Often affectionately known as Ireland’s Lake District, County Fermanagh is a mesmerising wonderland where land and water seamlessly intertwine. Dominated by the majestic upper and lower Lough Erne, this tranquil county offers an idyllic escape filled with hidden islands, spectacular subterranean caves, and grand historic estates.
The waterways of Fermanagh are an explorer’s paradise, brimming with ancient history and natural beauty. A short boat trip reveals the mysterious two-headed Janus stone on Boa Island and the fascinating 6th-century monastic ruins of Devenish Island. Back on the mainland, history enthusiasts can wander through the aristocratic grandeur of National Trust properties like Florence Court and Castle Coole, where spectacular Palladian architecture and lush, rhododendron-filled gardens offer a vivid glimpse into the county’s stately past.
Adventure in County Fermanagh goes far beyond its serene lakes. The world-renowned Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark invites visitors to descend into the mesmerising Marble Arch Caves, where guided boat tours navigate underground rivers past stunning stalactites. Above ground, the Cuilcagh mountain range provides exhilarating hikes, including the famous boardwalk trail that rewards climbers with sweeping panoramic views. Whether you are kayaking along the Shannon-Erne Canal, cycling the peaceful lakeside greenways, or simply unwinding in a transparent bubble dome beneath a starry night sky, Fermanagh offers an enchanting and deeply immersive outdoor adventure.
Aghalurcher, fermanagh
The roofless parish church at Aghalurcher carries the marks of a 15th-century rebuild, a 1447 'French roof' and two murders committed on its altar. The graveyard around it, shaded by Irish yews, has been the burial ground of the Maguire kings of Fermanagh for centuries.
Ballintempo Forest, fermanagh
The Aghanaglack dual-court tomb, recorded in 1938 by Oliver Davies, has two burial courts sharing a common backstone, a rare plan dating to roughly 4,000–2,000 BC. It sits in a clearing in Ballintempo Forest, reached by a moderate 7.8-mile (12.5 km) loop through bog, limestone grassland and conifer plantation.
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The Aghinrawn drains the largest karst basin in Northern Ireland, about 27 km², before disappearing into a swallow-hole and joining two other rivers underground to form the Marble Arch Caves system. Above ground you can walk the Cuilcagh boardwalk that crosses it; below ground the 75-minute show-cave tour includes a boat ride when water levels allow.
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A short Fermanagh river, about 14km from Lower Lough MacNean to Upper Lough Erne, best known for the 1594 Battle of the Ford of the Biscuits, when routed English troops' rations floated down it. A community battlefield trail of roughly 1.9km runs from Arney Hall, the calm Grade 1 water forms part of the Erne Canoe Trail, and the riverbed clay once made the red 'Arney brick' used at Florence Court.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Ballintempo Forest in west Fermanagh is one block of the largest continuous forest tract in Northern Ireland, and the Aghanaglack Walk is the single waymarked route through it. The loop runs three to four hours along forest tracks and wet bog to a rare Neolithic dual court tomb and the sandstone vantage of Brimstone Rock. Signposting has caught walkers out, so bring the map.
Northern Ireland, fermanagh
Belcoo sits on the narrow river joining Upper and Lower Lough MacNean, on the Fermanagh–Cavan border with Blacklion right across the water. Most visitors come for the Cuilcagh Boardwalk, the 'Stairway to Heaven' over the blanket bog, but the village green at Cottage Lawn and St Patrick's Holy Well are worth the stop too.
Belle Isle Estate, fermanagh
Set on a private island in Upper Lough Erne, Belle Isle Estate combines a 17th-century castle with a 400-acre Special Area of Conservation. Visitors enjoy luxury accommodation, the Bear Grylls Survival Academy, water sports, and nature trails, all steeped in the history of the Annals of Ulster.
Belleek, fermanagh
Belleek Pottery has made its thin, slightly iridescent Parian ware on the River Erne since 1857, and a 30-minute factory tour is the reason to come. You watch the moulding, flowering and basket-weaving by hand, then see the gold-medal centre-piece urn that won Paris in 1900. Entry to the visitor centre is free; the guided tour is £9.
Boho, fermanagh
The reason to come to Belmore Forest is Pollnagollum, a karst shaft where a 12-metre waterfall vanishes underground and reappears almost 2 km away. An easy 7 km loop reaches the viewing platform, and a 5,000-year-old passage tomb sits on the ridge above.
