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Benauglin or Binn Eachlabhra translates as "Peak of the Speaking
Horse" and is a small mountain situated 9 miles south of
Enniskillen in the foothills of the Cuilcagh mountains. The origins
of the name relate to a horse shaped piece of limestone that once
showed through the soil on the eastern slope but is now largely
obscured by soil and undergrowth. There are many myths and legends
surrounding Benaughlin. It was thought to be a fairy mound, the
dwelling place of 'Donn Bin', a fairy king who roamed the area on
horseback every May eve, looking for 'changlings'. If you hadn't a
piece of mountain ash above the door it was 'God help you'. The
mythical white horse or 'coppal ban' was a powerful figure and came
out once a year on the last Sunday of July, 'Bilberry Sunday', to
speak oracles to the people.
Apparently, just below the pillar in a flattish area there is a
memorial slab to a servant of Lord Stuart which I never came across
when planting the cache. It is broken and is supposed to read:
"Maxwell and Stuart. This stone
was here erected on the 3rd November
eighteen hundred and one, by Lord E.
Stuart as a memorial to his esteem for
the above first mentioned officer.
The virtues that men have live after
them; so it may be with Caesar.
Si quid novisti rectius illis candidus
imperti si non, his utere mecum."
The Latin words are the last two lines of the poet
Horace's letter to his friend Numicus. These words translate as:
"If you know anything more honourable than these, be frank and let
me know. If not then you must agree with me about this." Old
residents in the area claim that this massive slab was hauled by a
crowd of men to the summit from Florence Court to provide a stage
for a fiddler to stand on during the Bilberry Sunday Festival.
Directions:
Leave Enniskillen by the Sligo Road and take the Swanlinbar A32 to
your left just outside the town. The start of this walk is
2.5miles(4km) exactly past the crossroads where you would turn off
to Florence court and Marble Arch Caves which are well worth a
visit if you have the time. Look out for a forest road on your
right(N 54° 13.940 W 007° 41.880), this is where you can park but
be sure not to block the gate as it is also provides access to
farmland.
The Walk
Follow the track through a conifer
forest which has been harvested of late until you reach the end
approx 1.5miles. Here turn to your left and start walking uphill
through the forest keeping a rusting wire fence on your left
handside until you come across a stile and another fence in front
of you. Do not cross the stile or the fence here but turn right and
follow the other fence keeping it on your left. From here the path
becomes quite rough and you may even think it disappears, just keep
the fence on your left until you reach two stiles side by side
directly in front of you. Do not cross the stiles but turn back on
yourself and start to head uphill along a small mountain track
which zig zags up the side of Benaughlin. After two sharp hairpin
bends you are at a small scree field. Bear left along a well
defined grassy path. This part of the route was probably made to
bring turf down from the bog on the higher ground just below the
summit. Near the top your route follows the line of a fence and a
roughish not so well defined path. Keep this fence on your left and
do not cross it as you could end up falling of the
cliffs you passed on the way up! The path turns into a sunken
gully/track which veers to the right and eventually you are able to
see the trig pillar at the summit of Benaughlin.
From the top there are wonderful views in all directions. To the
east you can make out part of your route up through the forest and
Upper Lough Erne. To the southeast is the wind farm on Slieve
Rushen. To the west lies Cuilcagh, and north is Florence Court
House and estate, Lough MacNean Lower with Belmore Mountain
beyond.
Advice
Good walking footwear is required.
Be aware that the weather can change quite dramatically on the
summit with dark clouds occasionally rolling in off Cuilcagh so
waterproofs are reccommended just in case. Please keep to the track
at the top as the cliffs can be quite dangerous.
The Cache:
The cache is a medium sized 3.9L
tab-lock tuperware container with a load of goodies for those that
make it that far! Best to use two hands to obtain the cache, it can
be quite stubborn! |