Overview
Derryclare Lough is the one with the island: a small, tree-covered rock in the middle of the water, crowned with Scots pines, that has become shorthand for Connemara itself. It sits at the head of the Inagh Valley in County Galway, about 20 km east of Clifden, with the Twelve Bens rising steeply to the west and the Maumturk range to the east. If you only stop once on the drive between Maam Cross and Clifden, this is the lay-by to pull into. The lake is under 4 km long, and on a still morning the pines and peaks lay themselves out flat on the surface; on a wet, windy one you barely see across it.
History & the nature reserve
Fed by the Gleninagh and Tooreennacoona rivers, Derryclare drains eastward into Ballynahinch Lake and the Owenmore River before reaching Bertraghboy Bay. Together with neighbouring Lough Inagh it forms the Lough Inagh & Derryclare Fishery, run from the Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel at Recess, which sells permits and arranges ghillies. Three sets of ‘butts’ – long fishing piers – reach out from the shore, part of a fishery that dates to the 19th century; the original lodge went up in 1880.
In 1980 the National Parks and Wildlife Service designated a 19-hectare strip of shoreline as the Derryclare Nature Reserve, protecting a mature stand of sessile oak – the native woodland that once covered much of the west before the conifers came. The surrounding 789-hectare Derryclare Wood is commercial Sitka managed by Coillte, so the contrast is easy to see for yourself: dense dark rows of plantation on one side, gnarled mossy oak on the other.
Angling on the lake
Derryclare is fly-only, fished from the butts and the bank – there are no boats on the lough. The water holds spring salmon, grilse, sea trout and brown trout, including some large indigenous browns. Fishing runs roughly 9.30am to 7pm, with the connecting river beats rotated on a half-day basis, and permits come through the Lough Inagh Lodge at Recess rather than any roadside ticket machine. If you mean to fish, book ahead; this is a managed fishery, not a turn-up-and-cast lake, and the season runs March to October.
Walking & Hiking Trails
Most visitors never leave the shore, and there’s an easy walk that makes the case for staying low:
- Nature reserve loop (2 km) – A flat, well-marked path along the shoreline and through the oak stand, with the island and the Twelve Bens in view for most of it. Twenty minutes if you dawdle.
- Derryclare horseshoe (11–14 km, 5–7 hours) – A proper hill circuit over the tops for walkers with the legs and the weather for it.
- Glencoaghan Horseshoe (16 km, 8–9 hours) – The classic Connemara ridge walk, taking in six of the Twelve Bens. Serious mountain terrain, navigation and a long day; not a wet-boots-optional outing.
Wildlife & Seasonal Scenery
The 19-hectare oak reserve is a biodiversity hotspot. In spring, the forest floor carpets itself in bluebells, wood anemone, and primrose, creating a vivid contrast against the dark peat soil. The woodland supports a healthy population of resident birds, including robins, wrens, various tits, and treecreepers.
Red squirrels are the ones to watch for: 19 were moved here from Portumna Forest Park in 2005 as part of a translocation programme, and their descendants now work the oak canopy. Badgers, foxes, stoats and pine marten also use the reserve, though you’ll be lucky to see the last of those.
In autumn the woods and bogs turn gold and russet, and early evening is the time to have a camera out – the low light and the still water do the work. The rest of the year, the reserve is quietest on weekday mornings before the tour coaches reach this stretch of the valley.
Practical Information
- Getting there: From Clifden, follow the N59 east, then turn onto the R344 through the Inagh Valley; the lake is signposted. It’s free to visit.
- Parking: Parking is limited – small car parks near the fishing huts and a few pull-ins along the R344. Spaces go quickly on summer weekends, so come early.
- No facilities at the lake: There are no toilets, café or shop on the lakeside. The nearest amenities are at Recess, a few minutes’ drive away, where Joyce’s Craft Shop and Art Gallery has been trading since 1928.
- Fishing: Fly-only, from the bank and the butts; no boats. Permits and ghillies come through the Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel at Recess. Book ahead for the March–October season.
- Weather: Mountain weather shifts fast here, and the valley catches the rain off the Atlantic. Bring waterproofs and decent footwear even for the short shore loop.