Acorn Retreat Out & About in Co Fermanagh
Acorn Retreat's peaceful setting lends itself perfectly to relaxing and unwinding from the fast pace of modern living but for those days when you want to see something of the local area we have detailed below some attractions that are well worth visiting.
Castle Coole - a magnificent neo-classical house designed by James Wyatt, family home of the Earls of Belmore. It has remarkably fine interiors and exquisite furniture and furnishings from before 1830.
Enniskillen Castle - incorporating The Regimental Museum, The Watergate History and Heritage Centre. The Castle also holds a variety of other exhibitions through-out the year.
The Buttermarket - see crafts being produced in the craft workshops. Lots of special gifts to choose from. The Boston Quay Craft Shop carries a range of the best craft work and design produced of Ireland.
Devenish Island - Reached by ferry, one of the largest of the 200 islands of Lough Erne, is the site of the ruins of an abbey and of a perfect 12th century round tower.
Lough Erne by Boat - there are lots of boats offering day cruises on Lough Erne. Fermanagh Tourist Information Centre.
Crom Estate - 1,350 acres of woodland, park land and wetland, one of Northern Ireland's most important nature conservation areas, including Crom Old Castle.
Castle Caldwell & Estate - The castle, originally built in 1612, was purchased by one James Caldwell, a well to do merchant from Enniskillen, in 1662. The Castle remainded in the family for approximately 200 years.
Florence Court - One of the most important houses in Ulster, built in mid eighteenth century by John Cole. The house has magnificent plaster work, the striking rococo dining-room ceiling was cleverly saved from the fire in 1955. The rest of the, plaster work has been meticulously restored.
Belleek Pottery - This World famous pottery offers guided tours and has a visitor's centre.
Marble Arch Caves - These magnificent Mesozoic limestone caves have an extensive network of caverns, viewed from a boat.
Ancient Burial grounds - you can discover many of these dotted around the surrounding countryside.
Giants Causeway - a World Heritage site. Here the visitor can witness a spectacular sight of about 40,000 six sided basalt column, estimated to be about 55 million years old, which were formed by cooling lava. The site stretches for 2 miles along the Antrim coast where there are scenic walks that take you past splendid amphitheaters and fine rock formations. The visitors' centre provides audio-visual shows and interactive exhibitions which explains in detail the formation of the causeway attributed to the giant Finn MacCool (mythology) and also the actual geology involved.
Bushmills - Old Bushmills Distillery is the oldest licensed distillery in the world where the renowned Bushmills whiskey has been distilled legally since 1608 when King James I granted its license. A guided tour of the distillery is provided where the secrets of whiskey production is revealed and the visitor also allowed to sample the distilled product.
Ulster American Folk Park - Gortin, Omagh. Tracing the life of an imigrant family as they leave behind their small farm in Co Tyrone and settle in the American frontier. Costumed guides bring the story to life, with demonstrations of traditional crafts. During summer months there is an American Blue Grass Arts and Music festival featuring local artists and acts from the USA.
Donegal Coast - this is a dramatic and breathtaking coastline
where sheer cliffs plummet into the Atlantic Ocean and miles
of sandy beaches are given a backdrop of heather topped mountains
- nature at its most beautiful.