Castle Coole Walks

About

Castle Coole Lake Walk:

Take a pleasant, gentle walk around the tranquil Lough Coole, where you'll spot a variety of wildlife. Along the way you'll have views of the grand mansion and discover traces of the past at the site where the Queen Anne House once stood.

1.1 miles / 1.76 km

Castle Coole Beech Trail:

A tranquil walk on paths through the Beech Wood at Castle Coole where you'll discover some of the oldest trees on the estate. Look out for the 18th-century Ice House and enjoy views of the ancient trees lining Oak Avenue if you choose the longer route.

1.2 miles / 1.92 km

All walks are dog friendly. Keep dogs under close control and on leads on the main avenue.

On the outskirts of Enniskillen, the National Trust estate at Castle Coole offers mature woodland carpeted with snowdrops, then bluebells, and patches of spring flowers, such as primroses, violets, early purple orchids, wood sorrel and wood anemones. The grasslands along the drives are species rich with numerous grasses, common spotted orchids, and the occasional cowslip, greater butterfly and bird’s nest orchids. Buzzards, and long-eared owls are resident on the estate, while in winter whooper swans and tufted ducks can be seen from the walk around Lough Coole. Spring brings sand martins and house martins, and summer, migrant willow warblers, chiff chaffs and blackcaps. This walk is also rich in dragonflies and butterflies: keep a look-out for the large brown hawker dragonfly, peacock and tortoiseshell butterflies. On summer evenings, bats swoop low feeding on insects along the tracks near the lake.