Rinnaman Point is known locally as Two Mile Gate. The name Rinnaman Point appears on the Ordnance Survey map. On this page the two names are used.

The East Clare Way Limited has developed a number of circular walks. These start and finish at towns and villages along the East Clare Way. This page includes descriptions of two walks that start at Rinnaman Point (R687764):

1. The Carrownakilly Walk
   * * 
2. The Craggwood Walk
   * * * * 

Approaching by boat there are two options:

1. Moor at Killaloe and walk to and from Two Mile Gate. This will add about 7 km to the walk.
    
2. Anchor in one of the bays by Rinnaman Point, one of the most picturesque locations on the Shannon. In suitable weather it is feasible to drop anchor in the bays immediately to the north and south of the Point. Follow the main navigation channels to a position north-east or south-east of Rinnaman Point. Then, using Admiralty Chart 5080 and the depth sounder for guidance, motor slowly into one of the bays and choose a point at which to anchor. Avoid in on-shore winds.

   It may be appropriate to leave one crew member on board. The jetty at Rinnaman Point is a public jetty. It is not suitable for cruisers. It is best to ferry walkers ashore in a dingy. The shoreline on Rinnaman Point and north of it as far as the University of Limerick Activity Center is public.

   This area can be quite busy on sunny summer weekends - mostly sunbathers, wind surfers and a few jet skis.

A description of each walk follows the map. 

The walk starts at Two Mile Gate which is 3km north of Killaloe on the R463 to Scariff. The walk follows the East Clare Way uphill past Ballycuggaran House which was built in the late 19th Century on the site of a much older house which was demolished. The townland here is Ballycuggaran, the homeland of the O'Cuggarans, an important family at the court of Brian Boru.

Further on the walk takes a right turn (R666768) overlooking the beautiful Annacarriga valley and the hills that stretch from Caherhurley to Ogonnelloe. The great oakwoods that originally clothed these hills were cut down to fire the iron furnaces of East Clare as well as for ship building. The Oak beam supports in Westminister Abbey in London came from here. The walk soon turns back east towards Lough Derg where you eventually meet the Scariff to Killaloe road which brings you back to Two Mile Gate.

To top 

Hill walk on country roads, tracks, and forest paths. Superb views of Lough Derg and surrounding region.

Starting at Two Mile Gate the walk travels up through Cragg Wood. The once great Oak woods have long gone and now Stika Spruce, Norway Spruce, Japanese Larch and Noble Fir stand in it's place.

To your left is the Hill of Craglea, Carriag Liath (The Grey Rock). According to legend the Abode of Aoibheal, the Goddess of the O'Briens, is the highest point at Carraig Aoibheal. Tobareevil is a well on the side of the hill named after her. Aoibheal, The Lovely One, accompanied the Delcassian Army in 1014 to do battle against the Viking army in Dublin and on the eve of the Battle of Clontarf she appeared to Brian Boru and foretold his death the following day. Legend has it that Aoibheal disappeared when the Great Oak was cut down.

On the lower slopes of Craglea was the Fort of Greenanlaghna, the original dwelling of the O'Briens before Kincora (Killaloe) and also the birth place of St. Flannan.

Up on Feenlea mountain the walk turns right (R663761) travelling east past Ballycuggeran House towards Lough Derg and back to Two Mile Gate.

In September 2000 we walked the Cragwood walk in an anti-clockwise direction. This kept the off-road section to the end of the walk.

To top 

Maps:

Ordnance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Series 1:50,000
- Map 58, South-west Lough Derg from Mountshannon to Killaloe and south to Ardnacrusha and Parteen
 

Acknowledgement:

This page was developed from a pamphlet published by East Clare Way Limited. The material has been adapted slightly to focus more precisely on the needs of boating folks. The permission of East Clare Way Limited to publish extracts from the pamphlet is gratefully acknowledged. Particular thanks are due to Stasia Moroney for her assistance in the project to include East Clare walks in the IWAI Walks pages, Frank Reid for providing the original walk descriptions and advising on their adaptation to the Web, and to Gerry Burke for his helpful advice.