Cuilcagh

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Mountain in Ireland

title: "Cuilcagh" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mountains-and-hills-of-county-fermanagh", "mountains-and-hills-of-county-cavan", "marilyns-of-ireland", "ramsar-sites-in-northern-ireland", "republic-of-ireland–united-kingdom-border", "international-mountains-of-europe", "highest-points-of-irish-counties", "mountains-under-1000-metres", "karst"] description: "Mountain in Ireland" topic_path: "geography/ireland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuilcagh" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Mountain in Ireland ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]

FieldValue
nameCuilcagh
native_namega
photoThe Ulster Way to Cuilcagh - geograph-3762609.jpg
photo_captionNorthern slopes
elevation_m666
elevation_ref
prominence_m570
prominence_ref
listingCounty Top (Cavan and Fermanagh), P600, Marilyn, Hewitt
translation"calcareous/chalky peak"
pronunciation

| | location | County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and County Cavan, Republic of Ireland | | map | Northern Ireland | | map_relief | yes | | map_caption | Location in Ulster | | coordinates | | | grid_ref_Ireland | H123280 | | topo | OSi Discovery 26 | | easiest_route | Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail (Stairway to Heaven) | | embedded | {{Designation list | | embed | yes | | designation1 | Ramsar | | designation1_offname | Cuilcagh Mountain | | designation1_date | 31 December 1998 | | designation1_number | 968}} | ::

| name = Cuilcagh | native_name = ga | photo = The Ulster Way to Cuilcagh - geograph-3762609.jpg | photo_caption = Northern slopes | elevation_m = 666 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 570 | prominence_ref = | parent_peak = | range = | listing = County Top (Cavan and Fermanagh), P600, Marilyn, Hewitt | translation = "calcareous/chalky peak" | pronunciation =

| location = County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and County Cavan, Republic of Ireland | map = Northern Ireland | map_relief = yes | map_caption = Location in Ulster | coordinates = | grid_ref_Ireland = H123280 | topo = OSi Discovery 26 | easiest_route = Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail (Stairway to Heaven) | embedded = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_offname = Cuilcagh Mountain | designation1_date = 31 December 1998 | designation1_number = 968}} Cuilcagh () is a mountain on the border between County Fermanagh (in Northern Ireland) and County Cavan (in the Republic of Ireland). With a height of 666 m it is the highest point in both counties. It is also the 170th highest peak on the island of Ireland, and Ireland's only cross-border county top. Water from the southern slope flows underground until it emerges some miles away in the Shannon Pot, the traditional source of the River Shannon. The area is sometimes referred to as the Cuilcagh Mountains.

Naming

The name Cuilcagh comes from the Irish Cuilceach, which has been translated as "chalky". However, the mountain is mainly sandstone and shale, covered with bog and heather. The cliff-edged summit surface of the mountain is formed from the hard-wearing Lackagh Sandstone which itself overlies the Briscloonagh Sandstone. "It is possible that the name refers to the limestone rock on the lower northern flanks, namely the Glencar and Dartry Limestone formations. Here a number of streams disappear below ground at swallow holes named Cats Hole, Pollawaddy, Pollasumera and Polliniska, all forming part of the Marble Arch cave system. If so, the name would mean 'calcareous' rather than 'chalky. It has also been called Slieve Cuilcagh in English, 'Slieve' being an anglicisation of Sliabh ("mountain").

In the 1609 Plantation of Ulster, Cuilcagh formed part of lands which were granted to John Sandford of Castle Doe by letters patent dated 7 July 1613 (Pat. 11 James I – LXXI – 38, Quilkagh). It was later sold by Sandford to his wife's uncle Toby Caulfeild, 1st Baron Caulfeild, Master of the Ordnance and Caulfield had the sale confirmed by letters patent of 12 July 1620 (Pat. 19 James I. XI. 45, Quilkagh).

Nature

The Cuilcagh area supports a rich assemblage of upland insects, and is one of the most important sites in Ireland for these species. Species recorded include the water beetles Agabus melanarius, Agabus arcticus, Dytiscus lapponicus, Stictotarsus multilineatus, Hydroporus longicornis and Hydroporus morio and the water bugs Glaenocorisa propinqua and Callicorixa wollastoni. Lough Atona is the main locality for these species.

