Leisure Activities in Swinford in Co. Mayo
Here you will find information on leisure pursuits in the Swinford area.
Walking
Walks in the area range in length from the two mile golf course walk to the twelve mile Logcurragh / Killasser walk. Situated two miles south-west of the town, is Meelick, which has a fine round tower.
Nearby is Killasser, an area rich in archaeological heritage including megalithic tombs, bronze Age cooking sites, crannogs, and ringforts.
There are guided walks around Swinford on Sundays and there is also a guided tour of famine sites on Sundays.
Angling
Because of its location, at the junction off the N5 and N26 and with the River Moy nearby, Swinford has enjoyed a reputation as one of the foremost towns for Moy angling. Swinford boasts some of the finest stretches of salmon and trout fishing in Europe and has developed easy access to all parts of the river to enable the angler to fish in comfort. The bridges at Cloonacannana, Cloongullane, and Ballylahan provide vantage points on the river and are located just outside the town.
The River Moy has many tributaries and we mention just a few here. The River Gweestion is one of the Moy's largest tributaries and joins it 1.5 miles upstream of Ballylahan Bridge. This holds an excellent stock of brown trout and can be recommended to the specialised river angler. Wet fly fishing here gives good results - the left bank of the river has been developed for angling. The May Fly is found in abundance here .
The Trimogue River is a tributary of the Gweestion with a good stock of trout and eel. This is approached from the main Swinford / Castlebar road four miles outside the town. The Bridge Inn at Ballymiles is an idea starting point for fishing here.
Callow lakes are located four miles west of the town along the Foxford road. The twin lakes are joined by the picturesque bridge and are surrounded by purple heather hills. These lakes hold lively stocks of brown trout and salmon and a fisheries boat is available for hire.
Lough Cullin is to the north-west of Swinford and is a haven for the salmon angler. Good trout fishing is also available. The lake extends in a northerly direction towards Lough Conn, a noted trout lake of around 12,000 acres.
For more information about the salmon season on the River Moy and to obtain the contact number of the East Mayo Angler's Association, go to our dedicated link below.