Lough Easkey

If you are looking for a special place in Sligo to explore try the drive to Lough Easkey.

Take the road out of Tubbercurry heading to Ballina and you’ll see a sign for Lough Easkey on the right. It’s a bit of a long drive with narrow roads – not for the fainthearted in places but so worth it.

You will drive alongside the Owenaher River which has a stunning waterfall. It’s particularly lovely in the summer with the smell of coconut from the gorse bushes.

You will see Masshill and you can walk up to Massrock. This is an outdoor place of worship and well worth a visit. There’s also an old school house dating back to 1910. I just found one of the Duchas site about treasure being at Masshill – I wonder if it’s still there….

There are turf bogs and ruins and it feels like you are in the wilderness but really is just around 8 miles from the nearest town. Chickens and sheep roam freely around the lanes, it’s like the Sligo version of Connemara.

When you get to Lough Easkey there is a place for a picnic or you can talk to the sheep! If you have a couple of hours spare there is a looped walk of the lake which is well worth checking out, Sligo Walks have more details.

As you drive on towards Dromore West you will see the ruins of an old shooting lodge that is or was part of the Markree Castle estate.Rumours have it that it could be haunted, you can read more about that here.

Let us know your favourite drives in Sligo.