FERMANAGH LAKELAND

The Lower Lake
Enniskillen has two 18 hole golf clubs, at Castle Hume and Castlecoole as well as a 9 hole at Ashwood. The town has an island setting with its winding main street lined with solid merchant’s houses, old fashioned pubs with traditional fronts. Attractions Include: Cole’s Monument with its fine views across the island, Enniskillen Castle housing the County Museum and Regimental Museums and the impressive Watergate, plus the National Trust’s Castlecoole mansion, the Ardhowen Lakeside Theatre.

The Buttermarket, built around 1835, was the focus for the buying and selling of local dairy produce. Situated in the historic ‘Boston’ area of Enniskillen, the restored and refurbished buildings have been brought back to life as a thriving market for craft and design.

Cloughcar House revists past times with its collection of antique furniture at Shore Road.

Pick up detailed tourist information from the TIC by the bus station, study it in Blake’s of The Hollow, in Church Street, the county’s finest traditional pub, half-way between Town Hall and Cathedral. Then start on the first circuit of the Lower Lough, taking the A32, north.

Devenish Island. Reached by summer ferry from Trory (signposted B82), is noted for its Viking resistant 12th Century Round Tower, High Cross and 15th Century Augustinian Abbey. St. Angelo is the local airport complete with flying school.

Killadeas is noted for its cruiser and boat hire base as well as its strange graveyard with stone figures, one of which was carved between the 9th and 11th century and is known as the Bishop's Stone.

Irvinestown. Country town with pony and horse riding at the Ulster Lakeland Equestrian Park at Necarne. Visit the Irish Hammersley Pottery for a tour also in Irvinestown town centre.

White Island. With its seven mysterious stone figures (pagan or Christian?) is reached by ferry from Castle Archdale Country Park and marina with its World War II flying boat interpretive centre.

Kesh is a charming village with trout fishing, pony-trekking and a sandy beach at Muckross.

Boa Island has an eerie Janus (two faced) stone idol at Caldragh Cemetery. Off its shores Lusty Beg has luxury chalets and hire boats as well as a bar and restaurant. The Island is to be reached by ferry.

Castle Caldwell, has its fiddlers gravestone inscribed with a caution for carousing boaters, plus an important bird reserve and the old castle ruins.

Belleek village is picturesque and has played its part in much of the history of the Fermanagh Lakelands. The world famous Belleek Pottery is housed in an impressive building where the world famous parian china is handworked. There is a Visitor Centre, Museum and Cafe.

Garrison is noted for game angling and watersports at the Lough Melvin Holiday Centre, and a detour to both Lough Macneans is advised for pike fishermen.

The magnificent Magho Clifftop View (900ft 274m) in Lough Navar Forest Park, looks out over all of the Fermanagh Lakelands, including Monea Castle and Tully Castle plus two splendid 17th Century Castles, Tully Castle and Monea Castle, are west shore attractions.

Florence Court (National Trust) is a Georgian mansion inland, near the famous Marble Arch Caves (Tel: (028) 6634 8249), which are open to the public in summer, weather permitting. Tel (028) 6634 8855.