The Knockmore Scarpland Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Dramatic karst landscape of scarps, extensive cliff faces, gorges, caves, limestone pavements, woodlands and loughs.
• Rough grazing, small improved fields and hay meadows contribute to a landscape rich in ecological interest.
• Scarp woodlands are a characteristic feature; conifer plantations on Belmore Mountain.
• Many older traditional stone houses in poor condition.
• Important concentration of archaeological sites.
• Panoramic views over lowlands from open scarp slopes.

Landscape Description

The Knockmore Scarpland limestone escarpment dominates the skylines in west Fermanagh. The rugged karst relief has been emphasised by glacial action and includes limestone pavements, cliffs, potholes, sink holes and gorges. At Knockmore, 100m cliffs descend into a fringe of ash and hazel woodland. To the south, Belmore Mountain has a broader landscape pattern and is capped by conifer plantations. The more enclosed, intimate glen landscapes have a mixture of small loughs, patchy fields, scrub woodland and scattered houses. Small streams disappear into the limestone at potholes, emerging at springs on the lower slopes. Larger rivers cut through the rock to form waterfalls, spectacular gorges and caves. A number of loughs lie along the scarp edge, fringed with reeds and alder. On the lower clay soils, wet meadows and flushes are common; many are rich in flowers or overgrown with alder.

At higher elevations, native hazel woodland contrasts with the pale grey rock faces of the overhanging limestone cliffs. On the upper slopes, soil cover is thin and the short limestone grassland supports a wide diversity of lime-loving plants; acid grassland and heath is associated with sandstone outcrops. Fields are bounded with drystone walls and earth banks on higher slopes and overgrown hedges and ditches lower down. Tortuous roads and tracks link the clusters of houses which are at sheltered locations along the scarp. New development in the open landscape is often out of character with the traditional dwellings.

Many Bronze Age and Neolithic archaeological monuments contribute to a strong sense of history, tradition and folklore.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The landscape is generally in good condition and is characterised by attractive pristine natural features. It is also extremely sensitive as the scarp is prominent in views from surrounding landscapes.

Grazing pressure is reducing the natural biodiversity of the area, including woodland regeneration. There is evidence that field boundaries are becoming derelict, leading to broken down dry stone walls and overgrown gappy hedges. Derelict and abandoned houses are also common. New development is prominent in open, exposed parts of the landscape.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Conservation and management of the attractive and unique features of this natural landscape should aim to retain the balance of open limestone grassland and native woodlands. Monitoring the effects of grazing pressure and assessing the implications of scrub clearance is critical to ensure that these pressures are not damaging.
• Conifer plantations should be designed so that they do not mask important features of the landscape; the scarps are not suitable for the expansion of commercial forestry.
• Any artificial improvements or disturbance to botanically rich limestone grasslands and disused limestone quarries would damage a valued resource.
• The prominence of the scarp ensures that any change in its existing landscape pattern would be very visible in views throughout Fermanagh.
• The promotion of footpaths and access to the area would allow more people to enjoy the landscape resource. Old farm tracks may provide the best solution as there is a risk that new routes might damage the many unique landscape features.
• The repair of dry stone walls and replanting of hedges is preferable to their replacement with wire fences.The control of water pollution in limestone areas is important as it may influence underground solution systems.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Development should be confined to sheltered sites and partially screened by native trees and hedgerows
• Small, white-painted stone cottages are characteristic of the area.
• There is much scope for the restoration of derelict stone cottages and for the re-use of ruined sites.