Overview
Boho (pronounced “boh”, from Irish Botha, “huts”) is a hamlet and civil parish in the limestone uplands west of Enniskillen, on the edge of the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. The Boho protected site includes caves and surface streams that appear and disappear as water moves through the rock. Above ground it looks like ordinary farmland; the interest is mostly in what water has done to the rock, over and under it. Leave cave entrances and surrounding farmland undisturbed.
Three low mountains ring the parish – Belmore, Knockmore and Glenkeel – rising off the fields toward Lough Erne. The limestone beneath them, riddled with karst, fen meadow, heath and bog, gives Boho an unusual spread of habitats for so small a place.
History and heritage
Prehistoric monuments
The Reyfad Stones are a group of cup-and-ring-marked stones dating to the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, protected as a scheduled monument. Bronze Age Boho also produced a copper knife, now held in the Dublin collections. The rest of the parish’s early history is written in cairns and standing stones scattered across the hills. Much of the land is farmland, so use only open, signed public paths.
The high cross
The Boho High Cross stands in the graveyard of the Church of Ireland church at Toneel North. Its weathered sandstone shaft carries medieval biblical carvings – Adam and Eve, and scenes from the life of Christ – and it was re-erected on its present base in 1832 when the church was built. It is one of a small group of carved crosses in this corner of Fermanagh.
Caves and speleology
The rock under Boho is hollow. Three systems define the parish:
- Boho Caves: protected as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI 144). Daubenton’s bats roost in the Upper Ravine Cave, alongside the rare water beetle Agabus biguttatus.
- Reyfad Pot: a cave system on the hills above the hamlet.
- Noon’s Hole: a deep shaft on the slopes of Knockmore. It is for qualified cavers only.
One hard safety fact governs all of them: they flood, and fast. The caves can fill very quickly after heavy rain. This is not casual caving country, and no cave entry or private access is offered here. Leave the entrances undisturbed and view the caves from outside.
Walking and wildlife
Belmore Forest usually has a public path to a viewpoint above Pollnagollum Cave. The Geopark’s 5 November 2026 notice says the forest remains closed after a storm, with the approach to Pollnagollum Cave still permitted. Check for changes before travelling. Use only the open signed approach and view the cave from outside.
The wider Belmore Forest blankets the slopes of Belmore Mountain. The Knockmore ridge has craggy cliffs and lime-loving mountain plants, and the Glenkeel side is boggier and flatter. Check what is open before you plan any walk.
The mix of limestone grassland, fen, heath and bog packs a lot of life into a small area. It is the range of habitats, more than any single headline species, that brings botanists here.
Practical information
- Location and access: Boho lies west of Enniskillen. Use only open, signed public paths, and check the latest storm closures at Belmore Forest before setting out.
- Caving: there are no casual visits into the Boho and Reyfad systems. Never enter a shaft or a flooded passage.
- Food and accommodation: facilities in a hamlet this size are limited, so check ahead for opening times.
- Safety: mountain weather turns quickly, so waterproofs and sturdy footwear are essential.
- Facilities: minimal, so bring what you need.
For a short visit, skip the caves and check the Belmore Forest closure notice for the open approach to the viewpoint above Pollnagollum Cave. Check the forecast first: a wet week turns the whole karst into a drain.