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The villages along the scenic road north of Killaloe are all very small. Wealthy tourists into hunting, shooting and fishing tend to stay in fancy hotels, and amenities for other visitors are sparse. That said, it's still very beautiful countryside, especially the lakeside area up as far as Mountshannon. Traditional music here is very much alive, and there are some excellent opportunities to get out onto the water. SCARRIFF is a little farming town set high up in rough, open country overlooking the lough. It's a handy place to pick up provisions. There's a Bank of Ireland here and a couple of pubs serving bar food. FEAKLE , about six miles to the west, is another small village, but has a far busier social calendar. There are excellent traditional sessions throughout the year in Pepper's bar (Wed) and Lena's (Thurs), and Feakle also has an International Traditional Music Festival (tel 061/924288), which is usually held during the second weekend in August. Accommodation can be problematic and unless you bring a tent and ask to camp at a farm, your choices are limited to: The Smyth Country Lodge Hotel (tel 061/924000, www.welcometo/Smythshotel ; GBP90-110/?114.28-139.67), which offers cosy log fires, comfortable rooms and is popular with people on fishing holidays, or Laccaroe House (tel 061/924150; GBP40-55/?50.79-69.84), a B&B with en-suite rooms, located about a mile from Pepper's along the road to Scarriff. Around nine miles southwest of Feakle sits the similarly quiet village of TULLA . You are most likely to be here if you are walking the East Clare Way, or if you want to sample some of the traditional music to be had in Torpey's bar (Sun). Accommodation is limited to a few B&Bs : Cragville (tel 065/683 5110; GBP26-33/?33.01-41.90) in the village and the welcoming Toonagh House (tel 065/683 5316; GBP26-33/?33.01-41.90), two and half miles away, off the Ennis road. The best spot to stay right by the lake, Killaloe and Portumna aside, is MOUNTSHANNON , about five miles north of Scarriff. It's among the prettiest of the villages and has a couple of cosy pubs and some good places to eat . Good bar food, and sometimes traditional music in the summer, are to be had at Cois na hAbhna , while meals are served all day at An Cupan Caife (tel 061/927275), a relaxed, small bistro with a cosy atmosphere. Places to stay include the Mountshannon Hotel (tel 061/927162; GBP70-90/?88.88-114.28), and, slightly further out heading north of the village, Derg Lodge (tel 061/927180, or 927319; GBP26-33/?33.01-41.90) and Oak House (tel 061/927185; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79), which has its own private beach. Watersports enthusiasts will find reasonably priced canoeing, wind-surfing, sailing and motor boat rental, from May to October, at the nearby Lakeside Watersport Caravan and Camping Park (tel 061/927225).
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