Ireland and the County Fermanagh through the Ages

From our hotel in Enniskillen, Ireland's only island town, we experience the fascinating history of Fermanagh at every turn. Our visits include Ireland's oldest pottery producer, the centuries-old Enniskillen Castle, the historic Blessingbourne Estate, a Lough Erne cruise featuring a monastic site founded in the 6th century and the brilliant Ulster American Folk Park. Throw in a visit to the award-winning Boatyard Distillery complete with spirit tasting and this smashing tour is sure to delight.Sunday: We depart the Travel Centre this morning and make our way to Chester for our overnight stay at the 4-star Crowne Plaza Chester, with some time in Chester before we check into the hotel.

Monday: After breakfast, we make our way to Holyhead where we take the ferry over to Dublin. We then make our way to our hotel, the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, where we stay for the next 4 nights, tea/coffee will be available on arrival.

Tuesday: This morning we make our way to Belleek Pottery where we enjoy a 30 minute guided tour of Ireland’s oldest pottery producer, experiencing all the production areas with the chance to chat with the craftspeople along the way. We have free time in Enniskillen to sample lunch at one of the many eateries (not included), offering locally sourced food with their farm to table cuisine, before our visit to Enniskillen Castle. Located beside the River Erne, the castle was built over 600 years ago and is home to two museums, the Fermanagh County Museum and The Inniskillings Museum, which tell the story of the town’s two regiments, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.

Wednesday: This morning we enjoy a scenic cruise on tranquil Lough Erne onboard the Lady of the
Lake. We make a pitstop at Devenish Island Monastic Site, which was founded in the 6th century and boasts a fascinating history, including being raided by Vikings (837AD), burned (1157AD) and flourishing (Middle Ages) as a parish church site. We discover the ruins from different time periods on site before continuing our cruise. In the afternoon, we visit the Boatyard Distillery, an award-winning farm-to-bottle distillery located on the banks of Lough Erne. We see how the spirits are produced using the highest quality botanicals and ingredients, discover the secret behind ‘Érainn’, the copper still, and enjoy a taste of the neat spirits to appreciate their full flavour.

Thursday: Today we visit the fascinating Ulster American Folk Park. We step back in time to follow in the footsteps of thousands of brave migrants who set sail for the New World in the 18th and 19th centuries. We first experience rural Ulster’s bustling street and welcoming farmhouses, before boarding the full-scale Brig Union emigrant ship and discovering the cramped quarters where hundreds lived during their 12-week Atlantic crossing. We emerge in the New World, where we get a taste of life on the American frontier. Demonstrations of traditional crafts – such as forge work, wool spinning, turf cutting, decorative straw work, American woodcraft and patchwork quilting – give us a fascinating insight into the ingenious solutions these resourceful newcomers created on the frontier. This afternoon we visit the lovely Blessingbourne Estate, a fabulous historic country house full of character. We embark on a tour of the estate with the owner, Colleen, and admire the tranquil gardens, fishing lakes and Carriage and Costume Museum. We also tuck into tea/coffee and cake whilst we are here.

Friday: We depart the hotel this morning and make our way to Dublin for our ferry sailing Holyhead. We then make our way to the Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon for our overnight stay.

Saturday: We depart the hotel this morning and make our way back to Leicestershire, making adequate comfort stops en route.Killyhevlin Hotel
Located just 1km from the historic town of Enniskillen, surrounded by lakeside gardens and with wonderful views over the scenic Lough Erne, the family-run, 4 star Killyhevlin Hotel is a fabulous base from which to explore the Fermanagh region.
All 71 bedrooms feature elegant décor and are equipped with en suite facilities, tea/coffee making facilities, television hair dryer The stylish Kove Restaurant comes with contemporary décor and lovely Lough Erne views, whilst the welcoming, informal ambience at Lakeside Grill & Bar is perfect for relaxing with good food, drink and views. Guests enjoy complimentary use of the Killyhevlin Health Club, complete with indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and gym. There is also a spa. All single rooms are double/twin for sole occupancy.

Hotels
• Killyhevlin Hotel (Enniskillen) - View Information