The Lower Bann and Lough Neagh from Coleraine

Coleraine Marina, on the east bank about a mile below the town, sells diesel and petrol: fill up here. Upstream, the railway lifting bridge clears about 4.9 m at the highest tides; taller boats need a lift (+44 28 7032 5400 or VHF 12). The old town bridge is the real limit: about 4.2 m at low water but only 1.5 m at high water, so most cruisers time it for low tide and use the arches marked with downward arrows. The Cutts, at the head of the tide, is the first lock (keeper +44 28 7034 2999). Drumaheglis is a secure council marina with water, power, showers, a laundry and a pump-out; book and pay online in advance.

All three of today's locks close for lunch from 13:00 to 14:00. Carnroe and Movanagher, less than 2 km apart, share a keeper: ring +44 28 2954 0570 before you set off. Kilrea makes a good lunch stop: the Portneal jetty by Kilrea Bridge has drinking water, and the market village around the Diamond is a short walk away. Just above it, Portna is a double lock with its own keeper (+44 28 2954 0214). Portglenone marina sits in the village centre by the 1846 bridge, with 35 serviced pontoon berths, showers, a laundry and a pump-out. The Wild Duck Inn is close by, and Portglenone Forest, with bluebells in spring, starts half a mile from the village.

Upstream past Newferry, where a no-wake zone applies and skiers are out on summer evenings and weekends. Then the river opens into Lough Beg: keep to the channel marked by perches, because it is shallow outside, and look for the lone spire on Church Island. At Toome the keeper works the lock onto the lough for £1 (+44 77 9953 3891); the jetty below it is a handy stop for the village and the eel fishery's visitor centre. Lough Neagh is shallow at the edges and throws up short, steep waves when the wind rises, so cross to Ballyronan only in settled weather. Its Blue Flag council marina lets visitors stay on jetty one; phone ahead to book.

Ballyronan began in 1788 as a little port with a forge and quays, and barges once traded from here to Belfast. Spend the morning on the short trails of Ballyronan Wood, with a viewing platform over the lough, or book a trip with Lough Neagh's Stories, run by a seventh-generation lough fisherman. In season, clouds of harmless, non-biting Lough Neagh flies may hatch along this shore. Then cross back to the Toome Canal, through Toome Lock, and run downstream across Lough Beg, past Portglenone and through Portna to the Portneal jetty at Kilrea. It is the longest day of the trip, so aim to reach Portna before its keeper's evening closing time.

Down through Movanagher and Carnroe, then a break at Drumaheglis, where The Slipway café serves coffee and ice cream. Below Loughan the river runs on to the Cutts, the last lock, and into tidal water. Just below it a small jetty lets you stop for Mountsandel Wood, where hunters camped to catch salmon between 7900 and 7600 BC, one of the oldest known settlements in Ireland. Time your arrival at Coleraine's town bridge for low water again. If you would rather spend the last night in the town centre, Coleraine Harbour's secure pontoons just below the bridge take visitors by booking (+44 28 7034 2012); otherwise continue under the railway bridge to the marina.