Explore County Fermanagh’s stunning lakelands by water or on land.
County Fermanagh is known for its beautiful lakelands, centred mainly on Lough Erne, which is divided in two with the town of Enniskillen at the centre. You can explore the lakes on a leisurely boat cruise, by private water taxi, or by renting a boat for a day or even a few days. Other options include kayaking and paddleboarding. There are plenty of adventures on land too, with activity centres, forest parks, country estates, and the natural wonders at the Marble Arch Geopark to capture your attention, with lots of gorgeous country camping options.
Enniskillen town is on an island so you can circle it by boat and see how the turrets and walls of Enniskillen Castle sit over the river. There are plenty of pubs, restaurants and shops, but you’ll need to go outside town for camping, where you can find pitches for caravans, motorhomes, and tents, plus a small marina. Near Upper Lough Erne are lots of watersports and outdoor activities, as well as campsites and caravan parks.
Take to the waters of Lower Lough Erne—there are lots of regular waterbus and lake cruises which run from various points on the lake from around Easter to September. Some visit the monastic site on Devenish Island, which you can also get to by ferry from Trory. Or take a guided tour by private water taxi from a jetty on the lake. You can also rent dayboats or your own boat to cruise or stay on. The best camping is near the lake shores.
Castle Archdale Country Park on Lower Lough Erne has plenty to do with lots of forest and lakeshore walks, plus boat hire, bike and fishing rod hire, seasonal exhibitions and a tearoom. Elsewhere in the region are are services for both vehicles and tents, plus boat rental, and ferry trips to White Island from the marina, where you can also rent dayboats.
Take a boat trip right underground into the ancient Marble Arch Caves—the caves run for 11.5 km, and on a guided tour, you can explore underground rivers, narrow passages, and huge chambers where fragile stalactites hang. The geopark covers a huge area of land and you can also stroll in Lough Navar forest, hike the Cuilcagh Boardwalk in the mountains, explore the Cavan Burren Park or go bird watching.
Fermanagh has plenty of stately homes and country estates to tour. Visit Castle Coole to tour the house, which dates back to 1798 or visit Florence Court House, an 18th-century estate with gardens, woodland trails, picnic sites, tearooms, and house tours. The 2,000-acre Crom Estate has ancient woodland and nature conservations areas with animal habitats and a heronry and Crom campsite has everything from tent pitches to glamping pods.
The main season for activities on the lake, including cruises and boat hire, runs from Easter to September, but the warmest months are July and August, which are also high season. Campsites are also seasonal and can get busy at weekends, bank holidays, around the week of 12 July, and during the area’s many festivals and events, particularly in summer, so check dates.