Ireland Guide
Tyrone and Fermanagh
Much of inland Northern Ireland is formed by neighbouring Tyrone and Fermanagh, predominantly rural counties whose few sizeable towns, with the exception of Omagh, lie at the eastern and western fringes of the region. The chief scenic attractions of Tyrone are to be found in the wild and desolate Sperrin Mountains in the north.
In contrast to Tyrone, Fermanagh attracts plenty of visitors – chiefly for its watersports, boating and fishing. Fermanagh's main town, Enniskillen, evokes a strong sense of history, while the remnants of the medieval past – along with those of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries – are found all over the region, on islands and mainland alike. As in Tyrone, sights of interest are dispersed, and buses can be very infrequent away from the main routes. The key to enjoying Fermanagh, though, is to get out onto the water – and this is easy enough from Enniskillen or from a number of the villages that rest on the lakes' shores.
Highlights
1 Lough Neagh Ireland's largest lake – and indeed the biggest in the British Isles – is best viewed from the churchyard at Ardboe.
2 The Sperrin Mountains Ruggedly picturesque, the Sperrins offer a splendid variety of hikes and trails.
3 Beaghmore Stone Circles Seven Bronze-Age stone circles and numerous other relics set in a lonely spot with tremendous views.
4 Castle Coole Perhaps the most magnificent building of its kind in Northern Ireland, this gorgeous eighteenth-century mansion is richly decorated inside and set in wonderful grounds.
5 Devenish Island Getting out on the water is an essential part of any trip to Fermanagh, and there's no better place to do it than at this former monastic settlement in Lower Lough Erne.
6 Marble Arch Caves Take a boat trip along a subterranean river to view these caves filled with stalactites and other marvellous rock formations.