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Cool peat scents the air on Benaughlin’s gentle slopes, where legends of a speaking white horse and the stone face of Donn na Binne endure. The historic Donkey Trail climbs through blanket bog to reveal panoramic vistas of the Geopark and Lough Erne islands.
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Boa Island, a slender strip of land in Lower Lough Erne, shelters the enigmatic two-faced Janus Stone and the solitary Lustymore Man. Set within the active Caldragh Cemetery, these ancient carvings offer a quiet encounter with Ireland's early medieval past, accessible via a scenic drive across the lough.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Joe McGirr converted a derelict Lough Erne boathouse into Fermanagh's first legal distillery since the 1890s, selling the first Boatyard Double Gin in 2016. The 90-minute tour opens with a gin and tonic by the water and ends with a tasting of the full range; in 2023 it became Ireland's first B Corp distillery.
Boho, fermanagh
Discover Boho, a limestone hamlet in County Fermanagh where Neolithic stone rows, a medieval high cross, and world-class cave systems meet rugged mountain peaks. Walk the Belmore Forest trails, explore the Reyfad-Glenkeel caves, and uncover a landscape rich in folklore and ancient heritage.
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Brookeborough, a village of 438 at the foot of Slieve Beagh, is best known for the failed IRA barracks raid of New Year's Day 1957 that put two young volunteers into republican song. On its edge sits Colebrooke Park, the Brooke family's 1,000-acre seat, where the sporting estate runs shooting, fishing, archery and a day spa, and lets out self-catering cottages from a four-person bolthole to a house for sixteen.
Boa Island, fermanagh
Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island holds two pre-Christian stone idols set among Victorian headstones – the two-faced Janus Figure, about 73cm tall with a coin-worn hollow on its crown, and the smaller Lustymore Man moved here in 1939. The Janus Figure inspired Seamus Heaney's poem 'January God'. Entry is free and the site is open year-round, but the ground is uneven with no formal paths.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Built around a historic stone bridge linking Inishmore to the mainland, Carrybridge is a peaceful hub for boating and fishing on Upper Lough Erne. The hamlet is home to Ireland’s first permanent inland RNLI lifeboat station and serves as a quiet base for exploring the Fermanagh Lakelands.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Castle Archdale Country Park sits on the shore of Lower Lough Erne, on the site of the RAF's main WWII flying-boat base, from which a Catalina set out in 1941 to find the Bismarck. Today it has woodland and lakeshore trails, a marina with boat and watersports hire, a ferry to White Island, and a free war museum in the old estate courtyard. The plantation castle ruins date from 1615.
Lisnaskea, fermanagh
Perched above Lisnaskea’s graveyard and the banks of Upper Lough Erne, Castle Balfour’s stark stone walls and corbelled turrets whisper of Scottish planters, 17th-century warfare and a thousand-year legacy of settlement. Free to visit year-round, the ruin invites you to walk among vaulted chambers, gun-loops and the ancient ringfort that lies beneath.
Lower Lough Erne, fermanagh
Castle Caldwell Forest Park combines 200 hectares of mixed woodland with the dramatic ruins of a Plantation-era stronghold. Walk past a 17th-century family chapel, an old lime kiln, and the Fiddler’s Stone, all set against sweeping views of Lower Lough Erne.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Completed in 1798 at a cost equivalent to €30 million today, Castle Coole is one of Ireland’s finest neo-classical estates. Now a National Trust property, it offers guided tours of opulent state rooms, a fascinating subterranean servants’ tunnel, and seasonal walks through ancient oak woodlands.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Set on the western shore of Lower Lough Erne, Castle Hume blends centuries-old gardens, a tranquil lake and a world-class golf course. Visitors can wander tree-lined avenues, admire a stone dovecote, then unwind at the five-star Lough Erne Resort with spa, dining and spectacular water-side views.
Florencecourt, fermanagh
Cladagh Glen is a 2.5 km riverside trail through ancient ash woodland to the Cascades waterfall and the natural Marble Arch, in the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. It's free, but flash flooding closed the walk in July 2025 and it has stayed shut since, so check before you travel.
Magho, fermanagh
Perched above Lower Lough Erne, the Cliffs of Magho plunge 300m into the water, offering sweeping vistas across four counties. Walk the rugged 2.5km trail to read ancient limestone layers and spot rare moss and orchids, while a quiet plaque remembers a 1943 RAF tragedy.
Brookeborough, fermanagh
Set beside the winding Colebrooke River, this 1,000-acre working estate blends 18th-century heritage with modern country hospitality. Guests can stay in five-star cottages, explore purpose-built wildlife hides, or cast a line for record-breaking pike and brown trout.
Lisnaskea, fermanagh
Sliabh Gabhra, the grass mound in the townland of Cornashee above Lisnaskea, is where fifteen Maguire kings of Fermanagh were inaugurated between 1264 and 1589. There is nothing built here and no signage – the interest is entirely in what the ground once was. Come for the history, not the view.
Upper Lough Erne, fermanagh
Crom is a National Trust reserve on Upper Lough Erne and the home of Springwatch 2026 – the first time the programme has been based outside Great Britain. Its draw is old: ancient oak woodland, two yews more than 800 years old, and the burnt-out shell of Old Crom Castle above the water.
Cuilcagh Boardwalk, fermanagh
The Cuilcagh Boardwalk offers a unique raised route across the fragile blanket bog of Cuilcagh Mountain, protecting the peat while delivering walkers to a dramatic summit platform. This 11km circular trail in the UNESCO Global Geopark transitions from fertile limestone to wild moorland, rewarding effort with panoramic views across Lower Lough Erne and the Cavan lowlands.
Derrygonnelly, fermanagh
Derrygonnelly is a working village of about 570 people, not a tourist stop, but it sits at the foot of Lough Navar Forest. The seven-mile forest drive ends at the Cliffs of Magho, where on a clear day you can see Lower Lough Erne, the Donegal coast and the Sperrins. A 2025 dig nearby turned up a Mesolithic settlement more than 8,000 years old.
Derrylin, fermanagh
Tucked along the A509 between Enniskillen and the Cavan border, Derrylin offers a genuine slice of rural Fermanagh life. Explore the enigmatic ruins of Corratrasna Castle, enjoy walks around Upper Lough Erne, and discover a village where centuries of history meet modern community warmth.
Lower Lough Erne, fermanagh
Perched in Lower Lough Erne, Devenish Island boasts a soaring 81-foot round tower, the 12th-century stone oratory of St Molaise, and a cluster of medieval churches and high crosses. Guided boat tours reveal the island’s layered history of saints, scholars and Viking raids.
Boa Island, fermanagh
From the mysterious two-sided Janus stone on Boa Island to the early-medieval high cross on Inishmacsaint, Lough Erne’s islands hold centuries of myth and faith. Walk scenic shores, spot wildlife and step back into Ireland’s ancient past on a single lake-side adventure.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
When road builders reached a boggy field north of Enniskillen, they hit a waterlogged medieval island that yielded more than 5,500 objects – timber houses, Scandinavian-influenced combs, log boats and a rare carved wooden bowl. The site is backfilled now, but the finds are displayed at Enniskillen Castle.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Lapping waves lap against the quays of Enniskillen, where the River Erne stitches Upper and Lower Lough Erne into a shimmering island town. The 15th-century Enniskillen Castle anchors the waterfront, housing two museums, while boat trips to Devenish Island and nearby heritage estates offer deeper dives into the region’s archaeological and geological treasures.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Perched on the River Erne, Enniskillen Castle opens onto two award-winning museums that tell the story of the Lakelands and the town’s famous regiments. From prehistoric crannogs to 19th-century cavalry sabres, the site offers a vivid journey through centuries of Irish history.
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The former Enniskillen-and-Bundoran Railway once connected the Erne Valley to the Atlantic coast, driving Bundoran’s growth into Ulster’s fastest-growing seaside resort. Today, the dismantled 36-mile corridor offers a peaceful walking and cycling route through rolling countryside, with heritage sites and greenway plans in progress.
Cavan, cavan
The River Erne runs 120 km from the Cavan hills through Upper and Lower Lough Erne to the Atlantic at Ballyshannon, spreading into a maze of more than 150 islands rather than a single channel. Monastic ruins, crannogs and Enniskillen Castle line the water, and since 1994 the Shannon–Erne Waterway has linked it to the Shannon for boats.
Florencecourt, fermanagh
Florence Court is an 18th-century National Trust house in the foothills of Cuilcagh, eight miles from Enniskillen, known for some of the finest Rococo plasterwork in Ireland and rebuilt by the Trust after a 1955 fire. In the demesne stands the Florence Court Yew, found on the mountain in 1767 and the ancestor of almost every Irish yew in the world, alongside a walled garden of heritage apple trees, a working sawmill and forge, and waymarked forest trails.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Ancient stones rise from a heather-clad ridge on Cuilcagh Mountain, marking a prehistoric burial site that has weathered millennia of Atlantic storms. The well-maintained Cuilcagh Way leads walkers past this atmospheric cairn, offering a quiet moment of reflection amid blanket bog and distant peaks.
Derrygonnelly, fermanagh
A four-metre sandstone high cross, unusually plain for its size, dominates the skyline of Inishmacsaint on Lough Erne. The 12th-century church ruins and old graveyard make up a quiet early Christian site reached only by boat from Enniskillen or Killadeas.
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Irvinestown sits on the north shore of Lower Lough Erne, where Plantation-era castles overlook a lively village known for its free Garden of Celtic Saints and annual summer festivals. A practical base for exploring Fermanagh’s waterways, the town blends quiet heritage with active outdoor pursuits.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Killadeas is a small village (population 82) on the eastern shore of Lower Lough Erne, seven miles north of Enniskillen. Its Priory churchyard holds the Bishop's Stone – an early medieval carved figure with a bell and crozier and the name ROBARTACH cut into it – along with a cup-marked cross-slab, a pillar and a holed stone. The village also has an RNLI lifeboat station and a sailing club, and makes a quiet base for Lower Lough Erne.
Florencecourt, fermanagh
Killesher sits below the Cuilcagh Mountains in Fermanagh, best known for the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail – the 'Stairway to Heaven' that ends in 450 wooden steps to the summit. Its hilltop St Patrick's Church, rebuilt after a 1979 fire, and a scatter of megalithic tombs make the quieter half of a visit.
Kinawley, fermanagh
Kinawley sits right on the Fermanagh-Cavan border, a village of just over 140 people below the Cuilcagh, Mullaleam and Benaughlin mountains. St Naile's Church, built between 1867 and 1876, marks its 150th year in 2026, and a medieval church ruin still stands in the graveyard behind it. The big draw nearby is the Cuilcagh Boardwalk, the 'Stairway to Heaven' across the largest blanket bog in Northern Ireland.
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Legnabrocky Trail winds over a pristine blanket bog before climbing the famed 450-step Stairway to Heaven to Cuilcagh’s summit. The boardwalk protects delicate peat while offering unrivalled vistas, historic cairns and abundant wildlife for walkers of all abilities.
Lisbellaw, fermanagh
Beallán’s ancient fort gave Lisbellaw its name, anchoring a settlement that later grew around the 18th-century Church of Ireland parish church perched on the hill. The village’s steep main street now hosts independent shops, two traditional pubs, and the 1858 railway station that once linked Lisbellaw to Ulster’s network, while the 18th-century parish church and 19th-century St Ronan’s dominate the skyline.
Lisnaskea, fermanagh
Lisnaskea is Fermanagh's second-largest town, though with just over 3,000 people it still moves at a village pace. Its 1841 Cornmarket shelters a 10th-century high cross carved with Adam and Eve and the motto 'Live and Let Live'. Just outside town, Share Discovery Village runs more than 30 water and land activities on the shore of Upper Lough Erne.
fermanagh
A maze of limestone karsts, hidden coves and over 150 islands defines Lough Erne, the second-largest lake system in Northern Ireland. From the historic ruins of Devenish Island to the waterside charm of Enniskillen, the lakelands offer a quiet blend of natural beauty, outdoor adventure and living heritage.
Border of County Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) and Counties Cavan & Leitrim (Republic of Ireland), fermanagh
Straddling the border of County Fermanagh, Cavan and Leitrim, Lough MacNean’s sparkling waters are dotted with historic islands and crannogs. Visitors can cast for pike, wander foot-bridged islands, or set off on the Cavan Way, all from a well-equipped amenity area near Blacklion.
Northwest Ireland, leitrim
Glassy surfaces stretch across the border, reflecting the sky in a flawless mirror. Its pristine, oligotrophic waters nurture the endemic Melvin charr and the uniquely Irish gillaroo and sonaghan trout, making it a premier destination for anglers and nature lovers alike.
Derrygonnelly, fermanagh
Just five kilometres north-west of Derrygonnelly, Lough Navar Forest unfolds across 2,600 hectares of bog, oak-ash woodland and conifer plantations. Visitors can wander past a Bronze-Age crannog, chase waterfalls in Blackslee, and gaze from the Magho Cliffs over Lower Lough Erne’s sweeping horizon.
Maguiresbridge, fermanagh
Maguiresbridge sits on the Colebrooke River in County Fermanagh, named for the stone crossing the Maguire clan built around 1760. By the early 20th century it was a railway junction where four lines met, linking Enniskillen and Lisnaskea to Belfast, Derry and towns across the border. Today it is a quiet village of under 1,000 people, well placed for the Marble Arch Caves and Lough Erne.
43 Marlbank Road, fermanagh
Dive into the underground world of the Marble Arch Caves, the longest river show-cave in Northern Ireland, and discover the surrounding UNESCO Global Geopark. From dramatic boat rides beneath limestone rivers to the panoramic “Stairway to Heaven” on Cuilcagh, the area offers adventure, geology and history in one spectacular package.
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Marble Arch Geopark spans the limestone heart of Fermanagh and Cavan, offering a boat-ride through underground rivers, a woodland gorge crowned by a natural arch, and forest paths to a dramatic waterfall-fed cave. It blends geology, wildlife and history for an unforgettable Irish adventure.
Marlbank, fermanagh
Marlbank’s 600-metre circular loop winds through fragrant limestone grassland dotted with pink thyme, blue harebell and rare orchids. At the summit, interpretation panels frame sweeping views over Upper and Lower Lough MacNean, the village of Belcoo, and the ancient slopes of Belmore Mountain.
Monea, fermanagh
Monea Castle stands as a weathered testament to the Plantation of Ulster, blending Scottish tower-house design with the lingering echoes of Gaelic power. Explore the intact bawn wall, trace the vaulted cellar, and discover a hidden crannog just metres from the shore.
Irvinestown, fermanagh
Set against the rolling Fermanagh hills, Necarne Castle combines 17th-century plantation foundations with dramatic 1830s Gothic architecture. Wander the free-to-access demesne trails, explore the restored walled garden, and trace the estate’s journey from a Scottish planter’s stronghold to a vital US Navy hospital during the Second World War.
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The Owenbrean River disappears into the dramatic Upper and Lower Sinks on Cuilcagh Mountain before resurfacing deep inside the Marble Arch Caves. Guided boat tours, scenic surface walks, and expert-led geology trails make this a standout destination in the UNESCO Global Geopark.
Boho, fermanagh
Hidden in Belmore Forest, Pollnagollum boasts a 12-metre waterfall that plunges into a 16 km limestone river system – the longest cave on the island. Walk the scenic forest loop, discover its mythic roots, and step onto the set of Game of Thrones.
Boho, fermanagh
Tucked away in a field near Boho, the Reyfad Stones form a compact alignment of six upright boulders, five of which are densely decorated with prehistoric petroglyphs. Dating back up to 5,000 years, these scheduled monuments offer a rare, unspoilt glimpse into Ireland’s earliest artistic traditions against a backdrop of dramatic karst landscapes.
Carrick-on-Shannon, leitrim
The Shannon-Erne Waterway winds 63 km across the Irish border, linking the River Shannon with Upper Lough Erne via a series of lakes, rivers and 16 smart-card-operated locks. From historic villages to wildlife-rich Blueway trails, it offers a seamless blend of cruising, paddling and cycling for every explorer.
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The Sillees River winds through County Fermanagh's quiet glens, offering walkers a route rich in Carboniferous fossils and local legend. From the Correl Glen trail to the wetlands of Ross Lough, this waterway combines natural beauty with a reputation for being "bad for fishing and good for drowning".
Three County Hollow, monaghan
Straddling the border between County Monaghan and Northern Ireland, Sliabh Beagh is a windswept plateau of blanket bog, peat hills and quiet loughs. Walkers can follow waymarked loops or tackle the demanding 46km Border Highland Trail, passing ancient cairns, a holy well and thriving native woodlands.
Bawnboy, cavan
Rising between County Cavan and County Fermanagh, Slieve Rushen blends ancient heritage with modern renewable energy. Visitors can wander past prehistoric wedge-tombs, cross protected blanket bog, and reach the summit for sweeping views over the Lakelands.
Enniskillen, fermanagh
Perched on a windswept peninsula overlooking Lough Erne, the 17th-century ruins of Tully Castle offer a poignant glimpse into Ireland's turbulent past. Wander the historic bawn walls, explore the on-site exhibition and enjoy panoramic lake views, all free of charge.
Belfast, antrim
Conceived in 1946 and officially restored in 2009, the Ulster Way stitches together dramatic coastlines, ancient peaks and historic towns across six counties. Walkers can tackle the entire loop or explore individual stages, all clearly signposted with distinctive yellow markers.
