Walk Northern Ireland - Mountaineering Ireland

the estate café offers an ideal place
to relax after your day’s activity.
What better way to end your visit
to such a special place!
Mount Stewart G4
Starting Point: Main Car Park
Distance: 4km
Maps & Books: Available at property.
OSNI sheet: 21
Facilities: Parking/toilets at property
p THE NATIONAL TRUST
Florence Court
Florence Court Estate and Forest
Park lie side by side in southwest
County Fermanagh.
The centrepiece of the National
Trust property is a large Palladian
mansion that dates back to the
eighteenth century.
Despite a fire in 1955, much of
the building’s original rococo
plasterwork remains intact. The
formal grounds around the house
have also been maintained, and
contain a walled garden, expansive
lawns and flower beds. Yet the
estate’s biggest horticultural success
stems from one particular tree. It’s
believed that all yew trees in Ireland
are descended from one specimen
in this garden. The 3km Yew Tree
Trail explores the gardens and takes
you beneath the boughs of the
famous plant.
Longer walking trails leave the
gardens to explore the adjacent
forest park. One recommended
circuit is the 8km Glen Trail, which
follows the banks of the Finglass
River to the magnificent oaks and
beeches of the Glen Wood Forest
Nature Reserve.
Left: Extinct creatures in
the grounds of Mount
Stewart
Below: Florence Court
For more adventurous types,
Florence Court can also be used as
a starting point for several hill
walks. The most strenuous route
involves the ascent of Cuilcagh
Mountain, the highest point in
County Fermanagh at 665m. This
14km outing uses the waymarked
Hiker’s Trail to reach the summit of
Cuilcagh, a long, flat-topped peak
that lies just southwest of the
estate. It’s a challenging walk that
crosses a sea of bog to reach the
base of the mountain, before a
short, steep climb brings you to the
summit. On a clear day the views
span the breadth of the country,
with both the Atlantic Ocean and
the Irish Sea visible in the distance.
Any of these options will allow
you to appreciate the curious
It’s believed
that all yew
trees in Ireland
are descended
from one
specimen in
this garden
walk… National Trust
geology that underpins the
Florence Court area. The numerous
sink holes, springs and
underground streams are a sure
indication of limestone
foundations. Different species of
plant also thrive on different rock
types, and it’s an interesting exercise
to walk around the estate and try to
divine which sort of rock lies
below. A tea-room offers end-ofthe-day
refreshments for walkers
and amateur geologists alike.
Florence Court C5
Starting Point: Main Car Park
Distance: 4km
Maps & Books: ‘25 Walks in Fermanagh’.
Available at property. OSNI sheet: 26
Facilities: Parking/toilets at property
p THE NATIONAL TRUST
discovernorthernireland.com
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