Enniskillen & Fermanagh Lakelands

An island town between the two Lough Ernes, with monastic islands in the lakes, Marble Arch Caves and the Stairway to Heaven.

Enniskillen is the county town of County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, set on a river island between Upper and Lower Lough Erne. About a third of Fermanagh is water, with more than 150 islands scattered across its lakes, earning it the name of Northern Ireland's "Lakelands". The climate is mild and wet. May–September, with the longest days and all ferries and cruises running, is the best time to visit; in winter most sights have shorter hours or close, and the caves open roughly March–October. A visit divides into four parts: Enniskillen Castle and Castle Coole in town; boat trips or ferries to Devenish Island and White Island for early Christian monastic sites and stone figures; to the south, the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, with Marble Arch Caves, the Cuilcagh Mountain "Stairway to Heaven" boardwalk and Florence Court; and a scenic drive along the northern shore of Lower Lough Erne, taking in the Boa Island figures, the Cliffs of Magho viewpoint and Belleek Pottery. Getting there: Ulsterbus/coach services take about 2–2.5 hours from Belfast or Dublin; public transport in the Lakelands is sparse, so driving is recommended. Allow 2–3 days; parking for the popular Cuilcagh boardwalk and cave visits must be booked online in advance. Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling; there are no checks crossing into the Republic of Ireland, where the currency is the euro.

Top sights

• Enniskillen Castle – A 16th-century castle on the River Erne, with its landmark twin-towered Watergate. Inside are the Fermanagh County Museum and regimental mu…
• Marble Arch Caves – A core site of the UNESCO Global Geopark. Take a small boat along an underground river to see stalactites, flowstone and an underground wat…
• Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail – A boardwalk and staircase that cross peat bog and climb straight up the ridge, known as the “Stairway to Heaven.” It is Northern Ireland’s…
• Devenish Island – A 6th-century monastic ruin on Lower Lough Erne. Its well-preserved 12th-century round tower can be climbed, and the views over the lake ar…
• Lough Erne – The heart of the Fermanagh Lakelands. The upper and lower lakes are dotted with islands, and boat cruises, boat rentals and kayaking are th…
• Castle Coole – A National Trust-managed late 18th-century neoclassical mansion with intact Regency interiors, its estate woodland adjoining the town.
• Florence Court – An 18th-century Georgian mansion and parkland at the foot of Cuilcagh Mountain, with an ancient Irish yew mother tree and walled gardens.
• Belleek Pottery – Ireland's oldest pottery, founded in 1857, known for its eggshell-thin Parian china. Visitors can tour the workshops and museum.
• Boa Island Janus Figure (Caldragh Cemetery) – A two-faced stone figure in the ancient Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island, believed to be an Iron Age Celtic idol. It is mysterious and very…
• White Island – A 12th-century church ruin on a small island in Lower Lough Erne, with eight mysterious early Christian stone figures lining its walls.
• Cliffs of Magho Viewpoint – A cliff lookout in Lough Navar Forest, about 300 metres up, overlooking all of Lower Lough Erne and the distant Donegal mountains.
• Crom Estate – A National Trust reserve on the shores of Upper Lough Erne, with ancient woodland, an old castle ruin and lake islands. It is suited to wal…
• Monea Castle – A plantation castle ruin built in 1618 by Scottish settlers, with its round towers and stepped gables still well preserved.
• Castle Archdale Country Park – A country park on the east shore of Lower Lough Erne, with woodland trails, a jetty and an exhibition on the Second World War flying-boat b…
• Tully Castle – A plantation castle ruin on the south shore of Lower Lough Erne, with a walled garden restored in 17th-century style and wide lake views.
• Ulster American Folk Park – An open-air museum on the emigration from Ulster to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, showing rural life on both sides of the A…

Where to eat

• 28 At The Hollow – A refined restaurant in the basement of the century-old Blakes of the Hollow pub, ranked No. 1 in Enniskillen on Tripad…
• Dollakis Greek Restaurant – A family-run Greek restaurant opened in 2008, famous for shareable Greek meze and one of the hardest tables to book in…
• Tully Mill – A rural restaurant in a converted old watermill beside Florencecourt estate and forest park, ideal for Sunday lunch aft…

Itineraries

• Northern Ireland Grand Loop – A road trip starting from Belfast to loop through the North Coast, Derry, the Fermanagh Lakelands, and the Mourne Mount…
• Fermanagh Lakelands & Stairway to Heaven – Based in Enniskillen, explore island ruins, underground caves, and mountain boardwalks.