What are the main stops in Forest walks with dogs near Galway: Portumna and Cong?

This Portumna guide covers 3 key stops in order: Portumna Forest Park Marina Trail, Bonaveen Point Viewing Hide, Cong Woods & Clonbur Trail. Soft pine-needle tracks and calm Lough Derg inlets for a splash.

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Use the "Directions in Joyride AI Maps" button on this guide to load all 3 stops onto the interactive map with live weather, custom start points and turn-by-turn navigation.

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Portumna Forest ParkFoto: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When the wind is up on the coast and the mountains are lost in cloud, a forest is the best place to walk the dogs. The trees give shelter, the paths are softer on paws than rock, and there's always something new to sniff. Two of the best forests within reach of Galway are Portumna Forest Park, on the shore of Lough Derg, and the woods around Cong, on the border of Galway and Mayo. Both are run by Coillte.

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Stopp 1 · Lough Derg · Lakeshore forest

Portumna Forest Park Marina Trail

Soft pine-needle tracks and calm Lough Derg inlets for a splash.

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Dogs in Coillte forests

Coillte, which manages Ireland's public forests, welcomes dogs as long as they're under effective control: if your dog won't come back when called, it should be on a lead. Remember that forests often border farmland with livestock, and that deer and other wildlife live in the woods. Pick up after your dogs and carry the bags out if there are no bins.

Portumna Forest Park

Portumna Forest Park lies about 1 km from the town of Portumna, in the south-east of County Galway, where the River Shannon flows into Lough Derg. There are four walking trails of different lengths, including one built to multi-access standard, plus woodland and lakeshore views. There are also two easy mountain bike trails, and a tarred 1.5 km family cycling loop, so keep dogs close where the trails meet.

River CongFoto: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Facilities: car park, toilets, picnic site and gardens.
Opening: the car park closes at 6 pm in winter and 9 pm in summer, so watch the time on an evening walk.
Nearby: Portumna town and castle are a short walk from the park.

Practical tip: the lakeshore is beautiful, but keep dogs out of the water where there are reeds, boats or signs, and watch for blue-green algae warnings on lakes in warm weather.

Cong Woods

The village of Cong sits between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, just over the border in County Mayo. The woods around it are full of rivers, caves and old stone, and the trails are easy going for dogs.

Cong Nature Trail (2.3 km, about 1 hour, easy): a scenic loop across the river and through the woods.
Cong to Clonbur (12 km return, about 3.5 hours, easy): a longer trail that passes along the nature trail and through Pigeon Hole Wood, where you can see a cave, and goes under the county roads through two underpasses to Clonbur.
The Guinness Tower, just off the nature trail, is about 20 m tall with a narrow stairway, so it's one to skip with dogs.

Storms have damaged some trails in recent years and parts may be closed while repairs are carried out. Check Coillte's page for Cong before you go and follow any safety signs on site.

Safety in working forests

Public forests are also working forests. Obey signs about tree felling and keep well away from machinery and timber stacks, which can roll. After storms, look out for hanging branches and fallen trees across paths, and avoid walking in woodland during very high winds.

Shore of Lough Derg near PortumnaFoto: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photographing forests

Forests are at their best in soft light. An overcast day evens out the contrast between bright sky and dark trunks, and mist or the hour after rain gives you depth and glowing greens. Look for paths that curve into the trees, moss on old walls and reflections on still water. In autumn, a slightly longer exposure on a river turns the water silky; keep the dogs in a sit-stay on the bank and they'll stay sharp while the water blurs.

Referenz & Tools:

Portumna through the year

Portumna averages 15 rainy days in Oct and highs of about 14°C. The driest month is usually Apr.

Days with 1 mm of rain or moreAverage high (°C)

Show the numbers

Month	Rainy days	Rain	Average high	Sunshine	Sunset
Jan	14	86 mm	8°C	3.6 h/day	16:44
Feb	15	92 mm	9°C	4.7 h/day	17:42
Mar	16	100 mm	10°C	6.3 h/day	18:35
Apr	13	65 mm	13°C	8.2 h/day	20:30
May	13	69 mm	16°C	9.4 h/day	21:23
Jun	14	77 mm	18°C	9.5 h/day	22:00
Jul	15	89 mm	19°C	8.4 h/day	21:53
Aug	17	104 mm	19°C	8.1 h/day	21:03
Sep	14	92 mm	17°C	6.7 h/day	19:52
Oct	15	97 mm	14°C	5.5 h/day	18:40
Nov	15	95 mm	10°C	3.9 h/day	16:40
Dec	17	113 mm	9°C	2.9 h/day	16:16