Fermanagh Lakelands

The Fermanagh Lakelands route is one of Ireland's most underrated slow-travel experiences — a 95-kilometre loop from Enniskillen through the island-studded waters of Upper and Lower Lough Erne in Ireland's lakeland county. Unlike the dramatic coasts of Antrim or the mountains of Mourne, Fermanagh offers something gentler and more contemplative: a landscape of water, woodland, and island monasteries where the pace of travel is dictated by ferry timetables and the quality of light on still water. Enniskillen — the only town in the UK named after a woman (Queen Elizabeth I's marshal) — sits on an island between the two loughs and makes an excellent base for two days of exploration.

The route follows the shores of Lower Lough Erne south and west through the Crom Estate, a National Trust property of ancient oak woodland and managed parkland where white-tailed eagles have been reintroduced and otters are regularly spotted from the lough-side trails. Devenish Island, reached by ferry from Trory Point in summer, contains some of the finest monastic ruins in Ireland — a round tower, cross-carved stones, and a 12th-century church on an island that feels entirely removed from the modern world.

The Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark near Florencecourt is the route's geological highlight — a guided boat and walkway tour through an underground river system beneath the Cuilcagh Mountain plateau. The caves were closed for several years due to flooding but have reopened with improved access. Above ground, the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail (the "Stairway to Heaven") climbs through blanket bog to views across the border counties — a popular walk that can be combined with the cave visit.

For VW T3 travellers, Fermanagh is exceptionally van-friendly: roads are quiet, gradients minimal, and the county has embraced lakeland tourism with good campgrounds at Lough Erne Resort and several smaller sites. The Shannon-Erne Waterway connects the loughs to the River Shannon, and watching barges navigate the locks from a roadside pullout is a genuine pleasure. May and June bring long evenings and nesting birds; September offers misty dawns over the water that photographers cherish.