Crom wildlife walk

Northern Ireland

A grey heron in flight — Look our for grey at herons at Crom | © National Trust/Paul Hughes

Take a walk on the wild side at Crom. Wander through this important nature reserve with its tranquil landscape of islands, woodland and historic ruins.

Near to

Crom

Start point

Crom visitor centre, OSNI grid ref: H3707923938

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3.5 (km: 5.6)

Duration1 hour 10 mins

Dog friendly**

*The grass and woodland pathways are free of slopes with reasonably smooth and level surfaces, but can be muddy. For further information visit the section marked Terrain.
**Dogs welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Address
Upper Lough Erne, Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, BT92 8AP
Directions via Google Maps
By ferry
Ferry from Derrymore church (book 24 hours in advance).
By bus
Ulsterbus 95, Enniskillen to Clones (connections from Belfast), alight Newtownbutler, 3 miles (4.8km).
Cycling
2 miles (3.2km) of National Cycle Network Route 91 (the Kingfisher Trail), runs through the property.
By road
3 miles (4.8km) west of Newtownbutler on Newtownbutler to Crom road or follow signs from Lisnaskea, 7 miles (11.3km). Crom is next to Shannon-Erne waterway. Postcode for satnav: BT92 8AP.
Total stages: 6
Total stages: 6
Start point
Crom visitor centre, OSNI grid ref: H3707923938
Stage 1
Start at the visitor centre to discover more about the wildlife at Crom. It's in an old stone estate yard overlooking Upper Lough Erne. Its barns are a roosting site for bats, with seven different species inhabiting this area. Look at the walls to see the little holes that act as their doorways. Turn left as you leave the yard and walk along the old carriageway towards Crom Castle for a short while before turning left again through a gate into the parkland.
Stage 2
Follow the path to the Old Castle. Here you'll encounter one of the oldest yew trees in Ireland. Estimates of its age vary between 400 and 1,000 years. Be careful not to stand on its roots as they're quite delicate.
Ancient yew trees
The ancient yews in the Old Castle Garden have been named among the '50 greatest British trees'. In the 19th century, parties of 200 people are said to have dined beneath their branches. The Crom estate is one of the largest areas of semi-natural woodland in Northern Ireland, with a rich variety of uncommon lichens, wild flowers such as dog violet and wood anemone, and many different species of fungi, including waxcaps – bright toadstools that emerge in short grassland in autumn.
Stage 3
Continue along the loughside, past a pretty boathouse, before crossing the White Bridge onto Inisherk Island.
Stage 4
Make a little loop of the island, passing a walled garden.
Stage 5
Cross back over the bridge and turn left, taking a path through trees with Upper Lough Erne on your left and the grounds of Crom Castle to your right.
Frogs and other animals
Look out for frogs in the woodland and the smooth or common newt around ponds and wetland areas, especially during the breeding season in spring and summer. In quiet spots around the estate, catch a glimpse of red squirrels, otters (Crom has one of the strongest populations in the UK), fallow deer, Irish hare and eight species of bat. You can stay overnight in the mammal hide for the chance to see the elusive pine marten.
Stage 6
Reach the castle's main drive and continue walking until a path breaks off to your right near the small inland Lough Nalughoge. Continue on to return to the visitor centre and car park.
End point
Crom visitor centre, OSNI grid ref: H3707923938
Trail map
Map route for Crom wildlife walk | © Land and Property Services permit no. 120099 Crown Copyright (2013)
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Upper Lough Erne, Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, BT92 8AJ

02867738118

crom@nationaltrust.org.uk

We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

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Exploring the estate at Crom

The parkland at Crom lie beside the Upper Loch Erne, an ancient landscape including the old castle, and with diversity of habitats making it an important conservation site.

The old Crom castle ruins break up the horizon standing against a clear blue sky

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