the east clare way

East Clare is a beautiful and hidden corner of the West of Ireland with a landscape of rugged hills and picturesque valleys intertwined with rivers, lakes, woodlands and boglands. This is a circular route taking in the Slieve Bernagh mountains, Lough Graney, the Slieve Aughty mountains and Lough Derg. The region has a rich heritage of historic sites, folklore, traditional music, song and dance with regular events and festials. This is the land of the great king Brian Boru (his stronghold stands close to Killaloe) and the great poet and hedge-schoolmaster Brian Merriman, who wrote the epic The Midnight Court as he sat looking over Lough Graney. Route Details: Killaloe, Broadford, O'Callahgan's Mills, Tulla, Feakle, Flagmount, Whitegate, Mountshannon, Scarriff, Ogonnelloe. Total distance: 180km/112 miles. Longest Stage: Flagmount to Whitegate - 34km/21 miles. Highest Point: Cragnamurragh - 527m/1729ft.