Fermanagh self catering accommodation, Northern Ireland

We are an intrical part of the local community. It has been established for 15 years, bringing tourists from all over the world to this rural area of Fermanagh. We employ local staff to instruct activities, to clean the accommodation, and for the maintenance of the centre. Customers are encouraged to use local shops, restaurants and pubs.

We are totally committed to protecting the environment. Indeed the success of our business depends heavily on a clean and sustainable environment. We have a range of measures in place to ensure that environmental impacts are reduced and offset the carbon footprint of our business and our customers:

Reducing energy use (energy efficient, bulbs, double glazing, water heating solar panels, green electricity, etc…)

Reducing water consumption and reusing rain water.

Recycling waste (glass, plastics, metals and compost)

None of our activities are motorised: they use manpower (eg. Canoeing), wind (eg. Windsurfing) and waves (eg. Surfing)

Our packages are approved by Greenbox as Eco-breaks (Greenbox is Ireland's first integrated ecotourism destination)

The majority of our activities are on site to reduce transport pollution.

Public transport is actively encouraged (eg. Use of the Rural Rover and The Rural Lift for the few activities offsite).

Our residents have access to FREE bicycles (Sept-April) and our hire service all year round.

We are situated in 16 acres of natural woodland on the shores of Upper Lough Macnean. We have produced an Environmental & Heritage Trail of the forest on site for our customers, where you can experience the beauty of a natural wood and its inhabitants, follow the winding path along the lake shore & past an ancient fort and catch a glimpse of some sika deer or pinemartin. The residents can also experience the lough during activities such as canoeing, windsurfing and fishing.

During the course of their stay customers are encouraged to appreciate their natural surroundings, learn about protecting natural habitats and unwind and soak in the atmosphere on this secluded site.

Most of our forest is left untouched, however we thin out sections of wood which is used in the wood burning stoves in our cottages. Natural trees are constantly being replanted to replace decaying wood or conifer plantations. Paths are laid in order to protect marsh and bog areas from soil erosion. We undertake regular cleanups of the lakeshore (this is carried out by staff, and local young people). All activities have set procedures in place in order to experience the sport in a safe, friendly and educative manner. The environment and its conservation is a core part of these procedures. We are members of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

Due to our location and the nature of our activities (canoeing, caving, biking, surfing, etc..) we operate on both sides of the Border in co. Fermanagh, Co. Cavan, Co. Leitrim, Co. Donegal. Because of twin villages Belcoo-Blacklion, our business and our customers use services in both villages. The Lough Macnean basin is very rich in sites of historical and archaeological interest so it seemed natural to us to incorporate them in our packages. The understanding of the geological features and the topography of the area help to explain the importance of ancient settlements in the basin. Our packages bring together all these elements and fuse them with a unique experience of the outdoor world.