CYCLE LOOP STAGE 1 City Map Legend Cycle Loop Overview 1 6.5km 2 4.0km 3 8.5km 4 9.9km 5 2.3km 6 2.5km 7 3.6km8 2.7km 1 Start/Finish and The Lough Gill Cycle Loop is a 40km on-road cycle B Viewing/Picnic Spots route around Lough Gill, passing through some of the Sligo City 1 Sligo City most scenic areas of Counties Sligo and Leitrim. START & Train & Bus Station FINISH 2 Viewing Area A number of viewing/picnic spots are located along the route which include at Colga Lough lay-bys and Coillte Forest Walks and Nature Trails. The route passes close YOU ARE HERE 1 to Hazelwood, on the shores of Lough Gill, which is immortalised by William 3 Viewing Area 2 Sligo side of Parke’s Castle Butler Yeats in his poem ‘The Song of Wandering Aengus’. Close to the route is the Lake Isle of Innisfree Viewing Area, which looks out at the Isle of Innisfree, 4 Village the retreat wished for in William Butler Yeats Yeats’ poem ‘The Lake Isle of 8 3 C 5 Slish Wood Innisfree’. The route passes close to the Court Tomb Trail at Deer Park, the restored 17th century Parkes Castle, the ruins of the Franciscan Creevelea 6 Dooney Rock Friary, Coillte’s forest trails at Union Wood, Cairns Hill and Tobernalt Holy Well. A 7 Holy Well Road Lay-By H 8 Cleveragh Pontoon Description of the Loop Start: Train / Bus Station, Sligo City Distance: 40 km Suggested Places The route, which is signposted at all junctions and 7 of Interest marked every kilometre, begins at the Train & Bus Estimated Time: 3-4 Hours G E Station in Sligo City and loops around Lough Gill in A Hazelwood a clockwise direction. It passes the outskirts of Sligo Terrain: Moderate – Mainly Regional Roads City via the N4 and N16 before joining the R286 at B Deer Park Bellanode. The route continues along the R286 in Traffic: Moderate 6 and passes along the scenic Colga Lough C Parke’s Castle before opening up into a stunning view of Lough Gill To Suit: Suitable for people with moderate shortly before reaching the county boundary. levels of fitness and experience cycling on D Creevealea Friary public roads. Dromahair The route passes the historic Parkes Castle in County Lake Isle of Innisfree Leitrim and just over 2km past Park’s Castle the 5 D E route blends into the R288. The route passes through Minimum Gear: Helmet, Bike, Mobile Viewing Area Dromahair village and takes a right turn on the outskirts Phone, Fluid, Snacks and Waterproofs. 4 of the village onto the R287. The route continues along F Union Wood the R287 into County Sligo and joins up with the North Services: Services are available in Sligo West Trail at the junction to the Lake Isle of Innisfree City, Dromahair Village and G Holy Well Viewing Area. Village southwest of Dromahair village. H Cairns Hill The route passes Slish Wood and Dooney Rock, both marked Coillte Trails with views of Lough Gill, with the top of Dooney Rock offering a spectacular bird’s Distances to eye view of the lake. The route takes a right turn at Places of Interest Aghamore and passes another viewing area and Cairns Hill before continuing to Cleveragh where a right turn takes the route to Cleveragh Pontoon, an amenity F TOUR IST INFORMATION 6.0km 4.5km area on the Garvogue River. An alternative route to 1 A 2

Cleveragh Pontoon is via an off-road trail which is MULLAGHMORE accessed via a right turn just over 1km past viewing County Sligo N15 point No. 7. Both routes to Cleveragh Pontoon pass 2 4.6km B 3.7km 3 Streedagh N15 Cleveragh Regional Park, which includes an off-road N GRANGE walking and cycling loop.’ Cyclists should note that N15 Lissadell Benbulben © Ordnance Survey . All rights reserved. Licence number 2010/20 CCMA/ Sligo County Council there is a steep uphill climb from viewing point No. 7 Raughley Carney Glencar 3 1.5km C 7.0km 4 SLIGO Lough for approximately 1.5km. BAY Drumcliffe N16 The route reaches Sligo City via Doorly Park, which KILLALA SLIGO BAY EASKEY Dunmoran 0.5km* 2.0km** offers looped cycling and walking amenities adjacent Rathlee Knocknarea 4 D 4 N59 Dromahair to the Garvogue River. The route is signposted the short N4 Lough Gill BELFAST Culleens Ladies N59 Brae BALLISODARE distance back to the Train & Bus Station via Sligo City N59 Lough Ballintogher SLIGO Easkey Ballygawley Corballa 8.5km 9.3km Centre. Note: Cyclists will have to dismount and walk Sooey 4 E 5 T H E O X N17 Ballinacarrow at some locations in Sligo City as a one way system is MOUNTAINS Drumfin Knocknashee in operation. (Slieve Gamph) N4 Lough N17 BALLINA Bonniconlon Talt GALWAY 7.5km 5.2km DUBLIN 5 F 6 Muckelty Lough Banada Bunnanaddan Emergency Telephone Numbers: Arrow N17Moylough Sligo Garda Station: 071 9142031 Foxford Curry LIMERICK 6 2.5km G 0.5km 7 Bellahy Gurteen WATERFORD Sligo Fire Station: 071 9111403 (offi ce only) Charlestown Lough BOYLE 999 (for emergencies) Swinford Gara CORK DISCLAIMER: This cycle route has been signposted by Sligo County Council. Cyclists use this route entirely at their own risk. 2.0km 1.5km Sligo General Hospital: 071 9171111 Ballaghaderreen No responsibility can be accepted by the local authority, or by the publishers and authors of this information board, for any loss, 7 H 8 damage or injury caused or sustained during your cycle. Views of Lough Gill Signs along the route * By track ** By Road