Castle Caldwell Forest Walk

About

This forest provides a range of short walks through a pretty woodland surrounded by Lower Lough Erne. The site is an important conservation forest with bird sanctuaries and visiting red deer. Two main features are the Old Castle and Lough Shore Jetty.

Start Point:
H016604

Finish Point:
H016604

Route:
There are a series of circular walks from the car park following forest tracks through the woodland and along the Lough shore. The walks are clearly waymarked with red, blue and yellow arrows. The following route description is for the red route: Leave the car park by going left of the building at one end, and quite soon you'll pass below the ruins of the castle, dark and overgrown. Now in ruins, Castle Caldwell was built in 1612 during the time of the Plantation of Ulster. Follow the path, keeping to the shoreline, and at the crossroads take the way signed to Rossergole point, with views across the lough to rolling farmland. The return walk is along the southern shoreline until eventually the path reaches a small picnic area and leaves the lake shore, and you turn left at the forest road. Quite soon turn right onto a well used path through an area of beech woodland, suddenly coming to a ruined ivy cloaked castle, unfortunately unsafe to enter. Continue along the path almost to a post and rail fence at a sharp bend in the minor county road. Turn right and you'll soon be back at the car park. This walk is situated in a working forest environment and may be subject to diversion and closure from time to time. Up to date information is available on the Forest Service web site - link below.

Distance:
2.5 miles

Terrain:
Easy walking on forest tracks

Point of interest:
Bird sanctuaries, red deer

Facilities:
Car parking & picnic facilities. Refreshments available in Belleek village – approximately 8km away.

Publication:
None

Nearest town:
Belleek

OS map:
Sheet 17

Accessible terrain:
Unsurfaced forest paths, fairly flat