Lough Erne

Northern Ireland

One of the most attractive inland tourist areas in Northern Ireland is the county of Fermanagh (county town Enniskillen), which includes the large recreational area around the two halves of Lough Erne, probably Ireland's most beautiful lough. It is about 50mi/80km long and at its point of greatest width measures some 6mi/10km. The northern half is known as "Lower", the southern as "Upper Lough Erne". The latter is a maze of narrow waterways, inlets and islands and gives the impression of a vast lakeland area, with new twists and turns at every point, rather than a single lake in the conventional sense. Lough Erne is a bird-watcher's paradise, where grebes, gray herons and swans can be observed, as well as a favorite destination for water-sports enthusiasts and anglers, the latter having the opportunity here to land roach, perch, bream, salmon, pike, etc. In summer there are motorboat services on the lough, and it is also possible to hire motor cruisers, which even the most confirmed landlubber can learn to handle in a very short time. The western end of the lough lies almost on the border with the Republic of Ireland and has sluices to regulate the water level.