Going Underground in Fermanagh

I have the most amazing place to tell you about, and it’s not far from Sligo at all, but it’s like visiting another world! Imagine visiting a place that’s over 340 million years old! You can do just that when you visit the Marble Arch Caves.

The caves are located between Blacklion and Enniskillen and are set in the Cuilcagh Mountain. The Marble Arch Caves are a walking tour like no other, as you make your way along the Owenbrean River, around ninety-four metres underground!

My guide for my tour was the lovely Keelan, she was friendly and knowledgeable, and as I visited on a cold and frosty morning, I was the only one on the tour! This was great for me as I was able to stop to take photos along the way, and I could ask Keelan random questions, like do animals ever get into the caves.

The answer is that occasionally trout and frogs get in, but there’s no food source for them, so the staff release them back to the river above ground. There are also bats too, but they don’t go into the show caves because of the lighting.

This is actually my 4th time to visit the caves, and it won’t be my last because I’m really hoping to get the boat tour which is at the end of the walking tour, every time I’ve been so far the water levels have been too high for the boat to run. You get a partial refund of your ticket price when that happens, and honestly, it’s worth taking the tour regardless of the boat.

On your tour you will hear all about the discovery of the caves, and learn about stalactites and stalagmites, you will also see cave cauliflower, cave bacon, and even an elephant and the guardian angel. I’m not going to tell you all about the tour because I don’t want to spoil it for it. It really is something that you need to experience for yourself.

The staff in the visitor centre are friendly and helpful, there’s an information video that you can watch to tell you more about the area, and there’s even a Virtual Reality tour for a small additional free. The caves are a steady 10 degrees, so it was warmer underground on the day that I visited.

Marble Arch Caves host events during the year, including yoga and sound baths in the caves! There are also lovely events for all the family, including a fairy trail in the forest, and an event where the river turns green! Find out all what’s on here.