What Cuilcagh Mountain rises to 665m, forming an upland island in the sea of bog that cloaks the border of Fermanagh and Cavan. It used to be an arduous undertaking to scale the mountain's flanks, but not anymore, thanks to what has become known as the 'Stairway to Heaven'. The out-and-back route begins with 4km of gravel track, which winds across the bog towards a precipitous wooden staircase. Climb the steps to gain a bird's-eye perspective over the flatlands below. Access to the summit itself is prohibited, but the views from the cliff top more than justify the effort.
Start/Finish at Cuilcagh Boardwalk car park
Getting there Follow signs for Marble Arch Caves from the A4/N16 Enniskillen-Blacklion road. The car park is located 300m west of the entrance to the caves.
Level Moderate to difficult -signed tracks and boardwalk with 550m ascent.
Length/Time 10km / 3-4 hours
Pack £5 or €6 to pay for the car park, plus extra time to combine the walk with a visit to nearby Marble Arch Caves.
Refuel at Marble Arch Caves visitor centre (marblearchcavesgeopark.com), where a suspended mannequin of a caver dangles overhead as you tuck into lunch.
Source: Irish Independent
Difficulty level: Extreme (93/100)
Length: 8.23 mi
Duration: 02h38
Total ascent: 1,552 ft
Maximal slope: 8.2 %
Average slope: 3.6 %
Net ascent: 0 ft
Total descent: 1,552 ft
Paved roads: 2.03 mi (25 %)
Cobblestones: 0 ft (0 %)
Car free roads: 7.79 mi (95 %)
Noise pollution
Amount of traffic
Natural area
Urban area
Water rich area
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