Overview
Templehouse Lake (Irish: Loch Theach an Teampla) is a shallow, reed-fringed coarse fishery on a thousand-acre estate the Perceval family has held since 1665, and it is far better known to pike anglers than to anyone else. The lake covers roughly 1.19 sq km – about 290 acres, not the 200 sometimes quoted – running some 2km north to south and up to 500m across, with an average depth of only 2.6m. Fed by the Owenmore River at its southern end, it drains north again toward the Ballysadare River. The water is hard and clear, framed by the estate’s pastures.
One thing to be clear about: this is private land. Templehouse Lake is not a turn-up-and-wander lakeshore. Access is really for guests staying at Temple House and for people who have booked fishing or paddling on the water. If that is not you, there is little to see from a public road.
History & The Crannogs
The lake’s most distinctive feature is its crannogs – small artificial islands built up from timber, brushwood and stone and used as defended dwellings by early communities. Several dot the water, and they mark the lake as a place people have lived on and around for a very long time, though they have never been closely dated.
The shore has its own layers. A ruined castle stands by the water, built around 1181 by the Knights Templar – a rectangular, keepless tower that gave the estate (‘Temple House’) its name. The Perceval family took over in 1665, and the Georgian manor that overlooks the lake today was built around 1825 and substantially extended around 1864. Castle ruin, big house and lake sit within a single view, a rough timeline of the place from the twelfth century to the nineteenth.
Wildlife & Conservation
Templehouse Lake is part of the Templehouse and Cloonacleigha Loughs Special Area of Conservation, protected as a hard-water lake habitat under the EU Habitats Directive (NPWS site code 000636).
The lake holds a good coarse fishery – pike, perch, roach and bream – along with the critically endangered European eel. Winter brings wildfowl: teal, wigeon, mallard, tufted duck and goldeneye on the open water, lapwing and curlew on the margins, and the occasional Greenland white-fronted goose. Mute swans, great crested grebes and herons are around year-round. Because of the SAC status, keep noise down, do not feed the birds, and stay off the reed beds, especially in the nesting season.
Activities
Paddling & fishing
Boats are free to guests staying at Temple House, and can be hired (engine included) by others. The estate runs stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and Canadian canoeing on the sheltered water – good conditions for beginners – through Wild Wet Adventures; contact the estate for current sessions and prices. From a boat you get the best view of the crannogs and the castle ruin.
The lake’s real reputation is for pike. It is a well-regarded coarse and pike fishery: a 36lb pike was caught and released here, and a 32lb specimen taken in 1915 is still mounted in the house. Perch, roach and bream come to the same water. Arrange fishing through the estate.
Walking & birdwatching
There are lakeside trails on the estate grounds, best walked in the early morning or in winter for the birds; bring binoculars. Paths are grass and gravel over uneven ground, so they do not suit wheelchairs or pushchairs.
Practical Information
- Location & access: The lake lies within the Temple House estate, about 22km south of Sligo town and 6km west of Ballymote, off the N4 and local roads. It is private land – arrange access with the estate rather than turning up.
- Parking: Estate parking is available for booked visitors; confirm when you arrange your visit.
- Booking: Fishing and water-sport sessions need booking ahead, especially in summer. Contact the estate on +353 86 7222750 or through the Temple House website.
- Accessibility: Shore paths and the ruins are reached over uneven, sometimes muddy ground. Discuss mobility needs with the estate first.
- Conservation etiquette: Keep dogs on leads, take litter home, keep boat speeds low, and stay off the reed beds.
Nearby Attractions
- Caves of Keash – ancient limestone chambers and hilltop walks on Keash Hill (Caves of Keash)
- Ballymote – a historic town 6km east with one of Ireland’s best-preserved medieval castles (Ballymote)
- Benbulben – the county’s landmark flat-topped mountain, with marked walking routes, further north (Benbulben)
If you are not a guest or an angler, the honest answer is that Templehouse Lake is a quiet detour rather than a day out. Book a boat, though, and an hour drifting past the crannogs with the castle ruin on the shore is worth the arranging.