Boasting Portumna Forest Park’s tree-lined shores, bays and scattered islands, intermediate paddlers will enjoy this rewarding blueway trail. Keep an eye on the skies for the park’s White-Tailed Sea Eagles, these majestic birds nest on Church Island from March-July.
Hire paddle boards and equipment at Mid Ireland Adventure.
Trailhead Location
Portumna
Trail
Portumna Water Recreation Park to Portumna Forest Park
Difficulty
Long and exposed to the wind in most places. Suitable for intermediate paddlers
Distance
1.6 km to 6 km one way depending on the chosen turn-around point
Duration
35 min to 2 hr one way depending on the chosen turn-around point
Description
Paddle from the recreation park along the bank on the right (west) and cross the entrance channel to Portumna Marina (.5km). The tree-lined shore of Portumna Forest Park with small bays and headlands is in front of you. At the large headland at Rinmaher, the lake bank turns to the right and you enter a large bay with ten small scattered islands. The largest on the inside curve of the bay is Church Island and during March to July, please stay at least 250 metres away as the White-Tailed Sea Eagles will be nesting then. When you round the next large headland, you may see one of the forest park’s walking trails and if you want to stop in the forest park for lunch or a walk, bring or download a copy of Coillte’s Portumna Forest Park map on your phone.
