Suck Valley Way - Slí Gleannta na Suca

The River Suck drains Lough O'Flynn, 7km west of the town of Castlerea, County Roscommon, and flows through sweeping meanders and past many little islands to reach the Shannon a kilometre below Shannonbridge. The Suck Valley Way is a circular route that runs up the west side of the Suck from Mount Talbot to the outskirts of the town of Castlerea and returns, with one brief interruption, down the east side, taking in €˜The Nine Friendly Villages', Ballygar, Creggs, Glinsk, Ballymoe, Ballintubber, Dunamon, Castlecoote, Athleague and Mount Talbot. The landscape is a typical river valley one of bogs, callows, woods and unspoilt traditional farmland of many tiny fields, and makes for wonderful and varied low-land walking. The terrain consists of a pleasant mix of cross-country paths through fields and woods, quiet side roads and there are a number of stretches along the banks of the river itself. As is common with countryside that has not been agriculturally over-developed, there is a rich heritage of the remains of monuments and buildings of the past to be enjoyed along the route, including ringforts, castles, ancient churches; you can't miss the unique La Tí¨ne Stone, an ovoid boulder of granite richly carved and dating from the Iron Age, close to the route at Castlestrange. To add to the pleasure of this route, the frequent villages provide plenty of opportunities for relaxing along the way. The route can be subject to flooding so please check locally. See The Suck Valley Way website www.suckvalleywaywalk.ie for more details. Draenálann Abhainn na Suca Loch Uí Fhloinn, 7km siar ó bhaile an Chaisleáin Riabhaigh, Co. Ros Comáin, agus sreabhann sí trí luba fairsinge agus thar go leor oileán beag chun an tSionainn a bhaint amach ciliméadar faoi dhroichead na Sionainne. Is slí chiorclach í Slí Ghleann na Suca a shíneann suas taobh thiar na Suca ó Mhun Talbóid go dtí imeall bhaile an Chaisleáin Riabhaigh agus filleann sí, le briseadh gairid amháin, síos an taobh thoir, thar 'Na Naoi Sráidbhaile Cairdiúil', An Baile Gearr, Na Creaga, Glinsce, Béal Átha Mó, Baile an Tobair, Dún Iomáin, Baile Mhic Oireachtaigh, Áth Liag agus Mun Talbóid. Is gnáthghleann abhann é an tírdhreach ina bhfuil portaigh, calaí, coillte agus talamh feirme traidisiúnta gan mhilleadh ina bhfuil go leor páirceanna bídeacha, rud a fhágann gur siúlóid iontach agus éagsúil í seo ar thalamh íseal. Tá an tír-raon comhdhéanta de chosáin tras-tire trí pháirceanna agus choillte, taobh-bhóithre ciúine agus tá roinnt stráicí feadh bhruach na habhann féin. Mar is gnáth leis an tuath nach ndearnadh ró-fhorbairt talmhaíochta déanta uirthi, tá oidhreacht shaibhir d'iarsmaí séadchomharthaí agus foirgnimh an am a chuaigh thart le taitneamh a bhaint astu as feadh an bhealaigh, lena n-áirítear liosanna, caisleáin, séipéil ársa; déan cinnte go dtabharfaidh tú cuairt ar Chloch La Tène, bolláin ubhchruthóideach snoithe eibhir ón Iarannaois atá gar don bhealach ag Caisleán Stráinse. Chun cur le taitneamh an bhealaigh seo, cuireann na sráidbhailte deiseanna ar fáil chun scíth a ligean ar an tslí. D'fhéadfadh tuilte a bheith ar an tslí, mar sin seiceáil go háitiúil. Féach ar Iáithreán gréasáin Shlí Ghleann na Suca www.suckvalleywaywalk.ie le haghaidh tuilleadh sonraí.