Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: DrMonkFish on April 06, 2011
-
Firstly guys and gals. Thanks for a great website and forum, I have been lurking about awhile and have really enjoyed the posts and reading through the archives.
I have been thinking of a trip down to Cuilcagh in fermangh. The plan being to park at the Marble Arch Caves, make the walk along to Cuilcagh itself. Camp up at the bottom (beside Lough Atona perhaps), and then hit the peak before camping up for the night. Does anyone know if it's possible to park overnight at Marble Arch and how safe it is? And would anyone have any idea of the water quality in Atona?
Thanks.
V.
-
Welcome Doctor :)
I've never camped in Fermanagh, not sure why but it's never been floated as an idea. So I have no idea where is suitable to camp safely (without permissions issues) or park securely. I'd be interested to hear though, it's a lovely part of the world!
-
Hello and welcome
Not a part of the country i'm familiar with either sorry.
-
Hey. Welcome, there are 2 people on her that would beable to help you. Drongo and CaptianRocky. The are both cavers and spend alot of time in that area.
-
Hi...
You can't normally park overnight in Marble Arch, although they are reasonable folk so a phonecall might get you permission and it certainly would be the safest place to park overnight...
One of my friends cars got broken into last week while he had a group caving, parked in the same place as we did the time I took the NI-Wild folks into the wet cave...
Screwdriver job, took everything, including clothes, trainers, phone charger, car mats and seat covers...!!!
-
Also, not sure what you want to know about water quality in the lough...?
Certainly good enough to swim in, not sure about drinking direct from it though....?
I've drank from the Aghinrawn though, quite far down as well and I'm still alive, though I'm quite a hardy fool so it's up to you to take the usual precautions...
-
There's a couple of places you can park and camp around there. If you go to http://www.cladaghglen.com/ (http://www.cladaghglen.com/) then you can lock the gates behind you. Never been broken into there and it's about 20 mins walk from Marble Arch caves along the glen. Other options are the car park in the forestry at Florencecourt house or the quarry on the hill off the Swanlinbar road http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.219382,-7.741108&spn=0.042807,0.081453&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.219382,-7.741108&panoid=LumX93Zjq_uR9zeg0nMj6w&cbp=12,90.33,,0,0 (http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.219382,-7.741108&spn=0.042807,0.081453&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.219382,-7.741108&panoid=LumX93Zjq_uR9zeg0nMj6w&cbp=12,90.33,,0,0) but that gives you a much shorter walk to the top of Cuilcagh unless you're planning to walk a loop down to Florencecourt and back.
HTH
-
KKA, when you say about parking at Cladagh Glen do you mean in the Scout centre that is linked or somewhere in the wider Glen? Does the Scout centre permit parking or charge a fee?
As I said before, I'd like to go down there soon and don't know the area well at all.
-
It's at the scout centre which is just as you arrive at the glen. It's public access with a public car park at the road and locked gates with a stile. Give Davy a ring, his mobile is on the website. If you get a funny ring-tone leave it until tomorrow - he's in Spain golfing and I'm not sure if he's back yet. The scout bit has a campsite, a fire pit, a water tap, car park and a hut if you really need it.
I know it's dirt cheap for camping for scout groups but not sure what the fee is for non-scout-y people. It's definitely not dear 'cause I was at a meeting on Tuesday where they were talking about whether to put it up or not. It's a couple of pounds for scouts per person.
-
I feel a Fermanagh camp coming on. I could do with a change of scenery.
-
Let me know where and when :)