Weekend Walk: A Ramble up Ireland's 'Stairway to Heaven' (Handy Guide to Follow) (2024)

The Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail (AKA the ‘Stairway to Heaven Ireland’) causes a lot of confusion, mainly due to the parking.

There are two car parks here – the first is privately owned, you can reserve a spot online and it sits at the start of the trail (costs £6).

The second is free but it’s 1km/0.6 miles from the start of the trail! The Stairway to Heaven walk is moderately difficult and takes 2 – 3.5 hours. Find all you need-to-know below!

Quick need-to-knows about walking the Stairway to Heaven Ireland

Although a visit to Ireland’s Stairway to Heaven is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location

You’ll find the Cuilcagh Boardwalk in County Fermanagh, a stone’s throw from Enniskillen Town and the Marble Arch Caves. A warning – many people just stick ‘Cuilcagh Mountain’ into Google Maps, head off on their merry way and then end up miles from the start point. Make sure to aim for one of the Cuilcagh Boardwalk car parks below!

2. Car parks

There are two Stairway to Heaven car parks. One is free and one is paid. Here’s what you need-to-know:

• Option 1: The Cuilcagh Boardwalk car park (£6 for 3 hours and it’s located at the start of the trail – here on maps – you have to pay in cash)
• Option 2: Killykeegan Nature Reserve car park (free but it’s 1km/0.6 miles from the start of the trail – here on maps)

3. The walk time/difficulty

The Stairway to Heaven/Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail is a steep, moderate hike that’s made tough at times due to how exposed the trail is. Even on good days the wind adds a chill factor here. There is also 450 steps at the end of the flat section of the Cuilcagh Boardwalk. The length of the trail varies depending on which car park you use:

• If you use the paid car park: 11km/6.8 miles and allow 2 – 3 hours
• If you use the free car park: 12km/7.5 miles 2.5 – 3.5 hours

4. Toilets

There is, at the time of typing, only one toilet for those doing the Stairway to Heaven hike. It’s located just down the road from the free car park (here on maps). Apparently new toilet facilities will be added to the paid car park at the start of the Cuilcagh trail at some point.

5. The weather, phone signal + adequate clothing

Weather conditions at Cuilcagh can change quickly, so it’s important to bring clothing that’ll keep you warm/dry. There’s also little-to-no mobile phone reception around Cuilcagh, so always let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to be back.

The Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail

The Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail is one of several walks that you can take on the long-distance Cuilcagh Waymarked Way – a 33km/20.5 mile walking route that encapsulates Cuilcagh Mountain and the surrounding area.

In this section, you’ll find an overview of the Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail and what to expect along the way. Just keep in mind that, as this is one of the more popular things to do in Fermanagh, it gets busy at times.

The start of the trail

So, if you park at the free car park, you’ll need tocarefullywalk down along the road, past the toilets and then turn into the paid car park. It’s from here the trail starts.

If you’ve parking in the paid car park, you’ll start the Stairway to Heaven walk from there. This is, in my opinion, the toughest part of the walk.

You’ll saunter along a stoney path that has regular incline and declines. You’ll need to pass through around 4km/2.5 miles of relatively uneventful landscape before you hit the Cuilcagh boardwalk.

Reaching the boardwalk

The Cuilcagh hike/Stairway to Heaven Ireland trail gets slightly easier from this point, in my opinion. You follow the boardwalk and, despite the fact that there’s a slight incline, it doesn’t feel as taxing.

The boardwalk takes you through a large section of blanket bog (it’s protecting the bog). Keep following it and eventually you’ll see the steps off in the distance.

Make sure to turn around and look back towards the start of the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky trail – you’ll see the path you followed snaking its way through the bog.

The start of the climb

Now the fun begins. It’s this section that Cuilcagh Mountain earned the nickname ‘The Stairway to Heaven Ireland’. You have 450 steps to conquer, but don’t be afraid to stop and rest if needed.

This is a steep ascent that’s made slightly easier thanks to the wiring on the steps that provides grip. There are several places to stop and let others pass if needed.

The viewing area

When you reach the top of Cuilcagh, you’ll have a mighty view of the surrounding countryside. Unless you arrive on a misty day, that is!

The top of Cuilcagh Mountain can be a bit of an anti-climax. People tend to sit down for a bit and soak up the views before descending via the stairs.

Food and things to do near the Stairway to Heaven walk

If you fancy a feed (and/or a bit of exploring) after the Stairway to Heaven walk, there’s a fair few options:

Food near Cuilcagh

You’ve several options food-wise, some of which are in nearby Enniskillen:

• The Chef’s Table (15-minute drive)
• 9th Avenue in Enniskillen (20-minute drive)
• Cuilcagh Cafe (20-minute drive)

Nearby attractions

The most popular thing to do after the Stairway to Heaven hike is to visit the Marble Arch Caves (couple of minutes drive).

There’s also the Cavan Burren Park (20-minute drive), Florence Court (10-minute drive) and Tullydermot Falls (25-minute drive).

FAQs about the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky trail

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Where’s free to park?’ to ‘Can you park closer to the boardwalk?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.