Overview
Lough Talt is where the Sligo Way begins – an 80 km trail that ends in Dromahair, over in County Leitrim – but most people who stop here just walk the loop around the lake itself: about 8 km, flat, and easy enough for a couple of hours. The lake sits in a bare, quiet stretch of the Ox Mountains in south County Sligo, between Tubbercurry and Bonniconlon, and it’s also the drinking-water source for much of the area, including Tubbercurry and Ballymote. That’s why there’s a treatment plant on the shore, and why boil-water notices dogged the district until a multi-year upgrade of the plant began in May 2019. It’s a glacial lake of about 97 hectares; sources give its maximum depth as anywhere from 20 to 40 metres, but either way it’s deep and cold.
Landscape and history
The lake forms the centrepiece of the Lough Hoe Bog Special Area of Conservation, a protected expanse of montane bog and nutrient-poor lakes. Two crannógs – artificial islands built for habitation – sit just beneath the surface, pointing to Iron Age settlement here.
The valley holds a quieter, more recent chapter too. In 1798, General Jean-Joseph Amable Humbert marched his French expeditionary force through the Lough Talt valley during the rising of that year. At least three of his soldiers died in the rough terrain and are buried at two spots: French Man’s Grave, on the old Gorterslin road above the lake, and French Man’s Bridge, on the Bonniconlon side of the gap. A plaque at the Gorterslin site marks the dead.
Nature and conservation
The nutrient-poor water suits a specialised set of fish. Brown trout dominate, but Lough Talt is also one of the last Irish strongholds of the threatened Arctic char, and holds three-spined stickleback, perch and the critically endangered European eel. The shallows support a population of the endangered white-clawed crayfish. Along the banks you’ll find swans, wild ducks and dippers; an island colony that once held several hundred common and black-headed gulls had collapsed to four pairs by 1992. The lakeshore marshes also carry Vertigo geyeri, a wetland snail considered threatened across Europe – the sort of resident the SAC designation exists to protect.
Walking the lakeshore
The loop is about 8 km with only 70 m of ascent, so it takes roughly two to three hours at a steady pace. Sources disagree on the detail: Sligo Walks grades it moderate and lists no waymarking, while Tough Soles, who walked it more recently, found blue waymark arrows and rated it easy. Trust the arrows if you see them, but the route is simple enough on its own – it hugs the lakeshore for most of the circuit, crosses a short forested strip, and briefly follows the R294 before dropping back to the car park.
Tips for walkers:
- Wear sturdy boots; the lakeshore track can be muddy after rain.
- The short stretch on the R294 has no footpath and can be busy – keep to the edge and stay alert.
- Mobile signal is patchy in the Ox Mountains, so download a map or GPX file before you set out.
- Dogs are welcome year-round but keep them leashed near livestock and during ground-nesting bird season (roughly March to July).
Angling and water sports
Lough Talt is a recognised trout fishery and draws anglers after both brown trout and the elusive Arctic char. Fishing is allowed from the shore or a small craft, but a State angling licence is required. The lake also takes rowing, kayaking, paddleboarding and open-water swimming. There’s no formal launch ramp; boats go in on foot from beside the road, a drop of a few metres to the water, which suits lightweight dinghies, kayaks and paddleboards but nothing larger.
Practical information
- Trail length: about 8 km (full loop), 70 m ascent
- Walking time: roughly 2 to 3 hours
- Waymarking: reported as none by Sligo Walks, blue arrows by Tough Soles – the lakeshore is easy to follow either way
- Parking: the main car park is at the south-east corner of the lake (room for 10 or more cars); a smaller forest car park sits at the northern corner near the Coillte woodland
- Facilities: no public toilets at the lake
- Getting there: from Sligo, take the N4 toward Dublin, then the N17 at Collooney toward Galway; at Tubbercurry turn right onto the R294 (signposted Ballina). After about 13 km the lake appears over the brow of a hill – turn left onto a narrow lane for the car park.
- Navigation: the official trail guide is on Sligo Walks.
- Seasonality: open year-round; angling is most productive from spring through early autumn.
If you want to add the history to the walk, allow an extra hour to find French Man’s Grave on the Gorterslin road – parking is informal and the turnings are easy to miss.