Castle Coole Lake Walk Trail
Take a pleasant, gentle walk around the tranquil Lough Coole, spotting wildlife and glimpses of the mansion house on the way.
Map
Start:
Visitor car-park
1
Starting from the visitor car park, take the path on the right past the play-park. This path passes the site of the original Queen Anne house. At the boat house, turn right and follow the path around the lake.
Queen Anne House
The field to your left is the site of the Queen Anne House which was built in 1707. In the mid-18th century between the house and the lough, a formal garden was laid out which comprised raised parterres and a sunken bowling green; a water garden was also added with a canal stretching 250 metres to the north-east known as the Banjo Lake. Traces of some of these features can still be seen.
2
Shortly after the boat house, a gravel path to your left reaches the shore of the Lough. Take a stroll down see if you can spot our resident swans before returning to the path and continuing your walk.
3
At this point, catch glimpses of views of the house across the lake. Continue on the path, taking a left at the main exit road and another once that reaches the drive. Continue on up the hill to return to the visitor car-park.
Area of Special Scientific Interest
Castle Coole has been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency due to its rich parkland habitat and associated species. In places where the tree canopy is denser, a woodland flora has developed, with typical species such as wood anemone, bluebell, pignut, primrose, lords-and-ladies and the notable bird’s nest orchid. The wetland vegetation fringing Lough Coole provides even more diversity with species such as common reed and water horsetail, and the wet grassland supports a range of plants including quaking grass, carnation sedge, devil’s-bit scabious and meadow vetchling.
End:
Visitor car-park
