Lough Boora Parklands

Loch Clochan is situated 2 km from Cloghan village on the left (north) of the R357.  A popular evening walk with local people, the path starts from the car park at Loch an Clochan and proceeds along the gravel path that skirts the fishing lake and then runs east through naturally recolonising birch-willow woodland before looping westwards and leading you back to your starting point.

Things to look out for:

Cloghan wetlands consist of a number of ponds and pools by which, Ringed plover, Common sandpiper and snipe may be seen. Listen out for Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Black cap and Spotted flycatcher as you pass through the open birch-willow woodland in spring and summer. In winter Teal, Widgeon and Whooper swans frequent the fishing lake and flooded wetland to the north.

Damselflies and dragonflies, including the Emerald damselfly, Common darter, Brown hawker and Four-spotted chaser, may be spotted either resting or hunting over the pools in summer.

Pheasant

A pen built by the Cloghan Community Development Association is situated close to the path within the woods. This is used to display pheasant at certain times of the year thus giving the walker a chance to admire the plumage of the Cock pheasant at close quarters and compare it with that of the much more drab hen bird.

Flowering plants

In spring, mosses and lichens standout on the bare peat before being overlooked in favour of the more brightly coloured flowering plants that follow. Dog violets flower alongside the path in spring and Cuckoo flower, the food plant of the caterpillars of the Orange-tip butterfly which may be seen flying over them, are common. The white, feathery seed heads of Bog cotton stand out against the black peat from May onwards and the yellow, star-like spikes of Bog asphodel are common in the wetter areas whilst several types of orchid may be seen next to the track. Close to the car park there is an area of naturally recolonising Scots pine.