page_title: Marble Arch Caves
section_title: 1982–1985: show cave development
hierarchical_section_title: Marble Arch Caves / History / 1982–1985: show cave development
caption_attribution_description: Marble Arch Caves 01
context_page_description: The Marble Arch Caves are a series of natural limestone caves located near the village of Florencecourt in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The caves are named after the nearby Marble Arch, a natural limestone arch at the upstream end of Cladagh Glen under which the Cladagh River flows.
  The caves are formed from three rivers draining off the northern slopes of Cuilcagh mountain, which combine underground to form the Cladagh. On the surface, the river emerges from the largest karst resurgence in Ireland, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom.
  At 11.5 kilometres the Marble Arch Caves form the longest known cave system in Northern Ireland, and the karst is considered to be among the finest in the British Isles.
context_section_description: From 1982 until after opening in 1985, sections of Marble Arch Cave underwent development to improve accessibility in order to accept tourist visitors. As well as concrete pathways, safety barriers and electric lighting, this involved installing weirs and jetties for boat access to enable visitors to enter the caves by the same route that Martel and the early explorers took. 
  
  The development also included boring a new entrance shaft into Skreen Hill and, significantly, blasting a corridor through the short section of rock separating Pool Chamber from New Chamber. This connected Skreen Hill all the way to The Junction for walking visitors for the first time. 
  At this time, all known entrances to the cave system were gated to allow show cave management to control access. From then on, cavers were only allowed access by agreement with the show cave.
caption: The man-made show cave exit also serves as an entrance during times when boats are not in use.
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