A major focus of scenic interest in County Cavan is the complex of tiny lakes which riddle the north of the county. They're known collectively as Lough Oughter and form part of Upper Lough Erne. The land here is so fretted with water that its very fabric seems to be disintegrating. Contours are provided by very low, unassuming hills while the waters are edged with reeds, spindly silver birch and alder. Everything is on a small scale, but the landscape has a subtle attraction nonetheless, and the roads making their way through the labyrinthine network of lakes are quiet and empty. It makes little sense to head for a particular point in Lough Oughter - it's hard to tell when you've got there anyway - and the best plan is probably just to enjoy the gentle confusion.

The nicest of the little towns serving visitors, especially those interested in fishing, are Cavan town itself and, ten miles north, Belturbet. In between, just four miles north of Cavan, there's also the pretty village of BUTLERSBRIDGE, with a popular bar, The Derragarra Inn - touristy but serving good food throughout the day, with traditional music (Thurs). BELTURBET itself sits prettily on a hill beside the River Erne and is an angling and boating resort with a marina and cruiser station. Weekly cruiser rental is available with Emerald Star Line, and you can sail from here and drop the boat off in Carrick-on-Shannon (tel 078/20234). On Yer Bike, based in Portruan, Belturbet, provides bike rental from Belturbet and Cavan town (tel 049/952 2219). For B&B, try Mrs. R. Hughes, 8 Church St (tel 049/952 2358; £33-40/?41.90-50.79), up behind the library, off the main road.

Heading round the lough there are a few sights of interest. About a mile south of Milltown, you'll find Drumlane Church and round tower. A monastery was founded here by St M'Aodhog in the sixth century, and Augustinians from Kells took the place over in medieval times. The church itself is plain and roofless, but it’s setting beside a lake, and its size in such an intimate landscape, are impressive. The earliest parts of the building are thirteenth century, but it was substantially altered in the fifteenth century, the period from which the carved heads outside the doorways and windows date. The round tower is eleventh century and of good, clean stonework.

Continuing south through KILLESHANDRA round the west side of Lough Oughter, bear right at the Arvagh signpost, then first right - it's difficult to reach without transport - to Mrs. Faris's Pighouse Collection , a quasi- folk museum at Corr House, Cornafean (ring 049/433 7248 to check that she's in; £3/?3.81). It's a huge accumulation of miscellaneous remnants of the past housed in a series of old barns. Much of Mrs. Faris's extraordinary collection, however, is now in the county museum in Ballyjamesduff and only some of the material here has so far been catalogued - the rest you rummage through and interpret for yourself. There's a vast and fascinating range of stuff here, including clothing from the eighteenth century onwards, coins, domestic utensils and a huge collection of porcelain cheese dishes. Killeshandra is also one of the few places to hear traditional music in the county: the Shamrock Inn has a session on a Saturday night and also does B&B (tel 049/433 4139; £33-40/?41.90-50.79).

The Protestant cathedral of KILMORE, on the R198 three miles southwest of Cavan town, is a modern structure of little interest. However, set in the wall is an impressive Romanesque doorway, removed here from a monastery that stood on Trinity Island, three miles to the west in Lough Oughter. Its deep, chunky carving is superbly intricate and repays detailed attention. Follow the narrow road that runs for about three miles north from here to the hamlet of Garthrotten, and you can enter Killykeen Forest Park, a self-catering complex with accommodation in wooden chalets (tel 049/433 2541). There is access to woodland walks and fishing, and horse riding is available at Killykeen Equestrian Centre (tel 049/436 1707).

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