Make a holiday rental home or holiday cottage in County Tyrone, Ireland your home away from home

County Tyrone is the largest county in Northern Ireland and the second largest of the nine counties in Ulster. Counties Armagh, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Monaghan and Donegal border County Tyrone. It is dominated by the Sperrin Mountains and tweed tinted heather moorland with lakes and leafy forest walks, perfect for hiking and many prehistoric sites. The counties main attraction is the captivating outdoor museum, the Ulster American Folk Park, which celebrates the historic links to the USA. Gaelic football is widely played and the Tyrone GAA is successful and much admired.

Places to Holiday in County Tyrone

County Tyrone is becoming a popular tourist destination, as visitors have learnt of its breathtaking scenery, Irish cottages, rural walks, cycle trails, angling, clay pigeon shooting, golf, horse riding, history and heritage and lively market towns. The area has a mixture of holiday accommodation but none really compare to the home comforts of a self-catering holiday cottage.

Rural cottages in the village of Gortin offer peace and tranquillity and are close to the tourist attraction of the Gortin Glen Forest Park, which has a five-mile drive with incredible views. Cottage holidays in the largest town Omagh are convenient for the Strule Arts Centre, which is Omagh District Council's hub for creativity, culture and arts. If you need a county map, then the tourist information office is in this building.

Cookstown is an area of outstanding natural beauty, east of Lough Neagh, which is the largest fresh water lake in the UK and the Beaghmore Stone Circles are a fascinating site at Sunset. Dungannon has acclaimed restaurants, Dungannon Park and the Dungannon Leisure Centre. Strabane has a different use for a special property, "The Cottage" is set in an idyllic location and offer alternative treatments for face and body, such as Hopi ear candle, Craniosacral therapy, reflexology and massages.

Things to do in County Tyrone

Holiday cottages allow you the freedom to explore without worrying what time you are expected to return to your hotel to eat. County Tyrone has many heritage sites and museums to visit including Donaghmore Heritage Centre, the Bog Museum in Coalisland, Blessingbourne Coach and Carriage Museum, Ardboe monastery, Errigal Keeroge monastery and Clogher monastery.

There are permanent orienteering courses at Lough Braden, Omagh Leisure centre, Gortin Glens Forest Park, Learmount, Castle Archdale, and Strabane Glen and golf clubs at Dungannon, Fintona, Cookstown, Newtonstewart, Omagh and Strabane. The best driving and walking tours include the Benburb Valley Eco Trail, Coalisland Canal Walk and the Parkanaur Forest Park Trail.

Tyrone Crystal at Killybrackey has a restaurant, guided tours and demonstrations of fine crystal blowing, marking, cutting and finishing. Silverbrook Mills at Donemana has restored flax, corn and sawmills on one site with a tearoom and gift shop. If you are looking for local produce to take back to your holiday cottage, then there is a farmers market in Dungannon on the first Saturday of the month and one in Strabane on the last Saturday of the month. For nightlife there are many clubs, pubs with entertainment and traditional Irish music and of course a pint of Guinness.

Weather in County Tyrone

All of Northern Ireland has a temperate maritime climate and the weather is unpredictable, although seasons are distinct.

Travel to County Tyrone

Belfast airports and ferry ports serve County Tyrone, as does Derry City airport. Ulster Bus operates throughout the county.