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Stairway to Heaven trail went down like a lead zeppelin initially but it's a hit now

A well-intentioned attempt to reduce erosion on the mountainside had actually increased it — until measures such as extra carparks were put in place
Stairway to Heaven trail went down like a lead zeppelin initially but it's a hit now

On The John Heaven' Walkers 'stairway Trails: To Fermanagh G & O'dwyer  Hikes In Picture:

Mon, 01 Apr, 2024 - 16:40
John G O’Dwyer

Ranked a modest 165 in stature among Irish mountains, Cuilcagh straddles counties Cavan and Fermanagh and forms part of the Marble Arch Caves, UNESCO Geopark. Not among Ireland's 'show-pony' uplands, it historically attracted just a few thousand annual ascents. However, a knock-on effect of this footfall was that a SAC (Special Area of Conservation) protecting an expanse of fragile blanket bog became eroded.

Various solutions — such as a plastic mesh covering the bogland or a stone and gravel path — were considered but eventually rejected for their environmental implications. Finally, a boardwalk and a 450-step wooden stairway were proposed for the Fermanagh side of the mountain. From an engineering point of view, this seemed the perfect solution for protecting the environment, as walkers would not now have any contact with the fragile mountainside. In truth, boardwalks and short staircases are not uncommon pieces of infrastructure on Irish trail walks, but this was on an entirely different scale.

Cuilcagh Boardwalk — also known as the 'Stairway to Heaven'
Cuilcagh Boardwalk — also known as the 'Stairway to Heaven'

From the outset, Mountaineering Ireland had reservations about the project. They expressed concerns that the structure was an out-of-proportion response to a modest amount of erosion and would be visually intrusive on a wilderness area. The boardwalk proposal was, however, accepted by the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency, and the structure was completed in 2015.

This appeared to end the matter until, in 2017, a video of the Boardwalk under the title 'Stairway to Heaven' went viral on YouTube.

Immediately, the unexpected ripple effects that sometimes arise from attempts to safeguard the upland environment became obvious. An avalanche of walkers and sightseers alighted on the area, as overnight the boardwalk became Fermanagh’s most popular visitor attraction. By accident, the county now had an attraction that would be the envy of most. And in visitor numbers, the Stairway could now be compared with Clonmacnoise or Russborough House. Clearly, people liked the idea of being able to access a high mountain without the problems of unforgiving terrain and getting lost.

Happy days then?

Not quite, for there were also downsides. Inevitably, the local infrastructure, of what is a remote Border area, creaked under the strain, while the hugely increased footfall caused further erosion as greater numbers of walkers continued from the boardwalk’s viewing platform to Cuilcagh’s summit. The law of unintended consequences now kicked in and ensured that a well-intentioned attempt to reduce erosion on the mountainside had actually increased it. Also, the nature of the product tended to create day-tripper tourism, which did little to increase income for the local community.

Chaos reigned in the area when I visited in the summer of 2017. The landowner had closed the small carpark with the result that haphazard parking on country narrow lanes made access difficult for farmers and local residents. Soon, however, the situation began to improve. A larger carpark was reopened and the landowner began to charge for parking. Later, the Geopark enclosed the top of the boardwalk and requested visitors not to continue to the summit. This measure did much to reduce the amount of erosion caused.

When I returned in 2022, the Boardwalk, although still visible from a long distance, appeared to be bedding in less obtrusively. Mountaineering Ireland had now accepted that the development would continue to exist and was instead proposing measures to mitigate the impact of increased footfall. Two large carparks had been created, while the amount of erosion around the top of the boardwalk had diminished noticeably. Large numbers of walkers were still ascending and all seemed to be enjoying the experience, which had me wondering if they would still be out walking if the boardwalk didn't existed.

Similar to the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which reaches the highest peak in Wales, there is little doubt now that the Stairway to Heaven is here to stay. Some may believe that neither project should have been constructed in the first place, but now that they are a reality and popular, few would advocate their removal.

Unsurprising, the boardwalk is being promoted by the local hospitality sector as one of the 'must-do hikes' in Fermanagh. A success in terms of drawing visitors to Fermanagh, it is, like the Snowdon Railway, unlikely to be replicated. The mood music is now very much in favour of less visually intrusive developments, such as the new path on Croagh Patrick. This stable path, constructed from stone sourced on the mountainside, blends into the landscape without the intrusion of a visibly constructed path as is the case on Cuilcagh.

  • If the Stairway to Heaven is now on your bucket list, head for Marble Arch Caves, Florence Court, County Fermanagh, which is well-signposted. The trailhead for the Boardwalk is located a short distance southwest along Marlbank Road from the entrance to the Caves. The there-and-back walk to the Cuilcagh viewing platform takes about three hours to complete.

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