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Castle and museums
Enniskillen Castle
Sixteenth-century castle on the River Erne that houses the Fermanagh County Museum and the Inniskillings Museum.
A mini guide to
Fermanagh Lakelands
Lough Erne islands, National Trust houses and limestone caves around Enniskillen
Photos
1 / 9Welcome to the area
Lough Erne islands, National Trust houses and limestone caves around Enniskillen
Enniskillen sits on an island between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne, the second-largest lake system in Northern Ireland. Enniskillen Castle, which dates from the 16th century, now houses the Fermanagh County Museum and the Inniskillings Museum. The National Trust looks after three properties in the county: Castle Coole, a late-18th-century neo-classical mansion on the edge of town, Florence Court to the south-west and the Crom Estate on Upper Lough Erne.
Lower Lough Erne holds the island sites: Devenish Island with its early monastic remains, White Island with its ruined church, and Boa Island, the largest island in the lough. Marble Arch Caves and the Cuilcagh boardwalk trail are south-west of Enniskillen, and Belleek Pottery stands at the western end of the county. All the places in this guide are in Northern Ireland; the Republic of Ireland border runs close to the south and west of the lakes.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
National Trust house
Florence Court
Large eighteenth-century National Trust house and estate in the foothills of Cuilcagh, about 13 km from Enniskillen.
Show caves
Marble Arch Caves
Series of natural limestone caves near Florencecourt, part of a global geopark.
Walking trail
Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail
Boardwalk and path across blanket bog on Cuilcagh mountain, with a viewing platform; the official listing offers online booking.
Directions Website Report a problem with Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail
National Trust house
Castle Coole
Late-eighteenth-century neo-classical mansion in a 1,200-acre wooded estate, cared for by the National Trust.
National Trust estate
Crom Estate
National Trust nature reserve and estate on the shores of Upper Lough Erne.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Fermanagh Lakelands and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Where this guide stops
The Republic of Ireland is a different country, and parts of the Lough Erne area and Cuilcagh lie on the border. Everything listed here is on the Northern Ireland side.
2
Island sites need a boat
Devenish Island and White Island are islands in Lower Lough Erne, so you need a boat. The Fermanagh Lakelands site lists boat trip operators and current details.
3
Cuilcagh boardwalk bookings
The Discover Northern Ireland listing for the Legnabrocky Trail offers online ticket booking. Book ahead and check parking arrangements.
4
Three National Trust houses
Castle Coole, Florence Court and Crom are all National Trust properties. A single visit can cover Castle Coole, which is close to Enniskillen.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Fermanagh Lakelands (area photo): Joli, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Enniskillen Castle: Romeparis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Florence Court: Andrew Humphreys (User:Andrewhumphreys), CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Marble Arch Caves: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail: Rossographer, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Castle Coole: Andrew Humphreys, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Crom Estate: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Devenish Island: HENRY CLARK, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tully Castle: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Monea Castle: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Castle Archdale Country Park: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- White Island: Jason098, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Boa Island: Jon Sullivan, Public domain, source
- Belleek Pottery: Roel Visser, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cliffs of Magho: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Portora Castle: Hywel Williams, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Belfast city centre & Cathedral Quarter: Bryn Holmes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Titanic Quarter & East Belfast: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- The Causeway Coast: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, source
- Derry~Londonderry: Mario Falcetti, CC BY 4.0, source
- The Mournes & Newcastle: Ardfern, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Northern Ireland