Geopark Fermanagh & Cavan Tours

I was delighted to attend OCN Level 2 Tour Guide Training recently run by Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark and the Lough Erne Landscape Partnership. This course was perfect for me as I love exploring Fermanagh and Cavan and learning about the geology, history and folklore of the Global Geopark in the area where I live.

A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there. A UNESCO definition of a global geopark is a unified area with a geological heritage of international significance.

As part of the course, all participants had to give a tour of their chosen site within the Geopark. This was amazing as I got to see different parts of Fermanagh and Cavan that I’ve never been to before and to learn all about them.

In total, ten tours were completed over two days and in the following section, I will give a short description of each site and let you know where you can find out more information about them.

1. Castle Coole

Our first tour was at Castle Coole in Enniskillen where Oonagh McAvinney gave us an excellent tour of the building. Castle Coole is a national trust property and one of the greatest neo-classical country houses in Ireland. Built in the 1790s the interior of the building is just as impressive as the exterior.

A highlight for me was a visit to the King’s Room which shows a snapshot in time of a room designed for King George IV in 1821. The 2nd Earl of Belmore commissioned furnishings fit for a King, but in the end, he failed to arrive.

For more information and to book a tour visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-coole

Photo courtesy of our trainer Collette McCafferty

2. Gortalughany Viewpoint

Our second tour took us 1000 feet above sea level to spectacular views from Gortalughany. Here, Angel Perez took us on a walk to look at the different geological formations in the area and the blanket bog leading up to Cuilcagh mountain. Angel is a sound engineer and has a particular interest in recording bird songs in this area.

I really enjoyed the story he told us about the mythical white horse or ‘copal ban’ of Benaughlin Mountain.

For more information on the site visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/gortalughany-viewpoint/

For more information on the work that Angel does visit: https://www.instagram.com/soundarkstudios/

3. Marble Arch Caves

For our third tour, we went underground where Sean Corrigan showed the Marble Arch Caves that were formed in limestone rock when water flowing through the rock slowly dissolved it away to leave the chambers, passages, and systems ideal for exploring.

As well as learning the difference between stalactites and stalagmites and how they are formed, it was great to hear that the local people and children have named the different formations based on what they look like.

For example, the photo here shows a cascading waterfall formation.

For more information and to book tours visit: https://marblearchcaves.co.uk/

4. Killykeegan Nature Reserve

Fiona Crudden brought us to Killykeegan Nature Reserve for our 4th tour and here she showed us some large stones with cup and ring marks made by people from the megalithic period.

It is not known exactly what these cup and ring marks are meant to represent but some think it might be a place where people from that time polished stone axes.

Fiona also showed us a circular animal enclosure and a Cashel from the stone age. In addition to these features, the landscape is very picturesque here with limestone hills and wooded hazel areas.

For more information on Killykeegan Nature Reserve visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/killykeeghan-nature-reserve/

5. Aghanaglack Court Tomb

Our fifth tour brought us to the Aghanaglack court tomb in Ballintempo forest where Joanne Knowles was able to tell us all about the people who would have built the structure and lived in the area during the neolithic period. This double court tomb has twin galleries set slightly askew to each other. The galleries are divided into two chambers separated by jambs and a low sill stone.

The remains of cremated children were found when this court tomb was excavated as well as animal bones, Neolithic bowls, flint implements, and a stone bead. In addition, two flint arrowheads that were found indicate some early Bronze Age activity here.

For more information visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/ballintempo-forest/

6. Cavan Burren Park

Andy King bought us to Cavan Burren Park for our sixth and final tour of day one. The Cavan Burren is located on a limestone plateau at a height of approx 295 meters under the shadow of Cuilcagh Mountain.

There he showed us the Giant’s Grave from the Neolithic period and told us the story of the Giant’s leap which was very entertaining.

He also pointed out a prehistoric chert extraction quarry, both chert and flint provided the main source of tools and weapons for Stone Age man.

For more information on Cavan Burren Park visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/cavan-burren-park/

7. Castle Caldwell

The first stop on day two of our tours was to Castle Caldwell and it was my turn to bring the course trainer and participants around the ruins of the estate.

I showed everyone the castle as it is now and a photo of how it would have looked in the early 1900s before the ruins became completely overgrown. I also told them about the two different families who owned the estate between 1610 and 1876, the Blennerhassets, and the Caldwells.

After this, we traveled to the old church ruins and graveyard on the estate where I told them a local ghost story and showed them the Caldwell vault.

For for information about Castle Caldwell forest visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/castle-caldwell-forest/

Photo courtesy of Fiona Crudden

8. World War II Flying Boats at Magho Viewpoint

Our eighth stop bought us to Magho Viewpoint in Navar Forest Park where Fiona Cathcart was able to tell us all about the flying boats from World War II.

From this spectacular viewpoint, you can see all the way from Castle Archdale in the East to Donegal Bay in the west with amazing views of Lough Erne and the countryside in between.

It was so interesting to hear about the different planes that were used to patrol the Atlantic and how they used to fly through the Donegal Corridor and out over the ocean from their base in Castle Archdale.

For more information on Magho Viewpoint visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/lough-navar-forest/

For more information on the World War II Flying Planes visit: https://www.castlearchdale.com/blog/18/world-war-ii-airbase

9. Aughakillymaude Community Association

Bronagh Lunney took us on a tour of the Aughakillymaude Community Association building in Knockninny for our ninth tour. This building was originally used as a schoolhouse where almost two hundred children used to fit into small two classrooms to be taught by a school master and mistress in the late 1800s.

The building also has a Mummers Centre with a great display of detailed mumming sculptures of Ireland and abroad on show. Bronagh was able to tell us about the different things that the Aughakillymaude Mummers get up to including reciting nonsensical mumming rhymes.

For more information about Aughakillymaude Community Association visit: https://www.facebook.com/AughakillymaudeCommunityAssociation/

10. Drumlane Monastic Site

Our tenth and final stop brought us to Drumlane Monastic Site where Suzanne Gunn gave us a tour of the abbey and round tower.

Sitting between Drumlane and Derrybrick Loughs this 6th Century monastery was founded by St. Mogue, the Bishop of Ferns.

The round tower is one of the most striking features of the site, standing over 11m high.

For more information about Drumlane Monastic Site visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/geosite/drumlane-abbey/

I really enjoyed everyone’s tour and I’ll definitely revisit each site again over the coming months. We have a staggering amount of beautiful places that are of geological and historic importance in the Geopark area which covers both Fermanagh and Cavan. Why not get out and about to explore some of these gems that the Geopark has to offer?

For more information on all the sites within the Geopark visit: https://cuilcaghlakelands.org/