Castle Caldwell & Forest Walk
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Castle Caldwell & Forest Walk Visit Castle Caldwell & Forest Park in Co Fermanagh while enjoying a great family holiday at Rossharbour Holiday Homes on the shores of Lower Lough Erne. Castle Caldwell History The castle, originally built in 1612, was purchased by one James Caldwell, a well to do merchant from Enniskillen, in 1662. The Castle remainded in the family for approximately 200 years. The castle then apparently came into the hands of a Mr Bloomfield in the early 1800's when he took to wife a woman of Caldwell descent. Then, in 1849, John Caldwell Bloomfield is said to have inherited the castle "from his father." But the Irish potato famine had just run its' course and the estate was in some jeopardy financially. John, described as an amateur mineralogist, noticed a "vivid white" coating on the outside of some of the tenant farmers' small cottages. He was informed that the coating was the result of clay deposits on the estate which were of unusually high quality. John ordered a geological survey of his land and was informed that the clay contained all of the neccessary raw matarials to make Pottery (feldspar, kaolin, flint, clay and shale). He took on two partners (Robert Williams Armstrong and David McBirney), talked the government into building a rail spur to nearby Belleek (4 miles to the west) and built a pottery factory, Mrs. Bloomfield laying the first foundation stone in 1853. And thus were the beginnings of a very successful business and a line of pottery now known the world over as Belleek Pottery. Unusual in its' luster and beauty, it has been a prized possession of Kings, Queens and many others for many years. Castle Caldwell Today A well known Irish poet, William Allingham, in a portion of the poem "The Winding Banks of Erne" writes;
Walking & Trekking
The Walk: Follow the path, keeping to the shoreline, and at the crossroads take the way signed to Rossergole point, with views across the lough to rolling farmland. The return walk is along the southern shoreline until eventually the path reaches a small picnic area and leaves the lake shore, and you turn left at the forest road. Quite soon turn right onto a well used path through an area of beech woodland, suddenly coming to a ruined ivy cloaked castle, unfortunately unsafe to enter. Continue along the path almost to a post and rail fence at a sharp bend in the minor county road. Turn right and you'll soon be back at the car park. Facilities: Rossharbour Holiday Homes - ideal for visiting Castle Caldwell & Forest Walk |
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Located
in Co Fermanagh on the beautiful Lough Erne, is a Castle which used
to belong to the Caldwell family. 
The
estate itself is now a national nature and bird refuge, owned by
the government. It is located at the very northern most portion
of Lough (Lake) Erne in Northern Ireland, at what is described as
its' "narrow part." Known for its' beautiful setting,
it attracts many bird watchers and flora enthusiasts. 
Leave
the car park by going left of the building at one end, and quite
soon you'll pass below the ruins of the castle, dark and overgrown.
Now in ruins, Castle Caldwell was built in 1612 during the time
of the Plantation of Ulster.