Overview
Two of Ireland’s underground records sit beneath this quiet Fermanagh parish: Reyfad Pot, the deepest cave system in the country, and Noon’s Hole, its deepest daylight shaft. Boho (pronounced “boh”, from Irish Botha, “huts”) is a hamlet and civil parish in the limestone uplands 11 km south-west of Enniskillen, on the edge of the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. Above ground it looks like ordinary farmland; the interest is mostly in what water has done to the rock, over and under it.
Three low mountains ring the parish – Belmore, Knockmore and Glenkeel – rising off the fields toward Lough Erne. The limestone beneath them, riddled with karst, fen meadow, heath and bog, gives Boho an unusual spread of habitats for so small a place.
History and heritage
Prehistoric monuments
The Reyfad Stones are a group of cup-and-ring-marked stones dating to the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, protected as a scheduled monument. Bronze Age Boho also produced a copper knife, now held in the Dublin collections. The rest of the parish’s early history is written in cairns and standing stones scattered across the hills.
The high cross
The Boho High Cross stands in the graveyard of the Church of Ireland church at Toneel North. Its weathered sandstone shaft carries medieval biblical carvings – Adam and Eve, and scenes from the life of Christ – and it was re-erected on its present base in 1832 when the church was built. It’s one of a small group of carved crosses in this corner of Fermanagh.
Caves and speleology
The rock under Boho is hollow. Three systems define the parish:
- Boho Caves: the sixth-longest cave system in Northern Ireland and the only jointly controlled caves in the region, protected as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI 144). Daubenton’s bats roost in the Upper Ravine Cave – around fifty of them – alongside the rare water beetle Agabus biguttatus.
- Reyfad Pot: the deepest cave system in Ireland, on the hills above the hamlet.
- Noon’s Hole: Ireland’s deepest daylight shaft, a black slot dropping off the slopes of Knockmore. You can see it from the surface; getting into it is for qualified cavers only.
One hard safety fact governs all of them: they flood, and fast. The Boho Caves can fill to the roof in under an hour after heavy rain. This is not casual caving country – go with a licensed guided trip or not at all.
Walking and wildlife
Above ground the walking is gentler than the geology suggests. Belmore Forest blankets the slopes of Belmore Mountain with marked trails, from short family loops to the climb to the summit. The Knockmore ridge is the tougher option, with craggy cliffs and lime-loving mountain plants; the Glenkeel side is boggier and flatter, better for a stroll than a slog.
The mix of limestone grassland, fen, heath and bog packs a lot of life into a small area – it’s the range of habitats, more than any single headline species, that brings botanists here. Daubenton’s bats are the reliable wildlife sighting, flickering over the water at dusk on guided cave evenings.
Practical information
- Location and access: Boho lies about 11 km (7 miles) south-west of Enniskillen. By car, take the A4 (Sligo Road) west to Letterbreen, then turn onto the Boho Road (B192) for the hamlet. Free parking at the village centre and the Belmore Forest car park.
- Guided caving: local adventure groups run summer trips into the Boho and Reyfad systems, usually booked through the Marble Arch Caves Visitor Centre or Fermanagh Lakelands. Book well ahead, and expect a dry-weather-only window.
- Food and accommodation: the 18th-century Linnet Inn has long been the local pub; ring ahead, as opening in a hamlet this size can’t be assumed. A scattering of B&Bs and self-catering cabins lie around the parish.
- Safety: mountain weather turns quickly, so waterproofs and sturdy footwear are essential. Caving needs a helmet, headlamp and proper clothing, all provided on guided tours. Never enter a shaft or a flooded passage alone.
- Facilities: minimal – bring what you need.
For a short visit, skip the caves – you can’t get into most of them without a guide and the right kit anyway – and walk up through Belmore Forest for the view over the Fermanagh lakes, with the Reyfad Stones a short detour on the way. Check the forecast first: a wet week turns the whole karst into a drain.