Walking

Shannon Erne Waterway

Walking on the Shannon-Erne Waterway

Running between Leitrim Village and just north of Belturbet, the Shannon-Erne Waterway links the two great waterways on the island, the Erne System and the Shannon Navigation.

The Shannon-Erne Waterway was known as the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell Canal and opened in 1860. Re-opened in 1994 after restoration, it is 63km of river, lake and still-water canal. It takes approximately 13 hours to travel and is known as the location where Ireland's 'little people' originate!

While the birds flock, the herons gaze and the water is calm, a walk on the Shannon-Erne waterway is an experience like no other. Choose your preferred walk below:

Trail Name:	Distance:	Location:
Kilarcan to Kilclare	5km	Leitrim
Ballinamore Loop	4.5km	Leitrim
Ballyduff to Aghoo Bridge	8km	Leitrim
Skelan Loop	5.8km	Leitrim
Ballyconnell Loop	5km	Cavan
Turbet Island Loop	1.6km	Cavan

Use See and Do to find an activity or equipment hire provider.

Start planning your experience

See & Do

Filter by

Filter

NO BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN FOUND

NO EVENTS HAVE BEEN FOUND

View all

General Notices
Length & No of Locks
63km from Leitrim Village to Upper Lough Erne with 16 locks
Opening Hours of Locks
Apr to Oct - 09.00 to 20.00
Nov to Mar - 09.00 to dusk i.e. during daylight hours
Due to planned maintenance works between November and March please check Marine N otices prior to departure to ensure the navigation is open.
Navigational Criteria
Length: 24m
Beam: 4.5m
Draft: 1.2m
Air draft: 3.2m over a width of 3.0m
Draft dimensions are given as a guide only and cannot be guaranteed.
Bridges
No information specified
Dry Docks
There is no dry dock provision on the Shannon-Erne Waterway
Electricity & Water
Shore power available at Keshcarrigan, Ballinamore, Haughton’s Shore, Ballyconnell and Aghalane with further facilities planned for both Keshcarrigan and Leitrim Village. They are operated by Smart Card. Smart Card costs 10 units €6.35/£5.50 20 Units €12.70/€11.
How to use Shore Power Bollard.

Fuel Points
There are petrol stations in Leitrim village, Ballinamore and Ballyconnell - all are a short walk from the public moorings.
Inspectorate
The Inspectorate of Navigation is responsible for enforcing the navigational bye-laws, maintaining a register of vessels and carrying out inspections of Waterways Ireland harbours and jetties to ensure that they are used and kept in a safe and responsible manner.

The Inspectorate is authorised to board craft, ask for and receive accurate information, impose fines, manage harbour moorings and order the removal of vessels from the navigations.
The Inspectorate frequently patrol the waterways by road and water, monitoring general boating practices. Any irresponsible behaviour or poor boatmanship is immediately brought to the attention of the owner of the craft. Craft speeding within speed restriction areas are similarly dealt with.

For further information on navigating and boat queries on the Shannon-Erne Waterway, contact the Inspectorate on the following:

Inspector of Navigation
patrick.harkin@waterwaysireland.org
+353 (0)90 649 4232

Locks

The 16 Locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway are operated by a smart card system. The operating consoles are located at the side of the lock and the card is inserted into the bottom of it. Diagrammatic instructions are given for the operating of the lock to allow passage. Please ensure the safety of all your passengers when the boat is in the lock.

Opening Hours of Locks

Period	Weekdays	Sundays
Mar 14 - Apr 3	09:00 - 18:30	10:30 - 16:00
Apr 4 - Sep 25	09:00 - 20:30	09:00 - 18:00
Sep 26 - Nov 1	09:00 - 19:30	10:00 - 16:00
Nov 2 - Mar 13	09:00 - 12:30	10:00 - 12:30

Lunch Break 13:00 - 14:00

Waterway Patrollers
Waterway Patrollers are present along the Shannon-Erne Waterway to assist boat users and can be contacted at the following numbers:

