Belvedere House sits on the western shore of Lough Ennell, about 5 km south of Mullingar, and is one of the more enjoyable country houses in the Irish Midlands to visit. The house itself is a modest but elegant hunting lodge built around 1740, attributed to Richard Castle. The pleasure grounds that surround it are the main draw: terraced gardens run down to the lake shore, and the walled garden has been restored to a high standard.
The notorious "Jealous Wall" — a Gothic folly on the estate boundary — is the most discussed feature, though the gardens and the lakeside setting would merit a visit without it. Belvedere is open year-round, with reduced hours in winter; there's a tearoom in the outbuildings. The lakeside walk from the house is flat and accessible, and on a clear day the views across Lough Ennell toward the Westmeath hills are memorable.