Cuilcagh

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.[6] 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'".[7] It has also been called Slieve Cuilcagh in English,[8] '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).[9][10] 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).

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.[11]

The Cuilcagh Mountain Park was opened by Fermanagh District Council in 1998.[12]

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.[13] The popularity of the trail has led to concerns over the ability of the area to handle the increased visitors to the trail.[14]

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.[15][16]

• 
  View from the summit
• 
  Benaughlin viewed from South Fermanagh with Cuilcagh on left
• 
  Boardwalk section of "Stairway to Heaven"

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cuilcagh Mountain.

• Sliabh Beagh
• Lists of mountains in Ireland
• Lists of mountains and hills in the British Isles
• List of P600 mountains in the British Isles
• List of Marilyns in the British Isles
• List of Hewitt mountains in England, Wales and Ireland

• Brown, Leslie (2005). Inception and subsequent development of conduits in the Cuilcagh karst, Ireland (doctoral). Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. Retrieved 29 July 2012.

• Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail, WalkNI (2018)
• Ireland's own "Stairway to Heaven" (Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail, Irish Independent (April 2017)
• Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Boarded Mountain Trail, Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark (July 2015)