Enniscoe House is one of Ireland's listed heritage houses and has passed by descent from the 1660s through twelve generations to the present owner. Set in parkland and mature woods on the shores of Lough Conn in North Mayo, the Georgian mansion offers the visitor friendliness, peace, and relaxation. It is a very special place for anglers and other visitors with a natural empathy for the untamed wildness of the area. The house offers accommodation and meals – but there is much of interest around converted outbuildings at the back of the house, including a genealogy centre (the Mayo North Family History Research Centre) and a small agricultural museum with working blacksmith. Enniscoe House is surrounded by beautiful woodlands, with a network of paths, and there are restored walled gardens (both ornamental and productive - one is run commercially as an organic market garden), which are open to the public and have tea-rooms and a shop. A working run of an old bog railway is to be opened in the near future. There is brown trout fishing on Lough Conn and other trout and salmon fishing nearby; boats, ghillies, tuition and hire of equipment can be arranged.
A-B. Starting from the car park, follow the purple arrow along the high stone garden wall (keep it on your left). At the end of the wall continue straight through a gateway as the loop swings left. After 200m turn left onto a path (signposted Mausoleum) which takes you into the ‘Pleasure Garden’ area.
B-C. After 50m you reach a path on your right (signposted mausoleum). While the loop proceeds straight, the mausoleum is worth a visit - just remember to return to this junction to continue the loop. Continue to follow the path as it takes you to the back of the house. At the end of the building, watch for a sharp right turn onto a narrow gravel path.
C-D. Follow this path into woodland - after 200m it turns left and shortly afterwards joins a sandy roadway at wooden footbridge. Turn left here.
D-E. Follow the sandy roadway through stone pillars and on to reach a hut used by the Fisheries Board. A wonderful view of Lough Conn opens up in front of you here - soak it up before turning left and into woodland area known as Fox Covert. Now the loop follows grassy tracks through natural woodland (broadleaf and coniferous) and into Burnt Wood where it follows the right bank of a little stream. After 1km it exits onto a sandy roadway at a gate to a field - turn left here.
E-A. Follow the sandy roadway to reach a ‘crossroads’ where you continue straight onto a grassy track. The track takes to a tarred roadway (the ‘avenue’) - go straight across and join another woodland track. Follow this for 300m to exit at a metal gate and join a surfaced roadway. Proceed straight - it’s only 200m back to the trailhead.
Trail details
- Type:
- Walking Trail
- Location:
- Enniscoe House Loops
- Grade:
- Easy
- Format:
- Loop
- Length:
- 2.50km
- Ascent:
- 70m
- Dogs allowed:
- No
Car parking, café, accommodation at trailhead