Cuilcagh

Cuilcagh is a mountain on the border between County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland and County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. It reaches 666 metres and is the highest point in both counties. Water from its southern slope travels underground before emerging at the Shannon Pot, the traditional source of the River Shannon. The mountain’s summit is formed from hard-wearing sandstone, while limestone on the northern flanks gives way to swallow holes that feed the Marble Arch cave system. Known as Binn Chuilceach in Irish, the name may refer to limestone rather than chalk. In the 17th century it was granted to John Sandford and later sold to Toby Caulfeild, whose family confirmed the grant. The area supports rare upland insects and is one of Ireland’s most important sites for such species. Lough Atona is the main locality for water beetles and water bugs found nowhere else in Ireland. Cuilcagh was also the birthplace of the Irish Yew tree, from which all cultivated Irish Yews descend. The mountain and its surroundings became a Ramsar site in 1998 for their wetland importance. In 2001 Cuilcagh Mountain Park joined the Marble Arch Caves and Cladagh Glen to form one of Europe’s first UNESCO-recognised Geoparks. A boardwalk trail opened in 2015 to protect the peatland from erosion. The route climbs 450 wooden steps to a viewing gallery near the summit. Starting from Legnabrocky Car Park, the trail covers over six kilometres to the top and takes two and a half to three and a half hours for the round trip. The final kilometre rises steeply, offering wide views across the surrounding countryside. The trail’s popularity has raised concerns about managing increased visitor numbers. The area remains a protected landscape within the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark.