This lake's brackish waters, separated from the sea by a barrier beach, are an important breeding ground for rare roseate terns. The lake encloses Our Lady's Island (www.ourladysisland.ie), site of an early Augustinian priory and still the focus of an annual pilgrimage in August/September. Fervent pilgrims make nine circuits of the island, many of them barefoot (in olden times they used to crawl). Outside of pilgrimage season the pilgrim path makes for a lovely walk (2km); don't miss the picturesque priory graveyard, awash with wild garlic in spring.
