Garrykennedy: eBike Tour of the Hills and Lough Derg Shore｜Ireland

Explore the Lough Derg lakeshore in North County Tipperary on an e-bike tour. Ride through the Arra Range of hills on a series of quiet roads, see historic sites and fantastic views down over the lake.

Start your tour in the beautiful harbour town of Garrykennedy. See the 15th-century castle of the O’Kennedys. Most of the original castle was destroyed and later fell into ruin, but the castle lives on, as the harbour was built from its rubble.

Head uphill and turn left towards Youghalara. At the Youghalara church, see a handball alley built into the ruins of the old church. Start a long steady climb into the lower reaches of the Arra range.

At the end of the first climb, get a fine view of the range, before heading downhill through Killoran, pausing to admire a fine collection of animal sculptures. Start the climb up to the viewpoint at the Graves of the Leinstermen.

The Graves of the Leinstermen is a site on the side of Tountinna, the highest hill in the Arra range. From here, get great views down over Lough Derg, and into County Clare on the other side. Hear about a legend of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014.

Head downhill to the second viewpoint over Lough Derg, known as The Lookout. From here, view the remainder of the tour, looking down over the forest at Castlelough and across the lake to Inis Cealtra (Holy Island), which is the site of a 6th-century monastic settlement, which was a great center of learning and trade for several centuries.

Continue downhill into Castlelough, passing Cambie Castle and the ruined Castletown church before arriving at the popular Lakeside Park. After Castlelough, pass along the edge of the Castlelough Forest before heading back into Garrykennedy. Here, customers may opt for a delicious lunch in a traditional Irish pub, at Larkins Bar and Restaurant (not included in the price).