Broadford lies on the East Clare Way, a circular walking route through the mountain ranges, hills and valleys of East Clare and along the River Shannon and Lough Derg. At the same time, its location in Glenomra Valley, trails around Doon Lough and summer Gaelic Games offer different focuses for a stay in County Clare. You can shape your trip around the landscape, hiking or sport.
The Landscape Around Broadford
Broadford lies in Glenomra Valley in the Slieve Bearnagh mountain range. Doon Lough Bog NHA is about three kilometres northeast of Broadford. At Doon Lough, just outside the village, there are walking trails and a picnic area. An extensive woodland surrounds the lough and dates back to prehistoric times. This brings several natural features into focus in the same place: trails by the water, the surrounding woodland, and Broadford’s setting in the valley and mountain range.
The East Clare Way and Trails at Doon Lough
Broadford lies on the East Clare Way. This circular walking route passes through the Slieve Aughty and Slieve Bearnagh mountain ranges, the hills and valleys of East Clare, and along the River Shannon and Lough Derg. Its varied landscapes give hiking a wider scope than a single trail in the village: riverbanks and lakeshores sit alongside hills, valleys and mountain ranges. When planning a day’s hiking, you can distinguish this longer route from the trails at Doon Lough. The latter have walking trails and a picnic area; no specific trail distances are given.
Summer Gaelic Games and Activities on the Shannon
The local GAA club in Broadford is particularly active during the summer months and gives visitors the opportunity to watch traditional Irish Gaelic Games. If you would like to see a match, take this seasonal focus into account when planning and check the schedule in advance. O’Briensbridge offers a different activity: it is about ten minutes from Broadford and offers watersports and other activities on the River Shannon. This gives you different options for your trip—hiking, summer sport or activities on the river.
Choosing Broadford as a Place to Stay
When choosing where to stay, it helps to organise your interests for the trip: will the East Clare Way be your main focus, would you like to include the trails and picnic area at Doon Lough, or are you mainly interested in summer Gaelic Games? O’Briensbridge adds watersports and other activities on the Shannon to these options. This can help you decide whether Broadford suits the plans for your stay, without requiring you to follow a set itinerary.
County Clare in the Wider Picture
Other destinations also shape the wider County Clare travel experience. The Cliffs of Moher reach a height of over 700 feet at O’Brien’s Tower and extend for almost 14 kilometres along the Clare coastline. Their visitor facility includes 800 metres of paved paths and viewing points, including access to O’Brien’s Tower. Visitors can explore walking trails in Burren National Park. Inis Cealtra, also known as Holy Island, lies in Lough Derg on the Shannon; its history as a monastic settlement dates back to the 7th century. Road, bus and rail connections also help visitors get around County Clare; Ennis is connected to the national rail network.
Discover more destinations: Kilmurry, Mountshannon, Carrigaholt, Coillte, Miltown Malbay, Newmarket On Fergus, Killaloe, Fanore
For the wider travel overview: County Clare.