Conservation

The Cuilcagh Mountain Park was opened by Fermanagh District Council in 1998.

Ramsar site

The Cuilcagh Mountain Ramsar site (wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention), is 2744.45 hectares in area, at latitude 54 13 26 N and longitude 07 48 17 W. It was designated a Ramsar site on 31 December 1998.

Geopark

Main article: Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark

In 2001 the Cuilcagh Mountain Park was joined with popular tourist attraction the Marble Arch Caves and the Cladagh Glen Nature Reserve to make one of the first UNESCO-recognised European Geoparks. This became a Global Geopark in 2004. In September 2008 the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark was expanded into County Cavan, making it the world's first transnational cross-border Geopark. The Geopark is protected and managed by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council through the staff of the Marble Arch Caves Visitor Centre.

Boardwalk trail{{anchor|Boardwalk trail}}

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Cuilcagh,Fermanagh-_33673326901.jpg" caption="Near top of the "Stairway to Heaven", looking back down the trail"] ::

In 2015, the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail or Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail (also called "The Stairway to Heaven") was opened up to preserve and protect the underlying peatland bog from erosion; however, the trail led to a dramatic rise in visitors to Cuilcagh from circa 3,000 per annum to over 60,000. The popularity of the trail has led to concerns over the ability of the area to handle the increased visitors to the trail.

Starting from the Legnabrocky Car Park (paid parking), the trail is over 6 kilometres long to the top (or over 7 kilometres starting from the nearby Marble Arch Caves car park). The first 5 kilometres are on a wide undulating gravel track, while the final kilometre involves climbing 450 wooden steps to a viewing gallery at the top of the route (which is close to the top of Cuilcagh mountain itself). Walkers are advised to allow 2.5–3.5 hours to complete the full 12–14 kilometre round-trip journey.

Gallery

File:Cuilcagh, Fermanagh - 33673332691.jpg|View from the summit File:Cuilcagh & Benaughlin in November 07.jpg|Benaughlin viewed from South Fermanagh with Cuilcagh on left File:Cuilcagh, Fermanagh - 33762156926.jpg|Boardwalk section of "Stairway to Heaven"

References

References

  1. "Cuilcagh/Cuilcagh Mountains". [[MountainViews Online Database]].
  2. "Cuilcagh Mountain".
  3. "Place Names NI - Home".
  4. "Cuilcagh". Mountainviews.ie.
  5. John G. O'Dwyer. (26 November 2019). "Blow off the Christmas cabin-fever with a walk for the season". [[The Irish Times]].
  6. "GSNI GeoIndex".
  7. Tempan, Paul. [http://mountainviews.ie/features/names/List2010/MVHillList09.pdf Irish Hill and Mountain Names]. MountainViews.ie.
  8. Fullarton, A. (1856). "A Gazetteer of the World: Volume 3". [[Royal Geographical Society]].
  9. (1800). "Calendar of the Patent Rolls of the Chancery of Ireland".
  10. (4 August 1872). "Calendar of the state papers, relating to Ireland, of the reign of James I. 1603-1625. Preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office, and elsewhere". London, Longman.
  11. "Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in Northern Ireland". Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
  12. "Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark – IRELAND". [[European Geoparks Network]].
  13. Andrea Smith. (2 May 2017). "Why this 'Stairway to Heaven' in Ireland has become a social media star". [[Lonely Planet]].
  14. Chris McCullough. (29 April 2017). "How Fermanagh's amazing 'stairway to heaven' has become a victim of its own success". [[Belfast Telegraph]].
  15. "The Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail (Stairway to Heaven): Route Information".
  16. Mark McConville. (17 April 2019). "WATCH: Ireland's very own Stairway to Heaven! Weekend walk, anyone?". [[Irish Independent]].

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mountains-and-hills-of-county-fermanaghmountains-and-hills-of-county-cavanmarilyns-of-irelandramsar-sites-in-northern-irelandrepublic-of-ireland–united-kingdom-borderinternational-mountains-of-europehighest-points-of-irish-countiesmountains-under-1000-metreskarst