Lower Lough Erne Islands

Address: RSPB, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, BT74 7JY.

Grid ref: NV126271

See our reserves Covid-19 updates page for which sites are open and other important details.

Lower Lough Erne Islands Reserve in County Fermanagh is the most westerly of all RSPB reserves in the UK. It consists of more than 40 islands on a large freshwater lake, home to lapwings, curlews, snipe and a unique inland colony of breeding Sandwich terns.

Plan your visit

Castle Caldwell footpaths are open daily from dawn until dusk.

Lusty More and White Island North always open.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

Pushchair friendly
Nature trails

Accessibility

How to get here

By bike

This reserve is on Route 95 of the National Cycle Network.

By road

Castle Caldwell forest can be accessed from the A47 Kesh to Belleek road - 5 miles (8 km) east of Belleek, a wooden sign and stone archway indicate the entrance. Castle Archdale (for seasonal White Island North ferry) is also on the A47 and is 11 miles from Enniskillen.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

There is a public jetty for boats at Castle Caldwell and at Castle Archdale. Access to Lusty More by private boat only. Access to White North Island by private boat or ferry service from Castle Archdale (runs seasonally in summer months).

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Contact Lower Lough Erne Islands

RSPB, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, BT74 7JY.
lower.lougherne@rspb.org.uk
028 6632 3991

What will you see?

Our star species

Curlew

In spring, you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song.

Lapwing

Watch the nesting lapwings here chase predators that may come too close.

Redshank

Keep an eye out for the redshanks' towering display flights in spring.

Sandwich tern

Sandwich terns spend the winter off the west African coast before returning to Lower Lough Erne.

Snipe

Look for these cryptically-coloured waders probing their long beaks into the soft ground.

You can see tufted ducks, great crested grebes and red-breasted mergansers. It's a good time to see red squirrels, with beautiful bluebell display from mid-May at Castle Caldwell

All migrants have arrived, including spotted flycatchers and garden warblers.

You can still see resident species, plus an abundance of fungi and beautiful changes in leaf colour.

You see some increase in wildfowl numbers, with occasional whooper swans.

About Lower Lough Erne Islands

Habitat

One of the largest freshwater lakes in the UK, more than 40 islands are managed as lowland wet grassland meadows or broadleaf woodland sites. A species rich hay meadow at Lowery Farm and large area of forestry at Castle Caldwell.

Conservation

Lower Lough Erne Islands' supporters are:

Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
Co-operation Across Borders for Biodiversity (CABB)

Site information

Lough Erne is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the UK. Take a leisurely stroll around the forest trails and look across to some of the islands which make up most of the reserve, two of which you can visit by boat.

Activities and events

Leisure activities

Take a leisurely stroll around the woodland at Castle Caldwell and take in the views of Lower Lough Erne. The old remains of Castle Caldwell are still visible alluding to the previous history of the site.

For those with access to a private boat, Lusty More has a short nature trail.

Marshside

Lytchett Fields

Arne

Lower Lough Erne Islands