The Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail also nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven Walk is located in Co. Fermanagh. The route meanders through one of the largest expanses of blanket bog in Northern Ireland, traversing over tracks, boardwalk and staircase. A steep climb is required to reach the viewing platform on Cuilcagh Mountain which provides breath taking views of the surrounding low lands.
Walking Cuilcagh Boardwalk
Follow the Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail through a fascinating limestone landscape, often referred to as “The Fertile Rock” due to its flower rich pastures. Visible along the trail you will see abandoned Irish cottages, dry stone walls and potato cultivation ridges (“lazy beds”) all remnants of Ireland’s past heritage. Continue along the gravel vehicle track the landscape starts to change to blanket bog where the unmistakable, flat-topped ridge of Cuilcagh Mountain is visible in the horizon. In the spring, an abundance of bog cotton carpets the bog in a blanket of white, while in late summer the purple moor grass glistens with shades of red and purple.
The habitat on Cuilcagh Mountain is very sensitive to the footfall of walkers and the boardwalk was constructed to prevent walkers from damaging the protected blanket bog. It is important to stay to the designated path in order to protect this beautiful habitat for future generations.