The Cornamona Loop

The Cornamona Loop

Westport ➤ Toormakeady ➤ Lough Mask ➤ Cornamona ➤ Maum ➤ Leenane ➤ Westport

The beginning of this route sees you leaving Westport from the South East, where the road passes the railway station and intertwines with the railway for the first 5.5 kilometres before heading further south towards and through Killavally. After 20 kilometres the vast Lough Mask appears on your left, and that’s where it stays for 15 kilometres as the route hugs the shoreline, passing Toormakeady, before it briefly disappears as the road winds its way between the Mayo and Galway boarder. A nice stop on this Lough Mask section is Paddy’s Bar and Restaurant, which has a lovely garden area that leads right down to the water’s edge.

Leaving the Lough behind, you will be facing into lots of short sharp inclines and declines before reaching Cornamona on the northernmost boundary of Lough Corrib. From here, you’ll turn northwards again, climbing towards Letterbrickaun past Derreen Forest, before enjoying a swift descent into Leenaun.

This is a great point to stop to refuel before taking on the final 32 kilometres. Your journey out of Leenaun will see the road straddle the Erriff River as it flows past you towards Leenaun and Killary Harbour. The final 20 kilometres of this route has a slight gradient and begins with a 10 kilometre gentle climb of no more than than 2% passing by Aghagower Parish, before a largely downhill final few kilometres that see you roll into Westport town for a well deserved rest!