock, moor at the Waterways Ireland marina, which has toilets, showers, a laundry, a pump-out and shore power, or at the jetty on Acres Lake beside Ireland's first floating boardwalk. Drumshanbo has traditional pubs and shops, the Shed Distillery runs tours with tastings, and in July the Joe Mooney Summer School fills the town with music.

Down through Drumleague and Battlebridge locks and back onto the Shannon. Leave early enough to clear the canal before the lunch break, or allow for it. At the Hartley Bridge works you are now the boat coming downstream, so you have right of way, but keep to the centre arch and to 5 km/h. Leitrim makes an easy lunch stop just off the route. Back in Carrick, hire crews return to their base for the last night. Before you hand the boat back, walk the signposted heritage trail from the quay or look into the Costello Memorial Chapel, said to be the second smallest in the world.