Paddling near Athlone, Co. Westmeath

Athlone sits at the heart of Ireland's midlands, straddling the River Shannon where it flows into and out of Lough Ree — a lake nearly 25 km in length. The surrounding county of Westmeath is known as the Lake County, and the waterways here are among the most paddled in the country. The Shannon corridor, Lough Ree's island-dotted expanse, the River Inny, and Lough Ennell all draw kayakers, canoeists, and SUP paddlers of every level.