Down In The Ground Where The Dead Men Go

Today was an expedition to Marble Arch Cave1 out near Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh. It’s about a two-hour bus ride from Belfast, and then a twenty-minute taxi ride from the bus station. I was a little concerned about the logistics involved, but it all worked out very easily. Got a taxi ride from Gerry of Charity Minibus Hire right at the bus station, and he gave me a card to call him when I was done at the cave. Gerry was also helpful pointing out the views, letting me know about our location2, and generally being a fun, friendly conversationalist.

There's a very nice little visitor centre with some souvenirs and a tea shop. That's where you sign up for the tour.
There’s a very nice little visitor centre with some souvenirs and a tea shop. That’s where you sign up for the tour.
You enter the cave through a shake hole - a place where a cave has collapsed, opening up a way into the complex.
You enter the cave through a shake hole – a place where a cave has collapsed, opening up a way into the complex.
The shakehole is pretty deep. This is looking up from near the bottom.
The shakehole is pretty deep. This is looking up from near the bottom.
When the water levels are low enough, you enter the cave through what they call the Wet Entrance. There's a little boat ride under some very low arches.
When the water levels are low enough, you enter the cave through what they call the Wet Entrance. There’s a little boat ride under some very low arches.
This is near the end of the boat ride. It shows some of the small stalactites and a cascade.
This is near the end of the boat ride. It shows some of the small stalactites and a cascade.
This is a bigger cascade deeper in the cave.
This is a bigger cascade deeper in the cave.
This is kind of a neat thing. The flowstone formed while the river was higher, over thousands of years. With the cave opening up, the water level dropped, and the flowstone that used to stop at the water surface now hangs about four feet above the water.
This is kind of a neat thing. The flowstone formed while the river was higher, over thousands of years. With the cave opening up, the water level dropped, and the flowstone that used to stop at the water surface now hangs about four feet above the water.

Here’s something interesting about the cave. The water in it is so calm and black that it reflects whatever is above it. This leads to some awesome little scenes, where you look into the water and see tiny little alien cities. Unfortunately, if you take a picture without a flash, all you get is dark water. And if you take a picture with the flash, all you see is the bottom of the river.

There are two rivers winding through the caves - the Cladagh and the Owenbrean. As a living limestone cave, there's lots of water, both in the rivers and dripping into your hair.
There are two rivers winding through the caves – the Cladagh and the Owenbrean. As a living limestone cave, there’s lots of water, both in the rivers and dripping into your hair.
This shows how the river isn't cutting upwards anymore, but is slowly spreading sideways, undercutting the wall.
This shows how the river isn’t cutting upwards anymore, but is slowly spreading sideways, undercutting the wall.
This is a large expanse of flowstone. It stands about two and a half metres high, and spreads out about six or eight metres.
This is a large expanse of flowstone. It stands about two and a half metres high, and spreads out about six or eight metres.
The flowstone has formed a number of roughly crescent-shaped ridge pools.
The flowstone has formed a number of roughly crescent-shaped ridge pools.
This picture doesn't show the shaft up to the surface that I wanted it to, but I still think it turned out pretty cool. So, here it is.
This picture doesn’t show the shaft up to the surface that I wanted it to, but I still think it turned out pretty cool. So, here it is.
So, to me, this looks like some creepy ogre head about to take a bite out of something. The little group of stalagmites on its tongue are called the Simpsons, according to the guide.
So, to me, this looks like some creepy ogre head about to take a bite out of something. The little group of stalagmites on its tongue are called the Simpsons, according to the guide.
The limestone wall here is rotting away, thanks to the river below it and the water running down the walls. The white foam on the surface of the water is caused by minerals from peat and such mixing with the calcium carbonate of the walls and reacting in foam. And this being Ireland, they call the white foam on brown water the Guinness Head.
The limestone wall here is rotting away, thanks to the river below it and the water running down the walls. The white foam on the surface of the water is caused by minerals from peat and such mixing with the calcium carbonate of the walls and reacting in foam. And this being Ireland, they call the white foam on brown water the Guinness Head.
This is the largest stalactite in the cave. The discoloured and twisted end is the result of some vandals about 25 years ago throwing rocks at it until the tip broke off. They are trying to repair it, and won't know if it's successful for another 75 years.
This is the largest stalactite in the cave. The discoloured and twisted end is the result of some vandals about 25 years ago throwing rocks at it until the tip broke off. They are trying to repair it, and won’t know if it’s successful for another 75 years.
The folks putting in the concrete pathways never had a single accident, and they say it's because of this column, which they called the Guardian.
The folks putting in the concrete pathways never had a single accident, and they say it’s because of this column, which they called the Guardian.

There are a few items in the cave that look like food3 :

Cauliflower. There's one with some green algae growing on it that they call the Broccoli.
Cauliflower. There’s one with some green algae growing on it that they call the Broccoli.
The Porridge Pot.
The Porridge Pot.
This one's just for Dan. It's the Cave Duck.
This one’s just for Dan. It’s the Cave Duck.

There were something like 150 stairs to climb in order to get out of the cave, and I was really glad I had taken it a bit easy yesterday, so my knees were up to it. Once aboveground4 again, I took a bit of a walk around the grounds for a bit.

The forest was thick with bluebells and moss, as well as holly bushes. I wasn't able to get a very picture of the holly, but here's a lot of bluebells and moss.
The forest was thick with bluebells and moss, as well as holly bushes. I wasn’t able to get a very picture of the holly, but here’s a lot of bluebells and moss.
This was also on the grounds. They call it the Cottage, and seems to be a natural cleft in the rock that was then roofed over and finished with stone to make the arched doorway.
This was also on the grounds. They call it the Cottage, and seems to be a natural cleft in the rock that was then roofed over and finished with stone to make the arched doorway.

By the time I was done, it was time to call Gerry and have him come pick me up and get me back to the bus station for my trip back to Belfast. I had intended to visit Florence Court if I had time, and possibly Enniskillen Castle, but I had spent too long at the cave for that.

Guess that means I’ll have to come back and visit Enniskillen.

This is my last night in Belfast. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading down to Doolin for a few days. Checking the bus schedules, I’m going to be spending most of the day traveling, so there won’t be much to say tomorrow.

Probably, anyway. You never know.

  1. So, the name? Blatant marketing lie. Not a bit of marble in the caves. Limestone, with some sandstone boulders left behind by the glaciers. [↩]
  2. We were about a mile from the border with the Republic, which kind of freaked me out. I still have difficulty wrapping my head around the distances here. [↩]
  3. Well, if you squint properly, anyway. [↩]
  4. The cave is about 55 metres below the surface. [↩]

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