Ireland

The 62.5 km long Shannon Erne Waterway was the first major tourism project that the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland co-operated on. The new canal has created Europe's longest waterway for tourism with a total length of 750 km. The most northerly point on the waterway is Belleek, famous for its porcelain. The Shannon estuary marks the most southerly point, where Ireland's longest river meets the sea.

Swans on the Shannon

Rivers reunited
Both the Shannon and the Erne and their many lakes have long been popular with cruising fans. However, they have only been linked since 1994. "Reunited" is perhaps the more appropriate term, as originally there was a canal between the two in the early 19th century. Construction of the canal began in 1846 to 1860, however it was closed soon after 1869 and fell into a state of disrepair. Rail transport had put an end to the era of barge freight.

No license required
The 16 locks on the canal can all be controlled automatically. The lock gates open and close hydraulically. There are 16 walking trails near the canal of varying lengths. For cyclists there are connections to the Kingfisher Cycle Trail, a 350 Km cycle route through Ireland. The prerequisites for hiring a cruiser are simple: there should always be two people in a boat and the skipper must be over 21. A license is not required. There are plenty of marinas along the waterway where you can refuel and use other facilities, such as showers or fresh water tanks.

More Information:
www.ireland.ie