Scariff
Scariff is just a couple of minutes up the road from Tuamgraney, it's the nearest town, and a useful one. It has groceries, a good butcher, a pharmacy, a library, a health food shop - and Banes, one of those rare shops that sells more or less everything apart from food. There are pubs and cafés too, and reason enough to stop. The old Market House on the square doubles as the tourist office and is a good first stop for local advice. Down at the harbour, the Scariff River winds its way to Lough Derg through a marina that draws anglers, pleasure boats and anyone who just wants to sit by the water for a while. Over the August bank holiday weekend, the Scarriff Harbour Festival takes over the town — well established, lively, and worth planning around if you happen to be in the area.
Derg Isle Adventure Centre
A short drive from Tuamgraney along the Mountshannon Road, Derg Isle Adventure Centre sits on 18 acres with its own river and island. The activities on offer range from kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding and boat hire to water zorbing, zip lines, archery, climbing walls, an obstacle course and survival training, which is either alarming or exciting depending on your age and disposition. On the water you paddle out through calm winding channels that open onto the full expanse of Lough Derg. The wildlife is considerable, herons, kingfishers, otters if you are quiet and lucky, and the midges are free. Brilliant for families, good for groups, and genuinely fun for adults who have given themselves permission to have a go. Book ahead at dergisle.com
Irish Seed Savers
A few kilometres outside Scariff, Irish Seed Savers has spent over three decades saving Ireland's rare and endangered food crop varieties from disappearing altogether. The 20-acre site they tend in East Clare is the result of that work — organic seed gardens, polytunnels full of flowering crops, native woodland trails and a heritage orchard containing over 180 varieties of Irish apple tree, which is a remarkable thing to encounter in one place. The shop stocks heirloom seeds, heritage apple trees and their own organic apple juice. Workshops on organic gardening and sustainable living run throughout the year, please check the website for what's on. Picnic tables on site if you want to bring your own lunch.
Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. The approach road from Scariff is narrow — take it slowly. More at irishseedsavers.ie