Caving hut in Ireland

Hello y'all. The Hoo is the only dedicated cavers hut in Ireland. Irish cavers have been using it as an accommodation base for exploring caves in Fermanagh, Cavan and nearby counties.  It is not but 700m from the Marble Arch system and has caves so close to its front door that they are colloquially known as The Garden Caves. Its not far from the Shannon cave neither.

Cavers have kept the fire going in this old farm house for over 30 years, with the owner and cavers periodically maintaining and upgrading it.  For example in the last 3 years; double glazing (with rather fetching yellow frames) has been installed, water supply upgraded, construction of a toilet with possibly the best views, new changing and drying area and new bunks. There?s a kitchen with gas cookers and a living room with comfy sofas and an alluring, real, live action fire place.

The Irish caving community is quite small, and the Hoo has an open-door policy for any caver, so theres no block booking of it, for exclusive use. This means its quite random chance of having the place to yourself or a mob of likeminded folks been there. All the better for nonlocals to get advice or tag along on some subterranean adventure, or better one of them could be a non-drinker driver.

10-12 can sleep comfortably upstairs and in the living room. With liberal amounts of hot cocoa it has been know to accommodate 22 souls.

The nearby MAC visitor centre has a cafe, wifi, and of course underground tours including boat trips. Fermanaghs- errr -?stairway to heaven? is even closer. The Cavan Burren park, just behind Blacklion has great new  interpretative centre and trails to all sorts of megalithic sites and other aul stuff.

All in all the Hoo is a great cheap (?3pppn) base for caving and outdoorsey activities in north east Ireland.

Theres excellent pubs, chippies and shops in nearby Blacklion and Belcoo and Boho
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Its central to Derry, Knock, Dublin and Balfast airports. Its about a 2hr drive(with traffic) from ferry ports in Belfast and Dublin.

For more info email the warden on hoocavershut@gmail.com and/or check on Facebook for "The Hoo Ireland Caving Hut". We can hook you up with local cavers and advice.
 
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