Toome to Portna River Cruise

Boarding at the Lock-Keepers Cottage on Toome canal

Meet your Skipper at the Lock-Keepers Cottage on Toome Canal, a Waterways Heritage Centre, cafe and community hub. Here you will have a safety briefing and get fitted with your lifejacket.

Passing under the bridge at Toome we see the Eel Fishery from a different perspective. There are always hoards of Herons here waiting for a chance to get a tasty meal.

Going under the Blue Bridge at Toome and around the bends we glide into the mostly unseen Lough Beg which is a stunning wildlife reserve. Church Island is also a treat to see, where there is a church without a spire and a spire without a church. Immortalised in Seamus Heaney’s poem “The Strand at Lough Beg”:

“Where you weren’t known and far from what you knew:
The lowland clays and waters of Lough Beg,
Church Island’s spire, its soft treeline of yew”.

Listen and watch for the famed Whooping Swans of Lough Beg who grace us with their presence year and year.

Our trip takes you past the ancient forest of Portglenone, under Portglenone’s beautiful stone bridge and onwards along the scenic and peaceful River Bann. The tranquil atmosphere is enhanced by the remote location far from roads and civilisation.

Finally at the end of this journey we come to Hutchinsons Quay, where there is a listed double lock, the only one of its kind on River Bann. We stop here for a short walk on this man made island and can see the flood defences before returning to Toome.

Picnic tables and toilet facilities are available.

Tour min time: 2 and a half to 3 hours
Private Charter Only
Great for: Sight-seeing, family day out, adventurers, photographers, historians, video producers, team building

“Fantastic cruise down the Bann from Toome to Drumaheglis. Great craic from beginning to end. Excellent contact from initial enquiry through to the day of the cruise. Characters on and off the boat from Tim and Ben through to the singing lock keeper! 🎶😁”

Karen D.

“I highly recommend Abhainn Cruises, we did the Toome to Portna route. Even though we are locals to the area it was as if we were complete tourists. Tim was excellent with local knowledge and entertaining us. It was a lot of fun and beautiful scenery. We will be returning customers for sure!”

Niall N.

“Ben was an Excellent tour guide, informative and sociable. We’d a fun family day out. Great to see part of the country from a different perspective. Kids were thrilled when he went fast. Everyone in our group from 11-78yrs of age enjoyed the experience. Definitely recommend.”

Elaine D.