Overview
Three waymarked loops radiate from the market town of Nenagh, from an 11 km family spin to a 67 km day out, threading the eastern shore of Lough Derg and the quiet countryside behind it. The North Tipperary Cycle Network was set up to make County Tipperary easier to explore by bike, stitching quiet back roads and one short off-road stretch into loops you can mix and match to suit your legs.
Worth knowing up front: this is a signed on-road network, not a dedicated greenway. You share the road with the odd car, and only Loop 2 has a genuinely off-road section. If you want traffic-free the whole way, this isn’t it; if you want a proper day’s cycling through lake country, it is.
If you have half a day, ride Loop 2. At 30 km it is the shortest of the three, the easiest, and the only one with an off-road stretch, dropping down to the lakeside harbour at Garrykennedy.
Route breakdown
The three main circuits run from relaxed lakeside spins to inland exploring:
- Loop 1 (Lough Derg shoreline) – 65 km at full length, along the eastern edge of Ireland’s largest lake through the quiet villages of Dromineer and Terryglass. Shorter signed variants let you cut it down: 1A (11 km), 1B (28 km) or 1C (46 km), with frequent pull-offs for lake views and picnics.
- Loop 2 (lakeside and countryside) – A 30 km circuit for mixed-ability groups and families, combining lake views with a gentle descent into Castlelough and a well-graded off-road section down to Garrykennedy. The terrain stays manageable, and it suits all bike types.
- Loop 3 (inland and eco-village) – 67 km (or 46 km via the 3A variant), heading away from the water on flat, quiet back roads. The stand-out is Cloughjordan, Ireland’s first eco-village.
Key stops
Lakeside villages
Dromineer’s harbour is a long-standing stop for sailors and cyclists, with maintained walking and cycling paths around it, and Terryglass has a historic stone bridge and a quiet riverside feel. Both villages have pubs and cafés used to passing cyclists, which makes them handy places to break a longer ride.
Cloughjordan eco-village
Reached on Loop 3, Cloughjordan is Ireland’s first eco-village and a model for sustainable rural living, with a community farm, communal gardens and renewable-energy projects. There is somewhere to refuel and easy walking trails just off the route.
Food and drink
The loops pass a number of award-winning pubs and restaurants, and plenty of picnic spots along the way. Most places on the route are used to cyclists and have room to leave a bike safely while you eat.
Practical information
- Starting point: Nenagh is the hub for all three loops, and the obvious place to park, start and stock up before you head out.
- Navigation: Junctions are signed, and the shorter variants (1A–1C, 3A) are waymarked too, though they can peel off without much warning. A PDF route map is available from Sport Ireland (see below).
- Surface and difficulty: Mostly paved or compacted gravel, fine for road bikes, hybrids and mountain bikes. Loop 2 includes a short off-road stretch to Garrykennedy that is graded for all bike types.
- On the road: The loops run largely on public roads, so normal road rules apply wherever you meet traffic. Carry water and pack for the weather, which can turn quickly off the lake.
Nearby and resources
After a loop, many riders add a visit to Nenagh Castle or a boat trip from Dromineer harbour, both a short hop from the main routes.
For planning, download the Nenagh cycle route map from Sport Ireland. The Waterways Ireland cycling guide gives broader context on touring routes across the county.
Grab the Sport Ireland route map before you set off: the junction signs are decent, but the shorter variants peel away quickly, and it’s easy to overshoot a turn for 1B or 3A without it.