TNC On Tour Summer 2007 Page 27

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Irish Summer Tour 2007

27 - Grange to Boyle Harbour - Grange Lough, Shannon Navigation, (inc up to Drumsna), Boyle River and Lough Key.

Tuesday 17th July 2007

It was a 08:10 departure from Grange, a drab and dreary start to the day. We exited Carnadoe and back up the Shannon at 09:25. Below Albert Lock, we carried on up the Shannon, which is navigable for around half a mile up to Drumsna Bridge. Here there are some quay moorings for the village. We spent 10:20 - 11:10 here for a water and provisioning stop. It was then back down to Albert Lock, and the Jamestown Canal Shannon Navigation Channel, which bypasses this loop of the river.
After Albert Lock (11:30 - 11:50) we passed out of Jamestown Cut and headed down stream, the short distance to Jamestown Quay, just above Jamestown Bridge, the top end of this un-navigable loop of the Shannon. We had a wander around after mooring up on the empty quay (12:15 - 12:20). Again we headed back up the Shannon, passing Carrick Bridge at 14:00 and passing off the Shannon, onto the River Boyle at 14:25.
After a narrow start to this navigation it opens out into Lough Eidin / Drumharlow and we took the left hand (west) way round Inishatirra island. The Boyle River enters from the west corner, so we took this markered course. A golf course skirts this river section to the west, after this Cootehall appears, with visitor moorings just before the bridge, on the east side. Just before Cootehall, there was a large new marina development to the west and some new housing just after the bridge, somewhat close to the river! After Cootehall the navigation passed through Oakport Lough, then it begins the river section that takes it into Lough Key.
On this section the large Shannon-Erne Waterways Holidays Marina is passed to the east (right), then Knockvicar Bridge. Not long after this the weir appears, flanked by Clarendon Lock to the east (right). The level was up and the bottom lock landing was under water. We hovered about until a boat was locked down. Clarendon Lock took between 15:40 and 15:55. After the lock the river opens out into Lough Key, the old Tara Cruisers base, (now a private marina and restaurant) is to the east (right).
We took the main buoyed channel through the lake, between Bullock and Sally Islands, then south between Drummans and Orchard Islands into Rockingham Bay. Here the Lough Key Forest Park has been created in the grounds of the old Rockingham Estate. We first went past the visitor moorings on Drummans Island then close by the moorings by the suspended walkway and the moorings in the bay. On the way out of the bay we passed close by Castle Island, which has the fairy tale ruins of an idealised castle.
Once passed Drummans Island we turned to west and headed for where the River Boyle enters the lake. This soon became a narrow river course. A half mile up the River Boyle the recently constructed Boyle Canal enters from the north and we entered this at 16:50, come 17:00 we entered the new, but rather small Boyle Harbour. There were no outer moorings left, so we had to take one of the cruiser length berths, from which Earnest rather protruded! That night we took the fairly long hike into town and went to the Royal Hotel for a pint and a meal.

Leaving Grange. Grange Lough.

Coming back down Grange Lough.

Below Albert Lock we carry on up the Shannon to Drumsna. Shannon Navigation.

Shannon Navigation up to Drumsna.

Drumsna, as far as you can get up the bottom of the loop of the Shannon bypassed by the Jamestown Canal.

Drumsna. Shannon Navigation.

Drumsna.

Drumsna Bridge.

Leaving Drumsna. Shannon Navigation.

Back at the approach to Albert Lock and the Jamestown Canal.

Visitor moorings above the upper bridge on the Jamestown Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Looking down the Shannon from where the top of Jamestown Canal exits. This is navigable down to the wharf above the bridge in Jamestown. Shannon Navigation.