Good spots for paddling and kayaking

you could drown, get life jackets, unfortunately, they will probably cost you more than the boat.

Already ahead of you. I have looked at PFDs on Decathlon.ie.

Dromineer, Co Tipperary on the shore of Lough Derg.
Terryglass, Co Tipperary .
Portumna aire .
Lough Ennille, outside of Mullinigar with a campsite across the road.
Lakeside camping in Mountshannon, Co Claire, again on the shores of lough Derg.
There is 5 locations with little or no water currents.

"Graiguenamanagh seems well setup for canoes."

And so it is but the barrow is quite a fast flowing river in that location, which means a fair struggle to go upstream.


Most of the commercial kayak hire companies, send customers downstream and a mini bus with a trailer completes the return journey.

Keep looking at the pretty pictures in the catalogue and leave it at that. The only place for those types of inflatables is in a 2' deep pool in your own back garden. It's not a pleasant job getting kitted up to go look for bodies, especially children's.

Meelick Quay on the Shannon

Using an inflatable kayak/ boat for a leisurely paddie, my recommendations would be to use them on a canal.
The canals have no currents and are fairly sheltered from wind.
I accept that The Rambler is based on the western coast, where canals weren't built.

I have an Intex Explorer K2. Not as good as a solid one but it fits into 2 medium rucksacks including all my life jackets, oars, etc. I regularly take it out on to my local lake (Camlough Lake near Newry) either on my own or with my son. The wind does not bother it much but because the sides are so wide you have to put the paddles out fairly far from the centre of the boat so if you are on your own in the back it can tend to push the Kayak to one side or the other as you pull the par through the water. It can move fairly quick and is nimble enough for a big 2 person inflatable Kayak and would likely take more effort to tip than solid one as it has such a wide base. I would only use it on a calm sea but then I would only take an Kayak on a calm sea myself. I was at Clogherhead yesterday which is a very flat beach with few waves and the Irish army (or cadets they were supervising) were out in solid Kayaks. I would happily have taken the inflatable out there. I would stick with well known brands and the K2 gets good reviews.

Intex Explorer K2 Two-Person Kayak with Oars + Pump https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0…jDbR09NNYA

Come to Wexford, give me a shout. I’ll give you a lake, the sea, safe cove, and a gorgeous place to park up for a night or three.

At the right time of year, I can throw in an island to stroll around after your kayaking exertions. The land will take a camper or two as well as the kayaks. All privately owned. PM me if you are thinking of heading this direction

I did. Inflated it in the garden. Seems ok. Got a couple of life jackets. We might get to try it out this weekend but we wont venture out too far. Calm coves and Harbour only.

Good advice.

I have been there In a 7.3 mts van, and my mate in his 10.5 meter American Rv. Narrow roads alright, but space enough for parking. Good spot for kayaking alright. Well done, a good shout

Its only approx 9 miles away from us, we take the Dogs there for a walk occasionally, never noticed the Barriers or never ventured there in the Motorhome. and I wouldn't recommend anyone with a large Motorhome to either, the Roads are terrible.