Island paradise in Fermanagh where you can escape from it all

There are few better feelings than the moment you step inside your ‘Inish Lodge’ at Lusty Beg resort on a windswept Friday afternoon.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Dec 2015, 09:35 BST
The Fermanagh Lakelands is a haven for anglers. With its abundance of Loughs and Rivers, our waters offer game anglers the opportunity to fish for salmon and wild brown trout as well as stocked rainbow and brown trout. The famous sonaghan, ferox and gillaroo can also be found in these diverse waters. Fermanagh is an ideal destination for canoeing enthusiasts with the magnificent lakes of Upper and Lower Lough Erne, lined by the River Erne, providing a trail of up to 50km. From the Woodford River on the Upper Lough the Shannon Erne Waterway can be reached and from there it is possible to paddle all the way to Limerick! Lower Lough Erne and its rugged shoreline provide a vast expanse of open water where large waves can build during windy periods ⬠an ideal venue for the experienced paddler! In stark contrast the Upper Lough provides good shelter with its maze of bays, narrow channels of slow flowing water and innumerable islands and peninsulas offering a superb venue for the whole family!The Fermanagh Lakelands is a haven for anglers. With its abundance of Loughs and Rivers, our waters offer game anglers the opportunity to fish for salmon and wild brown trout as well as stocked rainbow and brown trout. The famous sonaghan, ferox and gillaroo can also be found in these diverse waters. Fermanagh is an ideal destination for canoeing enthusiasts with the magnificent lakes of Upper and Lower Lough Erne, lined by the River Erne, providing a trail of up to 50km. From the Woodford River on the Upper Lough the Shannon Erne Waterway can be reached and from there it is possible to paddle all the way to Limerick! Lower Lough Erne and its rugged shoreline provide a vast expanse of open water where large waves can build during windy periods ⬠an ideal venue for the experienced paddler! In stark contrast the Upper Lough provides good shelter with its maze of bays, narrow channels of slow flowing water and innumerable islands and peninsulas offering a superb venue for the whole family!
The Fermanagh Lakelands is a haven for anglers. With its abundance of Loughs and Rivers, our waters offer game anglers the opportunity to fish for salmon and wild brown trout as well as stocked rainbow and brown trout. The famous sonaghan, ferox and gillaroo can also be found in these diverse waters. Fermanagh is an ideal destination for canoeing enthusiasts with the magnificent lakes of Upper and Lower Lough Erne, lined by the River Erne, providing a trail of up to 50km. From the Woodford River on the Upper Lough the Shannon Erne Waterway can be reached and from there it is possible to paddle all the way to Limerick! Lower Lough Erne and its rugged shoreline provide a vast expanse of open water where large waves can build during windy periods ⬠an ideal venue for the experienced paddler! In stark contrast the Upper Lough provides good shelter with its maze of bays, narrow channels of slow flowing water and innumerable islands and peninsulas offering a superb venue for the whole family!

The weather outside might have been decidedly inhospitable on our arrival, but the welcome inside this secluded four-star lodge overlooking the picturesque Fermanagh lakes makes any problems you have almost melt away.

The complimentary bottle of wine and note from the resort’s manager was the nicest of touches, but a quick inspection of your luxury uncovers many treasures.

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It’s perfect for a couple - like us - making the most of a weekend away from two demanding children, but also absolutely ideal for a family break. Each lodge has a living and dining area, a fully-fitted kitchen, verandah, master bedroom with balcony, two twin bedrooms, bathroom with bath upstairs and downstairs shower/wet room.

In total the lodge can sleep six people and even at the height of winter you can request a six-seater hot tub for your private verandah. It really is home from home, TV, DVD player, wood burning stove, dishwasher, but only much better.

That’s what is ideal about Lusty Beg. If you want to enjoy your own space, and your own cooking, it’s absolutely perfect, but it would be a shame to miss out on the stunning food in the Island Restaurant.

We ate there on both nights of our weekend stay and the food was never less than excellent. I choose well, lamb on the Friday night, and duck on the Saturday, with my wife similarly delighted with her chicken and steak. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, but if you like things livelier on both evenings the live entertainment started around 10pm.

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When you are used to waking early, prompted by the demanding cries of two restless children, the moment you wake at Lusty Beg is pure paradise. There is literally not a sound, the perfect start to your day.

After breakfast on the Saturday morning it was straight to the Island Spa. I had the swimming pool all to myself and there is a steam room and sauna too.

From there we did a bit of exploring - you can go on and off the island when you wish via a short journey on a ferry - and lunched at nearby Irvinestown in front of a warm fire.

It was back to Lusty Beg for tea time and to the spa for our first seaweed bath. I freely admit to being sceptical but this was half an hour of sheer bliss. Seaweed apparently naturally absorbs its nourishment from the sea and contains minerals, vitamins and beneficial ingredients. There are plenty of other treatments available, including facials and massages.

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If the outdoors is more your thing there are plenty of options.

A two-person kayak, off-road driving, 10-person canoes, clay pigeon shooting, a rib boat or just a walk around Lusty Beg’s beautiful nature trail.

The only problem? Having to go home! It was probably inevitable, that with home beckoning on the Sunday morning, the sun would be shining and the 75-acre was looking at its most inviting.

The final boat journey was taken with the heaviest of hearts, but one thing is for sure ... we’ll be back!

Lusty Beg is located at Boa Island near Kesh, Co Fermanagh. To book ring 028 28 686 33300.