Belmore Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belmore Mountain |
|
|---|---|
| Sliabh Bhéal Mór | |
Belmore Mountain, Spring 2005
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 398 m (1,306 ft) |
| Prominence | 322 m (1,056 ft) |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Naming | |
| English translation | mountain of the big mouth |
| Language of name | Irish |
| Geography | |
 Location in Northern Ireland
|
|
| Location | County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland |
| OSI/OSNI grid | H138417 |
| Topo map | OSNI Discoverer 17 |
Belmore Mountain is a cool hill located in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It's found in a place called Gortgall in the western part of the county. The mountain's name comes from the Irish language, Béal Mór, which means "big mouth."
This mountain stands about 398 metres (1,306 ft) above sea level. This makes it the second highest point in Fermanagh! The very highest point is Cuilcagh, which is on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Belmore Mountain is a big landmark that you can easily see from the nearby town of Enniskillen. In fact, a street in Enniskillen, Belmore Street, is named after it.
Exploring Belmore Mountain's Geography
Belmore Mountain is mostly made of a type of rock called limestone. This rock forms tall, steep cliffs near the top of the mountain. Over many years, rainwater has slowly dissolved parts of the limestone. This process has created an amazing system of caves right underneath the mountain! You can explore these caves near the village of Boho.
There's also a big step-like landform called the Knockmore escarpment on the western side of Belmore. This was formed by cracks in the Earth's crust. Other small places around the base of Belmore Mountain include Letterbreen and Springfield.
Nature and History on the Mountain
It's hard to farm on Belmore Mountain because the slopes are steep and the soil is thin. However, you'll find large areas of conifer trees planted on the higher parts of the mountain. These are evergreen trees like pines and spruces.
Long ago, in 1894, an archaeologist named Thomas Plunkett explored the area. He dug up two ancient burial sites called cairns. One of these, the Eagle’s Knoll Cairn, is a passage tomb. It sits on an eastern ridge of Belmore Mountain, looking out over the beautiful Erne valley.
What's in a Name?
The name Belmore is quite famous! It was even used for an Irish earldom, which is a title of nobility. One important person with this title was Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore. He was the Governor of New South Wales in Australia from 1868 to 1872. Because of him, several places in Australia are named Belmore. These include the Belmore River, a suburb in Sydney called Belmore, and Belmore Park in both Sydney and Goulburn. The name Belmore is also used for Belmore Forest, which is in the Boho area near the mountain.
