Cavan Burren Park

Useful Information

Location:	Burren, Blacklion, Co. Cavan. (54.2649844, -7.8884406)
Open:	Winter daily 8-17. Spring daily 8-19. Summer daily 7-22. Autumn daily 8-18. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Doline Dry Valley Karst Trail
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=10 km.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Cavan Burren Park, Tel: +353-71-985-3941. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1998	Cuilcagh Mountain Park set up by the Fermanagh District Council to protect unaffected areas of the blanket bog and increase awareness of this rare habitat.
2001	Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark created.
2008	Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark becomes a UNESCO Global Geopark.
MAY-2014	Cavan Burren Park opened to the public.

Description

The Cavan Burren Park is located on a limestone plateau at a height around 295 m asl at the foot of the shadow of Cuilcagh Mountain (666 m asl). It is both a geotope and an archaeological hotspt. The limestone was formed in a shallow tropical sea around 340 Ma ago during the Lower Carboniferous. Today the limestone is karstified with dry valleys, underground drainage, dolines and ponors. 13,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age, huge boulders of sandstone were deposited by the melting glaciers on the limestone bedrock. These rocks are called Glacial Erratics and the park has a lot of them. Protecting the limestone below from rainwater, they now sit on pedestals of limestone, which is pretty distinctive. The area was most likely frequented by nomadic hunters since the ice was gone, but they left no trace. But around 4,500 BC the first settlers arrived in the area. Farming is the definition of the Neolithic, so this marks the neolithic era, or the Celtic era. They cleared forests and crated settlements, built stone circles and tombs. This place with its bare karst must have fascinated them as much as it does us today, so there are numerous magnificent archaeological monuments in this samll area.

The archaeological remains include Giant’s Grave wedge tomb, the Tullygobban Tomb, the Calf House Dolmen Tomb, the Promontory Fort, and the remains of old field walls. There are a Druidical Altar, ring forts, and even lime kilns. The geological sights include the Legnaveagh Sinkhole, numerous dolines, and the Tullygobban Lough which is obviously a thurlough. Another sight is the Tullygobban Viewpoint at the summit of the Burren (269 m asl).

Two young giants, Lugh and Lag, challenged each other to jump a gorge in order to show off to a female giant. Unfortunately, Lag fell to his death, and the gorge was hence named the Giant’s Leap.

The park was opened to the public in 2014. It is a part of the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark The park has a central car park, interpretative center and five walking trails which lead to geological and archaeological sights. The park is freely accessible, the visitor center is open daily. However, it makes no sense to visit the park during the night.

The Calf House Dolmen Trail includes the Tulygobbin Wedge Tomb, Tullygobbin viewpoint, Lost Valley viewpoint, Calf-House dolmen tomb, old farmstead, glacial erratics, karren fields, dolines and sinkholes. With a length of 1.3 km and an elevation gain of 25 m this trail offers probably the most spectacular sites of the park in a 30-minute walk. The other walks are a little longer, up to 3 km long. The site requires no special equipment, but these are hiking trails, so you should wear hiking clothes, walking shoes, sun protection, and a raincoat, probably have a look at the weather report.