MARBLE ARCH CAVES GEOPARK
Underground River Caverns of Fermanagh and Cavan
The entrance to the extensive underground caverns of Marble Arch are
in the Northern Ireland County of Fermanagh but in a curious bit of geology
which acknowledges no political distinctions extend under the earth into
Cavan County of the Republic of Ireland. The caves, first discovered
by modern man in 1895 by a French “Speleologist” Eduoard
Martel and naturalist Lyster Jameson, which hide underneath the rugged
and wild hills and lowlands forming the border of two countries united
by a common language and history are listed as a UNESCO geologic heritage
site and is the world’s first international site of its kind.
The Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark allows visitors to tour the incredible
natural world of an underground river with waterfalls, winding tight
rocky passages and open chambers of hauntingly beautiful stalactite formations.
The group tours last about an hour and fifteen minutes commencing from
the Marble Arch Visitors Center. The tours with young enthusiastic guides,
explore the cascades of milky calcite walls and delicate wavering fragile
mineral veils. The tour features a boat ride along the subterranean river
like a journey across the Styx and back. See if you can spot the sleeping
giant troll in the rocks. The tour itself is not strenuous, but the climb
back up from underground requires
a good
bit
of stairs.
The
area around the Marble Arch Caves Visitor Center comprise dramatic cliffs
and rocky rugged landscape. On the Cavan County side are small
lakes formed from glacial hollows left from the ice age and the around
the Burren near the village of Blacklion can be found some rather fantastical
limestone neoliths. The Pollasumera cave is the largest in the Geopark
with a passage where the Owenbreen River flows into the cave. To the
north of the caves lies Fermanagh’s large Loch Erne with boating
and fishing possibilities. A visit to the Marble Arch caves can be easily
combined with the National Trust Georgian manor of Florence Court with
its Rhododendron groves just down the winding road toward the main highway
(see Castle
Coole and Florence Court).
Visiting Marble Arch Caves Geopark Fermanagh
The
Marble Arch Caves are open daily from March to September, closed in winter.
Tours operate from 10am to 5pm. Adult admission is £8.75
and kids £5.75, students and seniors £5.95. Reservations are
suggested during Bank Holidays and peak summer months. The above ground
Geopark sites are open all year and free to visit. The caves can sometimes
close after heavy rains when the water seeps underground so check ahead
if visiting in bad weather.
The visitor center with ample parking has
a restaurant, souvenir shop and an exhibition area with a minature model
map of the caverns, prehistoric animal bones, spelunking
exploration exhibits and interactive movie to keep you occupied while
waiting for
the tour to begin. The Marble Arch Caves are
located
about
a 25 minute
drive southwest from Enniskillen (see Enniskillen
Castle) or east from Carrick-on-Shannon
and a bit over 2 hours from Dublin. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Marble
Arch Geopark
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SEE
ALSO
DRIVING
SCENIC IRELAND WITH A RENTAL CAR
COOKING
HOLIDAYS IN IRISH CASTLES
BELLE ISLE COOKING SCHOOL & LODGINGS
