Even though I was born in and brought up in County Fermanagh I make a point of dropping into the Fermanagh Visitors Information Centre in Enniskillen each time I return. Each time I do so I ask the same question – So what’s new since I was last here in XXXX?
Mostly the response is – Not much!
In truth they don’t use those words but that’s what their response usually translates to. Don’t get me wrong here – there is ample to do in Enniskillen and County Fermanagh without new things needing to be added to the list.
On a visit in August 2015 the very helpful attendant announced, with a big smile, “we have a new Lough-side Walk that might interest you”.
As my regular reader will be aware I am an avid walker so naturally I was interested. I had long wondered why a formal lough-side walk could not have been developed around the small island that is Enniskillen (a distance of, I am guessing, around 3kms).
On further interrogation the good lady informed me that the new walk, which was flat, sealed and fully accessible for wheelchairs, etc was only 700m.
This review covers the official walk but takes the reader on to circumnavigate the island, though you do have to veer away from the lough-side a few times. This review merely introduces various sights, hopefully tickling you fancy as it were, while later reviews provide more detail.
From the Visitors Information Centre you walk to the rear of the Lakeland Forum (leisure centre) and from there continue clockwise towards Enniskillen Castle.
While short, the official walk it is very pleasant affording a nice view back across the town with the spires of St Macartin’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, punctuating the skyline in addition to a nice view across Lough Erne at its widest point in the town area.
Passing by the Castle towards the old West Bridge where the official walk ends you get the best views available of the oldest remaining part of the Castle – the Watergate – constructed in 1614. Keen photographers may also want to cross the water (use the bridge as the water’s cold!) at this point for a good view back to the Castle (see the main photograph on my introductory Enniskillen review).
The official walk ends at the base of the West Bridge as on the other side of the bridge there is a private apartment complex which touches the water edge denying further public access. You could easily detour at this point and actually visit the Castle, its Museums and the Boer War Memorial.
Should you wish to continue walking and actually walk around the island as close to the lough edge as possible (and you should) you will need to head onto Castle Street at this point and follow it through a couple of sets of traffic lights and pass the front of the police station before continuing along the lough edge (Queen Elizabeth Road footpath) until you reach the War Memorial and Belmore Street at the far end of the island. You will notice that the lough along here is more akin to a narrow river than a lough. Again, there are nice views towards the town from this side of the island and to Coles Monument on the hill to your left before you pass the Convent and Mount Lourdes Grammar School, also on you left, on the opposite bank. You should on reaching the War Memorial make a point of going into the Convent Chapel and having a look at its beautiful stained glass windows. This section of the walk has a few inclines, the (foot)paths are not as smooth as the official walk section and you do have to cross three or four roads – nothing formidable in any of that though, unless you are incapacitated.
Leaving the War Memorial take the path down to the water’s edge past the Princess Diana Peace Cairn and continue on towards the Erneside Shopping Centre, clearly visible ahead. Stay on the island side of the lough – again more akin to a river and continue for less than 500 metres until you arrive back at the Visitors Information Centre.
If you don’t tarry too much along the way you can complete the full walk in less than an hour but why not use this as your path to visit the sites mentioned (and others that take your fancy) along the way. From anywhere along the walk it is, at most, only a couple of hundred metres walk into the centre of town – so grabbing a drink or bite to eat is not a problem at any point.
Naturally you can do this walk any time you like but should you wish to visit sites along the way you will need to be conscious of their opening hours. While the Castle looks great lit up after dark the remainder of the walk is a waste of time outside daylight hours.
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries based on many trips to Enniskillen. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Fermanagh Lakeland Forum – or to start the loop at the beginning go to my introductory entry – “Fare thee well Enniskillen, ………..”
The Rambling Wombat 