Lakes you can drive to?

dogs

I'd like to try out a small rowing boat but the tide and wind aren't being helpful. Are there any lakes in the county you can drive right up to?

Bell Lake would be perfect but there's a gate with a big "Trespassers will be Prosecuted" sign and while I don't mind taking a look on foot, I wouldn't drive my car past there.

Ballyscanlon is a bit too far to walk down a muddy path, even with two people carrying it.

I had a look at the "upper" lake in Ballyscanlon (sorry, don't know it's name). I could see some boats and a laneway down at the opposite shore but despite my GPS I didn't find a way to it -- ended up in the middle of a farmers yard.

Coumshingaun is the only other lake I know, but I'm fairly glad there isn't a road up to that.

Any suggestions?

dlofnep

What do you want a boat for, is it for a bit of fishing? I have a small power-boat down in the Waterford marina. Thought about using it in the River? You could go up towards Fiddown for fishing, and put it in the Grannagh Slip. Probably might want a small outboard engine on it aswell though.

robtri

whay not go down to New ross and put the boat in on the river at the jetty beside the opel car dealer on the waterford side of the river....

AdMMM

There's no motorised boats allowed out on Bell Lake due to the risk of tainting the water with oil - after all, it is a reservoir.

Ask the Waterford Boat Club on Canada Street if you could use their pontoon to launch. They're pretty active on the weekends and I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They'd also offer a few pointers regarding technique and water safety. It's also helpful to have a few boats nearby in case you capsise which can be pretty scary at first.

depaor

Just opposite the entrance to Ballyscanlon lake is an entrance (looks like a driveway / farm entrance) to Carraigavantry lake - you can drive right up to the lake edge and there is room for parking - there are a number of boats on the lake already - beautiful spot.

dogs

Thanks for the responses.

It's just for rowing, not fishing, so no outboard for me. I do plan to explore the rivers a bit over the summer but for now I'm happy to play around somewhere quiet.

Carraigavantry sounds like the right place, I'll have to do some more searching to try find that entrance.

Thanks again!