The Lough of luxurious
Lough Erne Resort is nestled on the county’s lovely lakelands
The Catalina restaurant at Lough Erne
Gillian admires one of many many Christmas timber at Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh
Stairway to Heaven in Fermanagh
The Lough of luxurious
Impartial.ie
Final weekend was a very damp and drizzly one after I visited Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh. The primary storm of the season, Storm Atiyah, was brewing, however the blustery climate outdoors solely made the Northern Eire resort appear much more cosy – and extra Christmassy.
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Final weekend was a very damp and drizzly one after I visited Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh. The primary storm of the season, Storm Atiyah, was brewing, however the blustery climate outdoors solely made the Northern Eire resort appear much more cosy – and extra Christmassy.
Stepping out of the rain and into the resort, its basic olde-world ambiance was instantly comforting, and after check-in, we counted at least seven twinkling Christmas timber on our manner from reception to the raise. An open hearth blazed within the hallway, festive garland adorning its mantelpiece, and although it is a five-star resort, there’s an actual homely really feel to the place.
Sure, Christmas had nicely and really arrived at Lough Erne Resort, which is nestled on a 600-acre peninsula. We settled into our room, styled opulently with a country-estate really feel, and took in its views over the Fermanagh lakelands, which have been particularly eerie within the evening’s harsh winter climate.
Eating
The resort has three eateries: the Blarney Bar, the Lough Bar and Grill, and the three AA rosette Catalina Restaurant, the place we dined on a Friday evening.
There have been a number of empty tables after we visited, which made for a slight lack of ambiance, however this was no reflection on the standard of meals served up by govt chef Noel McMeel, who has beforehand been named ‘Finest Chef in Fermanagh’ by the Eating places Affiliation of Eire.
The Catalina restaurant at Lough Erne
Our meal started with an amuse bouche of cured salmon with squid-ink cracker and beetroot gel, which whetted our urge for food properly earlier than our waitress introduced us with a tray of rustic breads to select from – a home-made soda bread, a curry-infused creation, and a treacle brown bread – with accompanying rock salt, basil oil and Abrnethy Butter (made in Dromara in Co Down).
For starters, I selected the ‘Smoked Lough Neagh Eel with Comber Potato Puree and Armagh Brambly Apple’, which was served with a superbly cooked, plump seared Irish scallop. The fragile flavour of the melt-in-your-mouth seafood was complemented deliciously by the tart, crunchy apple and creamy potato puree.
Subsequent, there was a lightweight major course: seared Irish fillet of halibut with caramelised parsnip puree and caviar. I fortunately cleared my plate, whereas my eating companion raved about her ‘Thornhill Roast Duck Breast with Mandarin Orange Jelly and Toasted Hazelnut’. “I do not need this to complete,” she mentioned, savouring the final of her dish.
I took a threat for dessert and ordered one thing I might by no means eaten earlier than: souffle. That evening’s menu provided a blackberry model, served with vanilla ice cream and pouring custard. And the danger paid off: for those who can think about consuming a candy, berry-flavoured cloud, it will most likely style one thing like this.
Lough Erne Resort is famed for its two championship programs, together with the top-100 (UK and Eire) Faldo Course, designed by Sir Nick. And its Faldo Academy boasts a “state-of-the-art follow and tuition facility with video evaluation and golf clinics obtainable”. Non-golfers like me can nonetheless benefit from the course’s lovely vista over the waters by following the scenic pathway across the resort property and alongside the lake.
The Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven in Fermanagh
Fermanagh has its fair proportion of landmarks to discover, together with the Cliffs of Magho and the Marble Arch Caves (at the moment closed, however reopening for the brand new season in March). Maybe the county’s hottest attraction is the Stairway to Heaven. Positioned about 25 minutes from Lough Erne, it kinds a part of the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Path. With magnificent views over the rugged panorama, the stairway has grow to be an everyday on Instagram. The stroll takes two-and-a-half to 3 hours from the automotive park to the highest, and the issue stage is medium.
Nonetheless, on the wild and windy morning we walked it, the mist was so heavy, we might solely see a number of metres forward.
Windswept after our hike, we returned to the heat of Lough Erne Resort, the place I used to be booked into the Thai Spa for a Physique Bliss remedy – and my pleasant masseuse, Khorjai, ensured the therapeutic massage lived as much as its identify. After working her magic on my weary muscle mass, she tells me that she flew right here from Phetchaburi in central Thailand after efficiently making use of for a job on-line.
Submit-pampering, there was contemporary fruit and inexperienced tea within the Thai-style rest room, and company can even sit back within the spa’s sauna, steam room or rainbow bathe, the place important oil-infused water flows from the rainforest bathe head.
Gillian admires one of many many Christmas timber at Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh
Adjoining the spa (whose corridors are lined with some pretty Thai murals), is a leisure centre with pool and Jacuzzi, and there is additionally a well-equipped gymnasium, the place Barack Obama reportedly labored out throughout his keep.
The resort, positioned simply outdoors the city of Enniskillen, is barely two hours’ drive from Dublin. A brief journey to make for an expensive slice of heaven,…
And talking of heaven, I will undoubtedly be making a return journey in additional beneficial situations to sort out that picket stairway!
Lough Erne Resort has a Christmas Film Marathon package deal, together with an in a single day keep, a choice of Christmas motion pictures, mini snacks, breakfast and use of the infinity pool, from £225pps. Reserving, obtainable till December 23, is topic to availability. See lougherneresort.com
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