Overview
Marble Arch Geopark is really three landscapes in one: an underground river cave you tour by boat, a wooded gorge under a natural limestone arch, and a forest where a river drops into a cave over a 12-metre waterfall. It straddles the border below Cuilcagh Mountain, across County Fermanagh and County Cavan, and was rebranded the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark in 2021. The headline draw is the Marble Arch Caves, the most active river showcave in Ireland or the UK, but the free walks around it are reason enough to come, and the visitor centre near Enniskillen makes a good base for the border country.
History and geology
The limestone and sandstone here were laid down more than 340 million years ago in shallow tropical seas. People came to the caves much later: they were first surveyed in 1895 by the French speleologist Édouard Martel, and the show cave opened to visitors in 1985. The area was named one of Europe’s first geoparks in 2001 and later recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, and it became a cross-border park jointly managed by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council and Cavan County Council.
Marble Arch Caves
The guided tour is a 75-minute trip that opens with a boat ride along the underground river and continues on lit walkways past stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone, with guides filling in the geology as you go. It is not fully wheelchair-accessible — there are 154 steps and uneven ground below — but the visitor centre can advise on what’s possible. The show cave closes each year from November to February, and booking ahead is strongly advised in season. Full detail, prices and tour times are on the Marble Arch Caves page.
Cladagh Glen
A linear trail of about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) runs through one of Northern Ireland’s best-preserved ash woodlands, climbing a set of wooden steps to the natural limestone arch that gives the caves their name, where the Cladagh River re-emerges from underground. In spring the woodland floor fills with bluebells, wood anemone and primroses, and red squirrels, pine martens and dippers all use the river corridor. The path ends at the visitor centre, so you can go straight from the gorge to the cave.
One caveat: as of July 2026 the Cladagh Glen reserve is closed until further notice. Check the official site before setting out. There’s more on the dedicated Cladagh Glen page.
Belmore Forest and Pollnagollum Cave
On the slopes of Belmore Mountain (401m), forest trails open out over Boho, Lower Lough Erne and the Brougher Mountain masts. The draw is Pollnagollum (‘hole of the doves’), a cave entered under a 12-metre waterfall that pours over limestone before disappearing underground — most dramatic after rain, and viewed from a wooden platform. The looped forest walk also passes a Neolithic cairn; see the Belmore Forest page for routes.
Wildlife and flora
The park’s mix of habitats is unusually rich. Ancient woodland shelters red squirrels, pine martens, dippers and the odd otter; spring brings bluebells, wood anemone, primroses and wild garlic; the limestone cliffs carry mountain avens and other lime-loving plants, and the rivers hold salmon and trout.
Planning your visit
- Getting there: the main access point is the Marble Arch Caves visitor centre at 43 Marlbank Road, Enniskillen, BT92 1EW. Free parking for cars and campervans; the centre has accessible toilets, a café, an exhibition and a gift shop.
- Public transport: a summer bus runs daily from Enniskillen Bus Centre to the caves, 1 July to 31 August; otherwise you’ll need a car.
- Access underground: the cave tour is not wheelchair-accessible; the Cladagh Glen and Belmore Forest trails have steep steps and uneven ground.
- When to go: the woodland walks are best in late spring or early autumn, when the flora is at its peak and river flows are steady. Cave tours need advance booking, especially at weekends; the trails are free.
Nearby attractions
- Cuilcagh Mountain Park – the Cuilcagh Boardwalk (‘Stairway to Heaven’) and its views over the lakelands.
- Cavan Burren Park – megalithic tombs and limestone pavement just across the border.
- Florence Court – an 18th-century house and estate a short drive away.
- Devenish Island – a monastic island on Lough Erne with a round tower.
For the best day, walk Cladagh Glen first (when it’s open) to beat the crowds, then head underground for the cave tour and finish with a coffee at the visitor centre.