Overview
Carrybridge has the first permanent inland lifeboat station the RNLI ever built, opened in 2015 to cover the 2,000-odd craft on Upper Lough Erne – and that fact tells you what the hamlet is about. This is a place for getting on the water, not for sightseeing. It grew up around the stone bridge that carries the road across to the island of Inishmore and gives the place its name, and today that bridge marks the entrance to a sheltered marina. If you are here, you are here for a boat, a rod or a quiet morning by the lough.
History and the bridge
The crossing has long mattered, and its recent history carries the weight of the border’s troubled years. In December 1956, during the IRA’s Border Campaign, a 35 lb mine badly damaged the bridge. In 1974 two unarmed civilians, Eddie McGoldrick and Terrence Baxter, were killed nearby during the Troubles. The community rebuilt and turned back to the water, and the marina grew into a hub for recreational boating.
On the water: boat hire and angling
The Carrybridge Boat Company runs a well-kept fleet of motor cruisers for seasoned boaters and first-timers alike. There are two main types – the Fisherman Five Class (sleeping three to five) and the larger Pride of Erne (sleeping four to six) – and each hire includes a 10-foot dinghy at no extra cost, with the required rod licence and permit sorted out for you. Weekly rates run in the region of £675 to £995 depending on boat and season, with weekends available subject to demand; check current prices when you book.
Upper Lough Erne is known for its pike, and the sheltered water around Carrybridge is a fine place to cast a line. The marina has showers, toilets and plenty of on-site parking. Book ahead, especially in summer when the lough is busiest. The calm, reed-fringed shore also suits paddlers and anyone out to watch wildlife.
RNLI lifeboat station
Carrybridge holds a small milestone in water safety: the UK’s first permanent inland RNLI lifeboat station. The RNLI first based a lifeboat here in 2002 to improve rescue cover across Upper Lough Erne, and after more than a decade working from temporary premises, the local community raised £60,000 toward a permanent stone station. It opened in March 2015 and provides year-round cover for the lough’s 2,000-plus registered craft.
It is a working emergency service, not a visitor attraction, so there are no regular tours, but you can arrange to visit and hear about the volunteers and the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat that patrols the water.
Accommodation and dining
The Carrybridge Lakeside Lodge sits moments from the slipway – a three-star place with en-suite rooms, a restaurant and a bar that often has live local music, plus electric hook-ups for moored boats. Further afield, Enniskillen and Lisbellaw widen the choice of B&Bs, self-catering cottages and traditional pubs.
Getting there and practical information
Carrybridge is about 11 km south-east of Enniskillen and 8 km north-west of Lisnaskea, in the townland of Aghnacarra. It is easiest reached by car, with clear signposting from the main route; public transport is limited, so a car is the practical way to explore the surrounding geopark and estates. On-site parking at the marina is free, with fresh water, toilets and showers for hirers.
The best months are May to September, when daylight is longer and the water more comfortable for paddling and fishing. Pack layers and waterproofs – Fermanagh weather shifts quickly. The hamlet is small enough to walk end to end in minutes, so plan your day around the lough itself: book a boat ahead, and give yourself a still early morning on the water before the breeze picks up.
Nearby attractions
- Castle Coole – a neo-classical house and formal grounds run by the National Trust, about 4 miles away.
- Crom Estate – a National Trust nature reserve of woodland and islands on Upper Lough Erne, good for walking and wildlife.
- Devenish Island – a monastic site with a round tower, reached by boat on Lower Lough Erne.
- Belle Isle Estate – a private island reached by a short boat trip, known for its cookery school.
- Marble Arch Caves – guided cave tours in the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark.