The reason to come to Lough Navar is the view from the Magho Cliffs at the top of the forest drive: a 300m drop to Lower Lough Erne, the water breaking into dozens of islands below you and, on a clear day, Donegal Bay and the Blue Stack Mountains beyond. It’s one of the widest views in Ireland, and you can reach it by car. A 7-mile (11 km) one-way drive climbs through the forest to get there, with pull-ins and viewpoints along the way. If you do one thing here, drive the loop to the Magho viewpoint – but pick a clear day, because in low cloud there’s little point making the climb.
The forest sits about 7.5 miles (12 km) from Derrygonnelly and forms part of the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark in County Fermanagh. Its 2,600 hectares run from blanket bog and heath through open lakes to native oak-ash woodland and managed conifer. Together with the neighbouring Carrigan, Big Dog, Conagher and Ballintempo woods it makes up one of Northern Ireland’s largest continuous forest blocks.
History and heritage
The landscape here holds layers of human history. From the Carrick Lough Viewpoint you can pick out an ancient crannog – an artificial island farmstead of the kind used for both living and defence in early Christian Ireland. Near the drive’s exit stands a signposted sweat house, a small stone structure once used for therapeutic heat treatments. Just across the road, the Correl Glen Nature Trail runs into the Largalinny National Nature Reserve, a protected patch known for rare plants and nearly every native Irish butterfly species.
WWII memorials
At the Magho Viewpoint car park, two stone markers honour aircrew who died over Lough Erne during the Second World War. One remembers a Sunderland bomber (W4036) of 201 Squadron RAF, which crashed on 18 November 1943. The other marks a Catalina flying boat (JX 242) of 202 Squadron RAF, lost on 20 November 1944. Both squadrons flew from nearby bases at Castle Archdale and Killadeas, tying the forest to the wider aviation history of the Erne basin.
Walking trails and viewpoints
Four marked trails range from short strolls to a full day’s circuit, all free and signposted from the car park.
Blackslee Waterfall Walk (2.5 miles / 4.5 km, about 1.5 hours) follows a quiet track down to a small sandstone waterfall, passing glades that fill with the scent of wood sorrel and wild garlic in spring. Watch for red deer, foxes and nesting birds.
Lough Achork Walk (1.5 miles / 2.5 km) circles a sheltered lake that drains into the Sillees River. The still water suits a picnic and holds a reliable brown-trout population.
Lakes Walk (7 miles / 11 km) is the long circuit, threading through boggy clearings and small loughs – the best route for peatland birds and the open, windswept feel of the upper forest.
Two short trails, Whiterocks and Lough Slawn (each about half a mile), suit a quick leg-stretch from the drive.
For viewpoints without much walking, Carrick Lough overlooks the lake and its crannog, and Aghameelan opens onto panoramas across counties Fermanagh and Cavan, with the Knockmore cliffs in view on clear days. The Magho Cliffs Viewpoint sits 300 metres above the waterline, looking out over Donegal Bay, the Blue Stack Mountains and the Sperrins. The bare Old Man’s Head rock outcrop is another marked stop along the way.
Wildlife and landscape
Lough Navar’s mix of habitats keeps a steady rotation of wildlife. Red deer, Ireland’s only native deer, graze the open heath, while pine martens and foxes keep to the denser conifer. Birdwatchers turn up buzzards, sparrowhawks, crossbills and teal through the year, with waders around the lakes on migration.
The forest floor puts on a show in spring, when bluebells, wood anemones and wild garlic bloom under the broadleaf canopy. Heather, speedwell and scabious cling to the cliffs above. Butterflies peak in late spring and early summer along the roadside verges, where delayed mowing lets wildflowers set seed. Autumn is quieter, the bog and woodland turning to deep russets and golds.
Practical information
- Parking and entry: The main car park on Glennasheever Road (BT93 3BW) is free, with a few disabled bays, picnic tables and bins; maps and guides are available at the entrance. Entry to the forest and all trails is free.
- Opening hours: Open daily from 10am until sunset. Forestry work occasionally closes a trail or the road, so check the notice boards at the entrance before heading in.
- Dogs: Welcome on most routes but kept under close control, especially near grazing livestock and during the bird-nesting season. Carry out all waste.
- Accessibility: The main car park and short paved sections near Carrick Lough suit wheelchairs and pushchairs. Most trails cross uneven, boggy or steep ground and are not wheelchair-accessible. Guide dogs are permitted throughout.
- Fishing: Lough Achork and nearby lakes are stocked with brown trout, with some rainbow trout. Anglers need a valid DAERA Game Fishing Permit and a rod licence. The season runs 1 March to 31 October.
Nearby
The adjoining Ballintempo Forest is a short drive away and holds the well-preserved Aghanaglack Dual-Court Tomb. To the east, Belcoo and Castle Archdale Country Park offer more walks along Lower Lough Erne, and the Marble Arch Caves pair naturally with a forest visit. For the Magho view at its best, aim for a bright, settled afternoon and check the forestry notice board before you set off.