Lock 1 Tel no +44 28 6774 8976
Lock 16 Tel no +353 87 2608569
Ballinamore Tel no +353 87 2602478
Ballyconnell Tel no +353 87 2603662
Kilclare area Tel no +353 87 2603663

Maintenance Works
Maintenance Works
Maintenance works on the waterways are, where possible, carried out during the winter. When navigating any waterway between 1 November and 17 March you are advised to contact Waterways Ireland Operations Division or the Inspectorate before making your journey to confirm that the waterway is open.
Marine Notices
Marine Notices are issued by the Inspectorate to draw the attention of boat users to navigational issues such as high water levels, navigation works and closures, and to highlight potential areas of danger. They also remind boat users of their obligations and responsibilities under the Navigation Bye-laws. Marine Notices are published on our website www.waterwaysireland.org
If you would like to receive Marine Notices by email, please send a request to
info@waterwaysireland.org
Permits and Registration
All boats with an engine capacity of more than 15bhp on the Shannon-Erne Waterway must be registered with Waterways Ireland Inspectorate. Registration is free of charge and can be completed through our online registration system here. You will be provided with a registration number which must be displayed in a prominent position on your boat. Boats registered on the Shannon-Erne Waterway do not need to reregister when moving to another waterway.
Public Mooring Time Limits
On the Shannon-Erne Waterway the mooring limit is 5 consecutive days or a total of 7 days in any one month during the period 1 April to 31 October.
Service Blocks
Service blocks are provided by Waterways Ireland at six locations along the Shannon-Erne Waterway: Leitrim vVillage, Keshcarrigan, Ballinamore, Haughton's Shore, Ballyconnell and Aghalane. Facilities provided for waterway users include toilets, showers, pump-outs and laundry facilities. The facilities are operated by smart cards. Card readers are attached to each service block to enable users to check the number of units remaining on the smart card.
Units per Service
Lock Passage: 1 unit
Pump-outs: 2 units
Showers: 2 units
Chemical Toilets: 2 units
Washing Machines: 5 units
Tumble Dryers: 5 units
2kwh Electricity: 1 unit
Pump-outs
Pump-outs are provided at each of the service blocks to enable the pumping out of sewage safely and cleanly removing the pollution risk to our waterways. These are operated by smart cards.
Slipways
Slipways are provided at Leitrim Village, Keshcarrigan, Ballinamore, Haughton's Shore, Ballyconnell , Lock 7 and Aghalane.
Smart Cards
Smart cards are used to operate the locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation and service blocks along the waterways. The cards are also used to gain access to the service blocks and to use the services.

Services use the following number of units:
• Locks: 1 unit (Shannon-Erne Waterway)
• Locks: 2 units (Shannon Navigation)
• Bridges: 2 units (Shannon Navigation)
• Pump-outs: 2 units
• Showers: 2 units
• Chemical Toilets: 2 units
• Washing Machines: 5 units
• Tumble Dryers: 5 units
• 2kwh Electricity: 1 unit

The smart cards cost €6.35 for a 10Unit card or €12.70 for a 20Unit card and can be purchased from the Patrollers, Lockkeepers, Waterways Ireland’s online shop www.shopwaterwaysireland.org and retail outlets along the waterway. Information on all outlets can be found here.
Speed Limit and your Wash
Speed Limit
5km/h in channel stretches
Speed limits may also be in place on other sections of the waterway and are monitored by the Inspectorate.

Your Wash
You are asked to consider the wash of your boat and its effect on others. All engine-powered boats create a wave of water, known as a wash, which flows outwards from the boat as it moves forward. Look behind you frequently to check the effect that your wash is having on other users. You are advised to reduce your speed in narrow channels to prevent bank erosion, damage to reed beds and destruction of birds' nests among reed and bank habitats. Slow down where boats are moored, when approaching quays, jetties or locks or where water activities are taking place.
Entering the waterway from the sea
There is no entrance to the Shannon Erne Waterway from the sea.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO MARINE NOTICES AVAILABLE

View all notices

Walking

Walking on the Shannon-Erne Waterway

Start planning your experience

​Period

​Weekdays

​Sundays

Period

Weekdays

Sundays