Belcoo to the banks of Lough Neagh

 

Tuesday 21st September 2021

We left our 5* luxury campsite in Belcoo with a friendly goodbye chat with the owner who came out to wish us a safe journey. 

Never had that treatment before

If Carlsberg did campsites, I think this would be the model for it.

It wasn't very far to our next stop on the shore of Lough Neagh, so I did a detour to a country park called Peatlands Park.

It's a lovely municipal park with a great children's play area and a fantastic climbing frame. If only I was eight again.

After lunch and a walk we headed for tonight's parkup at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh. 

Apparently the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles.

The Lough is an odd place though, as there is so little around it.

It seems for the most part that the farm fields go down to the shore and there appears to be very little recreational use of the waters which is unlike the Irish, who are game for throwing themselves into freezing water at every opportunity.

I'd expected sailing clubs and water sports to be everywhere.

Maybe development is strictly controlled ?

Anyway, the harbour is a good parkup for us, level, great views and some areas for walking.

We've been joined by two other motorhomes for company.

It's just an hour from here to Larne Port for the ferry tomorrow and our Ireland trip will be over :(

I've really enjoyed the countryside, the scenery, the wild beauty of the Atlantic coast and of course the warmth and friendlyness of everyone we have met here.

I won't miss the bumpy sections of the Wild Atlantic Way, the suspension has certainly had a good work out !

I am dissapointed we didn't get to Galway, but there's always next year ......

And of course there's Cork, Waterford, Kerry and Clare, Dingle, so much more to see yet.

I especially enjoyed the Donegal coast and the amazing rock formations I kayaked around in the crystal clear waters. 

That is a special memory from this trip that will stay with me.

Lough Neagh parkup

 

Lough Neagh harbour

Lough Neagh, the east shore is in the distance

Lough Neagh harbour

Lough Neagh parkup

Lough Neagh, this evenings dashboard view

Heading north from Westport

 

Monday 20th September

After all the day visitors and the crazy wild swimmers went home it was a peaceful night on the quay at Westport, with a nice sunset to finish off the day.

We set off north this morning and decided on a modest target of 88 miles to cover to a small border town called Belcoo next to Lough Machean Upper. 

The border actually runs through the lough.

We've come to a fabulous campsite called Rushin House campsite.

I think it's probably one of the best sited, cleanest and well kept site I've been to. In fact when you add in the views over the Lough, I can't think of any campsite to better it anywhere.

I'll keep thinking about it, but nothing nicer comes to mind.

When we drove in, there is a long drive, then a bend, some gates to go through and I thought I'd missed a turning and had accidentally driven into a rather upmarket 

house ! But no, it was the campsite entrance.

We pitched up looking directly over the Lough. In addition to the usual facilities on offer, there's a five a side pitch, outdoor gym, children's playground, outdoor table tennis, lakeside walk. Slipway to launch boats or kayaks and a dog wash. 

All immaculate and beautifully laid out.

Everything you could wish for in a campsite and all for 27 pounds a night.

Not that much to photograph today except a call we made to Cavan Burren Park for a lunch stop.

It's a really interesting park with a good deal of history with spectacular prehistoric tombs and fascinating geology formed by the glaciers that once shaped the landscape here.

Louis and I enjoyed a walk around one of the marked trails with information boards pointing out interesting features.

Tomorrow we move on to Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles.

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park - Prehistoric ruins

Cavan Burren Park - Prehistoric ruins

Cavan Burren Park 

Cavan Burren Park -  ruins

Cavan Burren Park 

Cavan Burren Park - Prehistoric ruins

Cavan Burren Park 

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park - Hard sandstone boulder deposited by a glacier onto soft limestone bedrock which later erroded and left the boulder on a plinth

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park

Cavan Burren Park visitor information centre

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite

Rushin House Campsite outdoor gym area

Rushin House Campsite childrens play area

Rushin House Campsite reception

Rushin House Campsite shower block

Rushin House Campsite - this evenings dashboard view

Rushin House Campsite 5 a side pitch

Florence Court & a visit to the Island Town

 

Wednesday 15th September 2021

We've been really lucky with the weather so far on this trip, there was some light rain, but only overnight when we were safely tucked up in bed.

By morning, it was bright again but rather overcast.

We set off for Florence Court, a National Trust house nearby. It's an interesting place, not spectacular by any means but it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. 

We had the organised tour of the house and the guide was quite entertaining.

Back to Ed for lunch then we ventured onto the island town of Enniskillen.

What can I say ? It's a town, it has shops, pubs, coffee bars and the usual retail park with the usual retailers.

Nice enough, but not a place to put on a list for a second visit.

So we returned to our parkup at the Riverside Marina, drank tea and I made plans for our onward trip tomorrow to re-join the WAW heading into County Sligo, but not before we visit the other National Trust property nearby called Castle Coole.

The weather stayed bright but overcast most of the day with odd glimpses of sunshine, so overall, I think we've been pretty lucky so far.

Florence Court grounds

Florence Court grounds

Florence Court Walled Garden

 

Florence Court Walled Garden

Florence Court Walled Garden

Florence Court 

Florence Court Rose Garden

Florence Court Gardens

Florence Court Courtyard

Florence Court Laundry Courtyard

Florence Court Saw Mill water wheel to power the machinary

Florence Court grounds

Florence Court 

Florence Court Grounds and view from the house

Florence Court 

Florence Court and view of Benaughlin Mountain ( not to be confused with Benbulbin Mountain) Which had me scratching my head for some time.

Tomorrow we'll be back in the Republic of Ireland and it seems our phones don't connect automatically to their mobile networks for some reason, so we might be off the radar unless I can find a way to connect.