Lough Talt Loop Walk

I had a bit of time on Friday morning, and I was awake early, so I thought I’d do the Lough Talt Loop Walk. I’ve wanted to do it since the walk got extended, meaning that you didn’t have to walk along the main road anymore. It was a while since I read about it, and in hindsight I should have read the Sligo Walks page before I set off, because I wasn’t prepared at all!

The first part of the walk is gorgeous, I was walking alongside Lough Talt, it was just me and the sheep. Until I got bombarded by lots of May flies! I felt like the character from Peanuts where the flies are following him! There’s a video on my Facebook page if you want to have a look!

The flies left me in the end, and I enjoyed watching the fish jumping, and the sheep and lambs wandering around. They weren’t bothered about me in the slightest, and it was beautiful to see them. I could hear the cuckoo in the distance, it’s the first one I’ve heard this year. I also saw a butterfly, another first for this year.

There are places to sit along the walk and inspirational quotes, there’s a wooden hare, and there are old cottages and stone walls. The walk is mostly flat until you get to the part at the end of the lake where it goes uphill a bit.

It’s not particularly well signposted, and I could get lost in a room, I have zero sense of direction. When I came to the main road, I wasn’t sure which way to go and I turned left, luckily a lovely man called Frank was watching me and he called me back – because I’d probably still be walking! You turn right when you get to the main road and then turn left heading towards The Lake Church, which is also the starting point of The Sligo Way.

As I walked by The Lake Church, there was a man called Fintan (pictured above) opening the church and he invited me in to have a look around, it’s a very pretty church and I got chatting to Fintan. He was so kind to me because I’d stupidly left home without a bottle of water and he handed one to me – and I didn’t give him any money! I’d obviously left my brain at home too!

At that point I’d been walking for an hour, and there was still an hour of a walk! Fintan gave me directions, and off I set again. This part of the walk is on a quiet enough road, but it’s still a road. It’s quite uphill as well and it was a hot day, so I was a sweaty mess, and so grateful for the bottle of water.

After quite a while you turn right into a forest, I was grateful for the coolness of the forest, and the birdsong. There are more inspirational quotes. I heard myself mutter ‘not another inspirational quote’ I was kind of done then, but my car was just a speck in the distance, so onwards I went.

There was a wow factor when there was a clearing in the forest and I was looking over Lough Talt. What a spectacular view! There’s a bench where you can rest and a carved wooden bear looking over the lake.

The walk is downhill from here towards to main road, its loose gravel, so it was quite slippery under foot, and I had to watch that I didn’t fall.

When I got down the hill there’s a short walk on the road to get back to the carpark again. Two hours and 14,000 steps after I started, I was back at my car. I headed to Tubbercurry and treated myself to the nicest iced coffee at Jenny’s Café. It was much needed.

I’m glad that I did the loop walk, but if I was doing it again, I would bring a high-viz vest. Some of the cars fly along the roads, and although you are only on the main road for a short while it’s still dangerous. I would also certainly bring water, and I’d do my research on Sligo Walks and other websites.

To be honest, I would probably just do a linear walk along by the lakeside, that was my favourite part, it was just so beautiful.

A massive thank you to Frank and Fintan for their kindness. My favourite part of exploring and adventures are the people I meet along the way, and these two were pure gentlemen.

You can find Lough Talt just outside Tubbercurry on the R294 heading to Ballina. You will be able to see a map of the loop walk on Sligo Walks.