Fabulous Fermanagh – a playground for all the family

It’s often said – people don’t realise or appreciate what’s on their own doorstep. It’s so true. Living in Cavan, when you are brain storming where to take the family on a short staycation, neighbouring counties don’t often feature. People tend to take the well-worn paths to coastal counties.

Fermanagh, while well known for its lakelands, can sometimes be overlooked. That’s would be a mistake. Apart from the obvious draw of the waterways, Fermanagh has an abundance of attractions and activities, many hidden gems off the beaten track, a good selection of accommodation options, quality eateries and, best of all, it provides good value for money.

When the opportunity presented itself for a family getaway, the schedules were cleared, the car was packed (pet hamster and all) and we were on the road in jig time.

Pedal power!

First stop was Enniskillen – Ireland’s only island town and one we have visited many times. This time our mission was to try out the hydrobiking on the water with Erne Adventures – something we had been threatening to do for a while.

Seeing the town from the water and against the backdrop of a brilliant sunset was exhilarating. And I needn’t have stressed out about the eight-year old taking a bike of his own. He was well able and Jamie and the team at Erne Adventures were always close by in the support boat.

If you like cycling and you like the water, hydrobiking is an excellent combo and a real novelty. While it may look easy, it can be challenging at times – though you can stop and float along at your leisure if you need a breather.

Seeing the castle and Enniskillen from the water was a really special experience. A word to the wise though – bring a bottle of water!

Hydrobiking costs £20 per person with family and group rates available via telephone.

All fired up

Having worked up a thirst (and an appetite), we hit the Firehouse Bar & Grill for a feed and what a feed it was! From pizzas and burgers to surf ‘n’ turf, delicious cocktails and everything in between, there’s something to tantalise everyone’s taste buds. The staff proudly told us they did the best chicken wings and, having sampled the merchandise, we had to agree (it was the secret sauce)!

On the server’s recommendation, I tried the overnight brisket with mac and cheese. I wasn’t disappointed – talk about comfort food.

All stuffed, we were encouraged to try the desserts. The chocolate brownies, whipped up fresh in front of our eyes, were to die for! Generously proportioned, they are perfect for sharing.

Lakeside retreat

With full bellies and tired from the hydro biking, we headed to our digs for the weekend – Fermanagh Lodges in Lisnaskea.

Situated right on upper Lough Erne, with its own private jetty, Bluebell Cottage was a spacious home from home. Sleeping eight, it was plenty big for our family of six. Additional facilities include access to a hot tub, boat hire and complimentary sit-on kayaks. Dawn truly was the perfect host and the cottages and lodges are popular with families, groups and fishermen – a picturesque base for exploring all that Fermanagh’s lakelands have to offer.

A busy day of activities was planned for the Saturday. What better way to start the day than a trip to the nearby Share Discovery Village. The centre offers a range of activities. On dry land, you can try archery, arts & crafts, mountain biking or channel your inner boy scout and try some bush craft and team building activities in the woods.

On the water, there is canoeing, kayaking, sailing, stand up paddle boarding and water rides such as the banana boat.

We had the pleasure of meeting ‘Big Mabel’ and, no, she’s not a kindly old aunt but a flighty young bird. Think of a speed boat pulling a doughnut (but without the hole in the middle). Instructor Sean dragged us around Lough Erne for the guts of an hour on Big Mabel and later the banana boat, doing his best to flip us all into the chilly water. He succeeded a couple of times. It was a real thrill but not for the faint hearted.

Share Discovery Centre also boasts a leisure centre with pool and gym and plenty of accommodation options including cottages, caravans, camping and a residential centre for groups.

Potholing

From there it was off to the Marble Arch caves for a lovely lunch in the visitor centre’s cafe before taking a tour of the caves. The cafe is a popular pitstop for people seeking refreshment after scaling the nearby stairway to heaven – the boardwalk on Cuilcagh – and I can understand why.

Having visited the caves a few times before, it was nice to return with the children a little older so they could better appreciate the geology of the cave systems, carved in the 300 million year old limestock rock by the underground river.

While the two secondary-going children had their geography lessons brought to life in a field trip, the younger two were amazed with the adventure. As the older two discussed stalagmites and stalactites, the young boys giggled at features shaped like cauliflower and broccoli and the cave’s own family – the Flintstones.

The caves attract over 150,000 visitors every year and it’s easy to see why as we made our way through the maze of chambers and passages underground.

The boat segment of the guided tour has been suspended due to Covid concerns but may resume later in the season.

The tour is highly recommended with prices of £6.50 for adults and £3 for children over five year.

The grounds make for a lovely walk afterwards along a babbling brook with many attractions along the way.

