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

Hikes & Trails: Walkers on the 'Stairway to Heaven' in Fermanagh. Picture: 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.