Castle Archdale to Rossigh
Mission Statement: Discover the beautiful islands of Lough Erne
Trail Introduction
Take to the water and investigate the fascinating history of this unspoilt lough in Northern Ireland. For the perfect weekend away why not camp at Castle Archdale, and soak up the peace and tranquility.
About the Area:
Lough Erne is 40 miles long, an average width of 5 miles and is only 200 feet deep. The lough lies on a limestone plateau and has 154 islands to explore.
As you sail past Abbot Davy’s Island and the mainland you will the remains of some World War 2 refuelling jetties. These were used to refuel the Catalina and Sunderland flying boats based here at the Coastal Command Base. A secret agreement with the government of Ireland allowed aircraft to fly directly out over the River Erne and neutral Irish territory to the Atlantic. In later years this area became known as the Donegal Corridor. Essential air cover was given to convoys coming to the UK from America and Canada with vital supplies. In May 1941 the German battleship Bismarck was found during a routine patrol by a Catalina flying Boat from Castle Archdale. The Flying Boat Base was closed in 1957.
Discover some of the earliest examples of Christian settlements in Ireland. White Island is home to the ruins of a 12th Century Church and seven enigmatic stone figures which were discovered in 1958 and are believed to date from the 9th or 10th century.
With so many islands on the lough it is easy to get lost, keep an eye on your map and track the islands as you sail past.
Both Oscar Wilde and Tomas Beckett went to school in the nearby town of Enniskillen.
RYA NI supports the principles of ‘Leave No Trace’ and encourages others to do the same when taking part in outdoor recreation. leavenotraceireland.org
Interesting fact: Lough Erne is one of the last remaining strongholds of breeding waders (curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe) in Northern Ireland, with breeding wader abundance long associated with the lowland wet grassland habitats stretched around the shores of the lough.
Round Trip Distance:6 Miles
in miles
Approximate Time that the Trail will take: 3 to 4 hours
In a Wayfarer or similar in F4 winds
OS Map or Chart: OSNI17
Trail Details
This map is for information use only, not for navigation.
- Launch from the slipway (you can tie up to the jetties here whilst you move your car) and head north after the white cairn
- Follow the shoreline eastwards between Abbot Davy’s Island and the mainland
- Head north towards White Island, home to the ruins of a 13th Century church and the seven enigmatic figures
- Turn south and head past Abbot Davy’s Island
- Sail past Duross Bay – but don’t enter, despite is calm appearance there lie many rocks beneath
- Enjoy the pleasant sail south as the waters calm and become more sheltered. Keep an eye out for the entrance to Rossigh, marked by the red and white navigation spades
- Moor up on the pontoon at Rossigh Bay and stretch your legs. There is a great camping site here
- Once launched, start to head north keeping away form the red and white marker spades marking shallow water on the headland. Head north between Gaffer Island and the mainland
- Sail past Glenross Bay – again, do not enter due to the shallow water
- Follow the shoreline back to Castle Archdale, where you can stop for a well deserved ice cream from the Flying Boat Cafe
Safety Note: The lough can experience strong winds, check the forecast before launching
Duross Bay and Glenross Bay may look inviting, but they are full of rocks, stay away.
Trip Extensions:
Visit the Marble Arch Caves marblearchcaves.co.uk
Why not explore by foot – https://www.walkni.com
Launch Point Lat and Long:54.477967, -7.733708
Launch Point What3Words: https://w3w.co/title.slipped.louder
Launch Information:
Costs to launch
Tidal Information:
Non-tidal
Towing Vehicle Parking:
Castle Archdale Country Park castlearchdale.com
Postcode: BT94 1NB
Towing vehicle Parking What3Words: title.slipped.louder
Towing vehicle Parking Information:
Park in the courtyard carpark to avoid the busy marina car park in summer
Trailer Parking:
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Trailer Parking Information:
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Toilets:
This is especially important for Inclusivity
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