Carrigan Forest

Carrigan Forest is the gateway between two significant expanses of upland forest, tucked between Big Dog Forest and Ballintempo Forest.

This forest along with Ballintempo, Big Dog, Conagher and Lough Navar forests in west Fermanagh combine to form the largest continuous tract of forest in Northern Ireland covering over 8,500 hectares. The Forest showcases a landscape rich in limestone features, which is of great importance to the Geopark.

The most intriguing feature in the forest is the tranquil Lough Formal, sitting at 240m above sea level providing a great location for taking in the views of the hills Formal More and Formal Beg which flank the western shore of the lake.

Facilities: car parking, interpretation, picnic area and Lough Formal Walk.

Getting Here

Carrigan Forest

  • Main Car Park
  • Doagh Road
  • Doagh Glebe
  • Fermanagh
  • Northern Ireland
  • BT93 6
  • Main Car Park
  • Doagh Road
  • Doagh Glebe
  • Fermanagh
  • Northern Ireland
  • BT93 6
  • 54.4132531, -7.9267825

Lough Formal Walking Trail

  • Distance: 7 miles / 11km
  • Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Grade: Moderate
  • Terrain: All types, mostly forest track with unsurfaced path to Formal More
  • Route: Anti-clockwise circular
  • Wheelchair accessible: No
  • Map: Discoverer Series OSNI Sheet 17 Lower Lough Erne; Activity Map OSNI Upper and Lower Lough Erne
  • Dogs: Dogs must be kept under control and waste disposed of

The first part of the walk passes through a corridor of forest before opening up to reveal the tranquil shores of Lough Formal. Continue along the shoreline of Lough Formal and you will link onto a grassy path, which leads onwards up a slope of heather and sandstone boulders to the top of Formal More. From here stunning views of Lough Melvin, Donegal Bay and Cuilcagh Mountain can be enjoyed.

After re-joining the main track, retrace your steps along the lake and by turning right you can follow the course of the Roogagh River. This takes you deep into the forest before emerging onto the hill path that displays fine views of the rocky pinnacles of Big Dog and Little Dog.

Carrigan Forest Lough Formal Walk    Map

Heritage

Lough Formal is a small mountain lake that sits astride a fault (or crack) in the Earth`s crust. No longer active, this fault moved two very different rock types (limestone and sandstone) beside each other and these now make up the bed of the lake. The lake is fed by a resurgence (spring) which lies on its South western shores and this freshwater lake provides a sheltered area for wintering wildfowl, such as mute swans.

Big Dog and Little Dog are two distinctive hills made up of a resistant limestone that originally formed over 340 million years ago as a mound of lime-mud at the bottom of an ancient seafloor when at the time the island of Ireland was covered by a shallow tropical sea.

Discover Nearby Geosites

Ely Lodge Forest

Ely Lodge Forest

Blaney, Fermanagh

The forest extends over 250 hectares and is a delightful mixture of both native ...

0.18 miles
Big Dog Forest

Big Dog Forest

Scribbagh, Fermanagh

Big Dog Forest, cloaked largely with conifers, dotted with open stretches of upl...

1.84 miles
Monea Castle

Monea Castle

Enniskillen, Fermanagh

A stunning site, giving visitors views of one of the largest and best preserved ...

2.29 miles
Lough Navar Forest

Lough Navar Forest

Church Hill, Fermanagh

A spectacular forest extends across 2,600 hectares of bog; heath; open water; na...

3.02 miles
Devenish Island

Devenish Island

Enniskillen, Fermanagh

The early Christian Monastery and round tower at Devenish is one of Ireland’s mo...

4.7 miles
Tully Castle

Tully Castle

Church Hill, Fermanagh

Nestled on the shores of Lower Lough Erne, are the impressive remains of a forti...

4.95 miles
Castle Archdale Forest

Castle Archdale Forest

Drumshane, Fermanagh

A 520 hectare mixed broadleaved and coniferous lowland forest located on the sho...

7.36 miles
Ballintempo Forest

Ballintempo Forest

Aghanaglack, Fermanagh

The forest is strewn with outcrops of rocky crags and upland lakes including th...

7.45 miles
Belmore Forest

Belmore Forest

Coolarkan, Fermanagh

Belmore Forest offers something for everyone: breath-taking views, local wildlif...

7.75 miles
Castle Caldwell Forest

Castle Caldwell Forest

Leggs, Fermanagh

An outstanding site, both for its peninsular position on the shores of Lower Lo...

8.82 miles

Distances are from Carrigan Forest