Loved up getaways in Fermanagh

Fermanagh is our lakeland county, filled with water in all its shapes and forms, from streams, rivers and canals to the two great lakes of Upper and Lower Lough Erne. It’s filled with forests too, fringing the waterways, making it the perfect place for you and your loved one to get away together. 

Romantic, luxurious hotels and lodges 

Is there a more romantic, magical setting than the Lough Erne Resort (5*), set on a peninsula reaching out into majestic Lower Lough Erne? There are 600 acres of beautiful  grounds to wander around here, and the rooms are just made for unwinding in complete luxury. The hotel itself offers 120 rooms and suites to choose from, and for even greater privacy you can also stay in one of the resort’s 25 self-catering, self-contained and beautifully furnished Loughside Lodges. 

For more indulgence, Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges (4*) is a luxury hotel just outside Enniskillen and again overlooking Lough Erne. You can choose one of the 71 modern rooms or suites, or stay under your steam in one of the lakeside self-catering lodges. Either way you’ll get the run of the whole place, including the indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, gymnasium, renowned restaurant and access to the Elemis spa where you can de-stress and luxuriate with one or more of the bespoke treatments on offer. 

If you’re the type of couple who favour something a little more quirky, but still on the romantic side of things, then the suites at Finn Lough (5*) are for you. These self-contained suites each sleep two and benefit from all the same activities enjoyed by the residents of Finn Lough, but with added privacy and the highest standard of modern facilities: king size beds, roll top baths, rain showers, complimentary bathrobes and more. 

Treat yourselves by wining and dining in style 

Fermanagh is justifiably proud of its reputation for serving up the best of locally-sourced produce so you should seek out one or two of the many places where you can experience the very best of this tradition. 

One of Northern Ireland’s very best restaurants 28 at The Hollow on Church Street, Enniskillen offers modern cuisine that gives established, classic dishes a global twist. Locally-sourced and farmed beef, poultry, cheeses and charcuterie feature heavily here, always beautifully presented in a room featuring a vaulted ceiling and exposed stonework. Any meal here is magical from start to finish. Glen Wheeler, is passionate about ensuring that in his kitchen the finest local ingredients are transformed into exquisitely prepared, cooked and presented dishes such as venison loin with spiced red cabbage or pheasant noodle with thyme jus. Just about the very best of everything Fermanagh has to offer is distilled into this intimate, exacting kitchen and dining room, making a night out here together something really special that will linger in your memories long afterwards. 

The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort is named after the flying boats that once landed on the waters here. The boats may be long gone, but you can still look out at where they used to taxi to a watery halt from the tables in this elegantly appointed dining room. The menus here change regularly so you can always expect beautifully cooked and plated dishes prepared with great skill and attention. 

After dark, visit Blakes of the Hollow for a taste of local hospitality. A traditional and cosy pub, here you'll find romantic snugs and an open fire; perfect for winding down, discussing the meal and experiences you’ve just had, as well as planning for the next day together. 

Take a romantic ramble or two 

Fermanagh has three of the most beautiful National Trust properties in Northern Ireland - Castle Coole, Crom Estate and Florence Court - and all of them will amply repay a visit. Castle Coole is one of Ireland's finest neo-classical houses, with a simple, classical façade of Portland stone that gives way to glorious splendour the moment you step inside, where many of the rooms are decorated in lavish French Empire style. 

The 2,000 acre Crom Estate sits on the shores of Upper Lough Erne and is a haven for wildlife and the natural world. It’s a dreamy, chilled out and romantic kind of place, where nature has reclaimed much of the lakeshore.  

Prepare to swoon at the many exquisite and ornate features at Florence Court. Aside from the main residence itself, there’s a plethora of outbuildings, summer houses, lodges, pleasure gardens, walled gardens and more to explore as you wander hand-in-hand along the trails and pathways here. 

No visit to Fermanagh is complete without exploring the famous Marble Arch Caves. You'll see glistening cave formations, lofty chambers, waterfalls, silent rivers and sandy beaches that have never seen sunlight – it's truly magical. 

If this has given you a taste for a romantic getaway in the lovely lakeland county of Fermanagh, then get ready to be totally bowled over by the magical and almost timeless beauty of the place when you arrive.