Florence Court

Florence Court is a Georgian mansion in West Fermanagh, below Benaughlin mountain, home to the Cole family and their staff for more than 250 years. Guided tours tell their stories, and the estate is one of the finest examples of a self-sufficient Irish demesne, with a water-powered sawmill, a blacksmith's forge and 10 miles of trails in the adjoining forest park. The original Irish Yew, mother plant of every Irish yew in the world, is some 250 years old, and the kitchen garden is being restored to its 1930s character. Children get a play area and bike hire; dogs are welcome across the estate. Reviewers praise the guides, the gardens and woodland walks, and the Stables tea-room. Tips from visitors: house tours are booked on arrival at the visitor centre, so secure a slot before setting off on the trails; the tour involves stairs, with a video alternative in the tea-room.