Cuilcagh Bog

Cuilcagh is one of the most extensive areas of upland Blanket bogs in Northern Ireland. The area is situated at a relatively high altitude in a high rainfall area and has a wide range of features, including well-developed pool, hummock and lawn complexes, acid flushes and bog bursts. 

The site contains a mixture of cross-leaved heath  with Sphagnum papillosum and extensive areas of deergrass and hare’s-tail Cottongrass, with a generally low cover of dwarf-shrubs. The site also contains transitions to montane, rock and lake habitats.

A number of rare and notable plants have been recorded for the area, mainly from the steep, north facing scarp slope and boulderfield below the summit. These rare plants are predominantly bryophytes, and  mosses. Higher plants include Dwarf Willow, Starry Saxifrage, Stiff Sedge, Green Spleenwort, Tunbridge Filmy Fern, Alpine Clubmoss and Stagshorn Clubmoss.

Cuilcagh Mountain is one of the best areas in NI for breeding Golden Plover (9 pairs recorded). It has been suggested that excessive burning and grazing of blanket bog may actually favour this species by providing the habitat conditions that it appears to require – i.e. short, heath/bog vegetation on raised hummocks. This clearly conflicts with the management aims for blanket bog – i.e. mature cover of ericoid dwarf-shrubs, over a dense Sphagnum mat.

For information on public access contact Mr Richard Watson +44 (0)28 6634 8855

richard.watson@fermanagh.gov.uk