The Long Point, Lough Rea, must be one of the nicest, and best maintained, lakeside swimming spots in the whole country.
The Long Point is located a few kilometres outside the town. There is a shallower, sandy area which is ideal for young children to splash and play in. Then there is a deeper section with platforms and ladders which is ideal for more serious swimmers. Somewhat unusually for a lake, the water here is lovely and clear and you can easily see the bottom.
The facilities here are very good. There is ample car parking, seats alongside the lake and a number of picnic tables on a well maintained grassy area. Another quite unusual feature is an indoor changing area with a cold shower. Well done Galway County Council.
The town of Loughrea is off the main Dublin Galway motorway – the M6. You take exit 6 and follow the signposts to the town. The lake/swimming area isn’t that well signposted but it is just a few kilometres outside the town on the R351 signposted Woodford.
The beach at Spiddal Pier is sandier, quieter and altogether more attractive than its busier neighbour ‘downtown’.
Located just at the harbour the water looks very clear and has good depth to it. The harbour gives good shelter so it’s calm here and good for swimming .
Right at the end of the pier the more adventurous young people jump into the water below – not for the faint hearted.
Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months.
Blue Flag beach 2012
Access onto the beach is via a rough slipway, which is ok for buggies and possibly manageable for wheelchairs. There is a limited amount of car parking.
From Galway take the R336 coast road which will bring you to Spiddal. You then go through the town and watch out for a left turn signposted ‘Trà’ which will bring you to the harbour
Trà Gheall is out of the way, secluded and attractive. This is a small beach set below the cliff path and surrounded by a small cliff face.
We wondered about including this beach as there are strong currents, but there is no Council warning sign and people might presume its ok. So before you swim here be warned that you need to be very careful and should stay very close to shore. You can be out of your depth in a few strokes
While the beach is exposed there is shelter at the back beneath the cliff face. The sand here is soft and clean.
Access to the beach is down a steep, grassy path and is not accessible for buggies or wheelchairs.
Turn left at the ferry pier and follow the road until it runs out and becomes a grassy track. You then cross two stiles and after the second one you will see the beach on your left and the track down to it. Descend carefully and slowly.
Trá Mór may not be as spectacular as some of the beaches out in the wilds of Connemera, but it is an attractive, well looked after beach with decent facilities.
This is a nice stretch of sand which is well sheltered. The water is clear and gets deep gradually. As you swim you have great views across to the Burren in Clare
Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months.
Trá Mór has good car parking and toilets. The beach is buggy and wheelchair accessible – well done Galway County Council.
From Galway you take the R336 coast road. The beach is a few kilometres beyond Spiddal and is signposted left (with a very small signpost). Before you come to Trà Mor there is also a signpost for Trà Sailin which is a much smaller beach, but may suit those who like it quiet.
If you are trying to find Keem Beach it’s fairly straightforward – just get on the R319 from Mulrany and drive to the end of the road, literally.
Keem is at the very end of Achill island, tucked away in a lovely location at the foot of the surrounding mountains. In our view this is a much nicer beach and a better place to swim than its ‘big brother’ in Keel.
The beach itself is small but sheltered. There is a steep gradient into the water which is good for swimmers but be careful with children. The water itself is clear and inviting.
There is good carparking space and toilet facilities which were clean and well maintained when we visited.
Lifeguards are on duty in the summer and there are also a couple of picnic tables
Access to the beach from the car park is via a rough and steep path which is just about ok for buggies but not suitable for wheelchairs.
Keem is a really nice spot and in our view the nicest beach in Achill.
