Ballinamore overlooks a canal connecting the River Shannon with the River Erne. There are two looped trails, each 4.5 km long, as well as a 9-hole golf course. Canal history, outdoor activity and golf offer concrete starting points for planning a trip here.
Canal and construction history
A bridge with 19th-century arches stands at the main entrance to Ballinamore. It dates from the original construction period of the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal during the Irish Famine. In the wider region, the Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal opened in 1860. It linked the waterways of the north with those of the south, making a passage between Belfast, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford possible.
A later chapter in the history of the waterway involves a change of name: after renovation and reopening to traffic, the former Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal was renamed the Shannon-Erne Waterway. Its official opening took place on 23 May 1994 at Corraquil Lock, Teemore, Co. Fermanagh. The local bridge and the waterway’s wider history can therefore be considered as distinct chapters.
Walking trails and other routes
The Ballinamore Looped Walking Trail is a 4.5 km circular route. It starts at Ballinamore Marina, forms a loop at Longstones and returns to Ballinamore. The Ballinamore Looped Cycling Trail is also 4.5 km long and follows the same points described for the walking trail: starting at the marina, looping at Longstones and returning to Ballinamore. The routes are the same length; the choice depends on whether you prefer walking or cycling.
The nearby 8 km walking trail from Ballyduff Lock 7 to Aghoo Bridge is another option. It follows the towpath of the Shannon-Erne Waterway and partly runs along minor public roads. Its endpoints set it apart from the looped trails that return to Ballinamore; the route description is also different.
Golf and landscape
Ballinamore Golf Club is a 9-hole parkland course in the rolling farmland of County Leitrim, adjoining the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal. The club offers panoramic views of the slopes of Sliabh-an-Iarainn. This brings golf, the waterway and the landscape together in a specific description of the area, without implying that they all call for the same kind of stay.
Crafts and culture in town
Lawderdale House in Ballinamore is home to a small museum featuring old and antique tools and small implements used in estate work, blacksmithing, wheelwrighting, woodworking and forestry. The collection brings different fields of work together, offering a different focus from the construction history of the canal bridge. Groups are required to book an appointment.
More perspectives in County Leitrim
The wider destination of County Leitrim adds distinct cultural attractions to the local themes. Parke’s Castle is a restored early 17th-century castle on the northern shore of Lough Gill. The Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre focuses on Seán MacDiarmada, a signatory of the 1916 Proclamation, with an exhibition featuring audiovisual installations and interpretive panels. Here, a historic building and an exhibition about a named individual offer different ways to explore history.
The regional scale also sets these routes apart. The first section of the Shannon Blueway comprises 16.5 km of waterways and looped walking and cycling trails between Drumshanbo and Carrick-on-Shannon. The Leitrim Way, by contrast, is a 56 km long-distance walking route from Manorhamilton to Leitrim Village, usually taking two to three days. These details make the difference between Ballinamore’s short looped trails and a multi-day walking route in County Leitrim clear.
Discover more destinations: Carrick On Shannon, Mohill, Fenagh, Drumsna, Keshcarrigan, Drumgorman, Carrigallen, Glenfarne.
For the wider travel overview: County Leitrim.