Holding court

Back over ground and we made the short trip to the 18th century Florence Court Estate for a leisurely wander around the grounds and a tour of the mansion.

In glorious sunshine, the grounds stretched out before us – rolling green hills and parklands, mature trees, fragrant flowers, the buzz and hum of Spring wildlife and meandering trails with new marvels around each bend.

The grounds of the house itself were charming. The courtyard, stables and tea rooms set the scene for the tour of the house to come.

Nelly Wooly’s second hand book stop was a fantastic surprise and I could have lost an hour in there easily. Had I been on my own, I couldn’t imagine anything nicer than picking out a good book, grabbing a coffee and finding a quiet spot under one of the yew trees to lose myself.

Buy a book, the proceeds from the store go towards conservation projects all around Florence Court.

From the Colonel’s Room upstairs, we embarked on a tour of the Georgian House – once the estate of the Coles – but now in ownership of the National Trust. It was like opening a door to another world, walking on to the set of some period drama. It was fascinating especially the kitchen and servant’s quarters in the basement. I thought the children might get bored but far from it – it certainly seemed to capture their imagination.

While there, don’t forget to check out the kitchen garden, which is being restored to its 1930s’ arrangement and the walled garden. You might even need two trips to take it all in. We definitely plan to return.

Tully Mill

Unearthing some of those hidden gems – the weary travellers stopped off at the Tully Mill restaurant. What a treasure! The setting is delightful – romantic and charming – and brimming with potential. It is the perfect venue for an exclusive wedding, special occasion or even Sunday lunch with the family in a rural retreat. Accommodation options are available too including cottages on site facing the lush Florence Court Estate parkland.

The menu is gorgeous – with many dishes offering a modern twist on traditional recipes. The focus on fresh and locally sourced produce means your salad is likely to have come from the kitchen gardens at the estate. I can’t recommend the lamb and sticky toffee pudding highly enough.

I have to say Tully Mill also had one of the best children’s menus I have ever seen – clean plates all round. The option for a set three-course menu – for both adults and children – serves up great variety and value for money too.

The only thing better than the food was the warm and hospitable Fermanagh welcome from all the staff.

The old mill wheel at the property is set to be refurbished and will make a fabulous feature once operational.

Woodlands and wetlands

Sunday was Mothers’ Day and a day for relaxing. On the way home we stopped off at Crom Estate near Newtownbutler and I was blown away.

It’s only up the road and, to our shame, we had never been. It certainly is breathtakingly beautiful and it was one of the nicest walks we have ever taken as a family.

Having stopped off at the visitor centre and sampled some goodies from the tea shop, we soaked in the sights from the river on the jetty. Boats cruised up and down the Erne, while the sun scattered tiny diamonds across the glassy water.

Afterwards we took a stroll as far as the big house, private as the Earl of Erne still lives there, but still you could get very close.

Strong oak trees dotted the landscape of the near 2,000-acre estate, which is wild and alive between the ancient woodlands and the wetlands.

Another National Trust property, Crom Estate is one of Ireland’s most important conservation areas and the landscape is home to a wealth of wildlife from bees and butterflies, to flowers and plants, wild deer, squirrels, pine marten and everything in between. You will see many examples of them stuffed in the visitor centre – something that thrilled and horrified the children in equal measure.

Wandering through the beautiful parklands and forest trails along the shore, there are plenty of points of interest along the way – the old castle ruins, the boathouse, the deer park, the summer house, the walled garden, the bridge... Each one, dotted along the trail, kept the children running ahead to explore the next stop on the map.

White benches pop up in the oddest of spots. They make little sense until you stop and sit on them and view the landscape in a different frame. Some of the views would take your breath away. The boathouse was my personal favourite. I could happily stay there all day with a book and a picnic.

The rolling meadows offered plenty of space too for the boys to burn off some energy (where do they get it) – run wild and kick a bit of ball.

Again there are options to stay – cottages, glamping pods or camping. Boats are available for hire and fishing is popular but you require a permit.

Most sites in Fermanagh appear to be very well serviced – making the entry fee to National Trust properties worthwhile. Crom Estate is £16.25 for a family and Florence Court is slightly more expensive. Easter egg hunts and trails are planned for both properties in the coming weeks.

It was a whirl wind weekend and Fermanagh was fabulous. We were blessed with the weather. The best thing of all – stepping off the hamster wheel, switching off, getting away from it all and spending quality time with the family making memories.

Visit Fermanagh – you won’t be bored, you certainly won’t go hungry, there’s plenty to see and do and a warm welcome awaits you.

For more things to see and do in Fermanagh, check out www.fermanaghlakelands.com