Cuilcagh Boardwalk opened in 2015 and with the power of social media it is now one of the top things to do in Ulster. The Cuilcagh Mountain trail is a linear route which will appeal to walkers with some experience walking in the hills. The Cuilcagh Boardwalk is 1.6km in length and is located at the end of a 5.8km limestone gravel track. The route is quite isolated and showcases the scenic wilderness of Cuilcagh Mountain.
The trail meanders along a quiet farmland track before traversing a wooden boardwalk that consists of a steady climb to the mountain face. Here a stepped boardwalk climbs through steep terrain and boulder fields before reaching a summit plateau. This boardwalk was constructed in order to protect the rare and sensitive blanket bog habitat that stretches here as far as the eye can see.
A rough mountain path negotiates the wild summit plateau for a few kilometres before reaching an ancient cairn (the remains of a burial mound dating from the Bronze Age 2,500-500 BC) that stand at 666 meters (2,182 ft) above sea level. On a good day you’ll enjoy 360 degree views of the Sligo Mountains, Upper Lough Erne, The Atlantic Ocean as well as counties Cavan, Leitrim and Donegal.
The ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is less than 40 minutes drive from Hotel Kilmore .
How long does Stairway to Heaven take? It takes about 2 hours to reach the summit of the Cuilcagh Mountain walk. Once you reach the top of the boardwalk there are two possible ways to hike down the Mountain, both varying in lenght.
The quickest and easiest way, is to return in the same direction as you hiked up, along the boardwalk. A round trip up and down the boardwalk is 14.8 kilometres and takes a little under 4 hours to complete.
The Second option would involve returning via the Ulster Way walking route, this route consists of 20km in total, taking 5 to 7 hours to complete.
