Cladagh Glen and the Marble Arch

It's Saturday the 30th of October and I'm missing my second walk in succession with the ramblers.I'm in Ireland attending a funeral and don't get the boat back till this evening.
However,all the ceremonies and proceedings are over and I've just a few people to visit.I can take a short lovely walk.

I could have sworn I'd blogged pictures of the Claddagh river before,but since I can't find them I'll put it down to an age thing.

Here's Wikipedias page on the Cladagh River.
Cladagh
And here's the Marble Arch caves own website.
Global Geopark

The car park sits almost halfway between the border town of Blacklion and Florencecourt
There are numerous information boards throughout the walk.
This is part of the 33 kilometre Cuilcagh Way.
(As far as I know,there's two acceptable ways to pronounce Cuilcagh.Phonetically it's either Kwilka or Kwilkay.)

A totem pole erected by the local boy scout troop is one of the first interesting items encountered.

Very soon you're alongside the river on a gentle climb.

Another gate and more information tells you you are in the Marlbank National Nature reserve.

After a couple of days rain,the river has a copious flow.

While looking for the Wikipedia link,I noticed on Google that this particular river Cladagh has been misspelt countless times by adding an additional "d".

One in particular is a professional photographer who will charge you £95 for a 12 by 36 inch print.For that sort of money you'd want the right name wouldn't you ?

The Cascades is particularly popular with children.

As I continued upwards,I noticed this bird hopping along in front of me.He might have a poorly wing since he didn't fly away.(Name that bird Slew ?)

A couple of local lassies had brought Maggie for a walk,and judging by her antics in the water this must be a regular treat.

Now although the path hasn't been particularly steep the sides of the gorge are closing in.
Deep cuts in the rock sides appear and the waterfalls are steeper.

(£55 for a 7 by 21 inch ! I need to get myself a poster printer.)

By the way,if anyone does steal my pictures for publication,you'd better give me the recognition or you'll get sued!Nuff said.


To the left above is the arch where the Cladagh tumbles out the side of the Cuilcagh mountain.

I won't go into detail,you can magnify the information board later.

A board tells me this is the Marble Arch.

There's no one around,and no 'keep out' signs so I'm taking a closer look at the 'Phreatic Tube'.

It's slippery under the Marble Arch,so I wouldn't advise anyone else to try getting closer.
Unless like me you think it's the picture that counts.

Now I'm looking down into the Arch through Maggie's Hole.The reason for the name is also on the information board in the next picture.

The Marble Arch show caves were only opened up to the public in 1985.It was as late as 1970 that Fermanagh council first thought of them as a tourist attraction.

Over the years I've been coming here,the caves have been a topic of conversation.They crop up frequently in stories of fugitives hiding out,and cross border smuggling.

Now I'm below the visitors centre and the entrances to the caves.It's quite a few years since I took a boat trip under here.I won't be going down today.

Steep steps lead down to the entrance...

...a sign says 'No entry without a guide'.I suppose I'd better not then.
That's quite a torrent down there.

Have a look at this full size.
Don't pictures come out better when the sun comes out.

It's time to retrace my steps and go visit some folks.I've a boat to catch.

I love this walk.

Manholes,Drains and Gully Grates

While out taking pictures the other day my eye caught the sun glinting off a drain cover.
Having spent much of my working life in the production and distribution of steel, I tend to look out for the manufacturers name. (I once saw my own writing on a steel plate in a distributors yard in Ireland)...

...and if you walk over Sydney Harbour Bridge you can see universal beams with 'Appleby Frodingham' stamped on them.

As a youth at John White and Sons, Auchtermuchty,I remember the smell of the foundry casts as they were filled with molten metal.

I got to thinking about the decline of steel making in the uk.
I found an article in this months Financial Times that makes for grim reading.
UK set to slide in steel rankings

In 1850 we were responsible for two-thirds of global production.

In the early 1970s we were the fourth largest steel producer behind Japan, the US and Germany.

In 2009 we were responsible for 0.8 percent of the worlds output.

According to projections from Meps, a steel consultancy,this year our output will drop to 0.6 percent of the worlds output.
That's us down to 18th below Spain,Iran and Mexico (I remember a lot of steelworkers in the 70's being tempted by the big money in Mexico).

The UK set the rest of the world on industrialisation.
Many of the names etched on the pictures below will have long since ceased to exist.
Isn't it time we got busy again ?




























Added 3rd of November 2010.




The one above is of quite a bit of interest to me.

While living and working in England I occasionally delivered steel by lorry.
One regular customer was Misterton Castings at Misterton near Gainsborough.Although they were still trading in the 90's I've a feeling that this is another iron and steel company that no longer exists.

This drain is situated near Douglas Ewart High School,Newton Stewart.

Added 26th of November.

Here's a few more.The newer the product,the further south the production by the look of it.