BELLE
ISLE ESTATE
Castle and Lodgings on Lough Erne in Northern Ireland
Ducks
paddling on the quiet still waters, the cast of a fishing line into the
lake.
The Belle Isle Estate seems like another world.
Intellectually
you know you’re in Northern Ireland, but crossing the bridge from
the mainland onto one of the eight flat and lush picturesque islands
among gentle hills on the northern tip of Upper Lough Erne, the delta
like river system which surrounds Enniskillen in County Fermanagh (see Enniskillen Castle), feels as if lost in time. The name, meaning beautiful
island well suits.
At
the heart of the estate is Belle Isle Castle, a 17th Century manor currently
owned by the Duke of Abercorn who took pride in creating his oasis in such
an unspoilt landscape. Belle Isle was for centuries only reachable by boat,
which kept it pristine and remote. After the establishment of the plantations
in Ulster, the lands of Belle Isle were granted to an English soldier,
Sir Ralph Gore, following what was known as the "Flight of the Earls" in 1607. The oldest part of the house, the Hamilton Wing was built in 1680 with
the
rest of
the
castle
expanded in
the 1700's with addition of the walled gardens and added to again in what
is experienced today in 1850. The bridge to the island was finally
built
in 1880. The
entrance to the castle is through a impressive double-vaulted chamber
leading to the elegant drawing room with a marble fireplace
and, English antiques and Russian paintings from St Petersburg. From
the other end of the entrance hall one finds the Grand Hall, an imposing
banqueting room with a Minstrel's Gallery above and rich color scheme
to compliment the Victoria art.
A
variety of accommodations are available at Belle Isle. Visitors to
the estate
can stay in one of the eight bedrooms in the manor house,
each with antique furnishings, some with oak beams and four poster beds.
The castle can accommodate up to fourteen guests for the weddings for
which the estate is well known. If castle lodging is not in the scheme,
Belle Isle Estate offers eight self catering apartments in the Courtyard,
a listed former stables complex added to the property in 1860. Each
apartment has its own character and sleeping options ranging from singles
to family
apartments for up to six. 
The courtyard apartments are at ground level,
with some outfitted for the disabled and some with children’s lofts.
The 150 year old Coach House has been converted into two substantial
home-like apartments with living room, kitchen, dining area and log stove
and bedrooms for up to four. Set away from the main mansion, the Bridge
House sits at the edge of the water surrounded by woodlands with its
own boat mooring, while Cathcart’s Lodge is a two bedroom bungalow
on the opposite side of the water close to the fishing stands.
Belle
Isle is the perfect spot if all you want to do is sit all day with
a fishing
line in the reeds and forget the stress of the
world,
but for those who need activity, the environs of surrounding Fermanagh
offers lots to discover. Located at the castle is the Belle
Isle School of Cookery, offering cooking classes from one day courses
to a full week of gourmet cuisine lessons and experimentation in a fully
outfitted kitchen.
But beware, you’ll be forced to eat your own cooking at the end
of the course, so learn well. There are a number of walks and rambles
through the islands and country side surrounding the Bell Isle Estate.
Boat cruises exploring Lough Erne are 
available
at Enniskillen. Eight golf courses lie within 30 miles, including the
stunning Lough Erne Golf
Resort with its new Nick Faldo course. The National Trust Houses
of Florence Court and Castle Coole are within 15 minutes (see Castle
Coole and Florence Court), or explore
the underground deep caverns of the Marble Arch Caves Geopark. The
Ulster American Folk Park nearby in Omagh is definitely worth a
visit for Scots-Irish
heritage
and
history (see Ulster
American Heritage Folk Park). In late autumn, the
weather can turn to a bit of a chill and gloom, but from the end of October
to
January
its
hunting
season
at Belle
Isle with packages for Woodcock and Snipe available in the Hamilton Wing
for groups. Non-UK Residents require a £12 license.
Lodgings at Belle Isle in the cottages, house and courtyard apartments are on a weekend or full week basis with High Mid and Low season rates ranging from £150 to £490 for 3 nights on weekends or mid-week, or £300 to £655 for a week. Rates for the Belle Isle Castle are for groups of up to 8 or 14 people ranging from £1,650 to £4,420, depending on the two available options and season. Belle Isle is about a 20 minute drive from Enniskillen, 2 hours from Belfast and three hours from Dublin. © Bargain Travel Europe
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Belle
Isle Castle Estate
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SEE ALSO:
25
FREE THINGS TO DO IN IRELAND
COOKING
CLASS VACATION IN IRISH CASTLES
