Lough Gur 03

Lough Gur is a misty horseshoe shaped lake sheltered by gently sloping, lightly treed limestone hills. This tranquil place of pre-historic mystery, sacred to past locals is notable for the variety of bird life as well as for the wealth of antiquities. The story of the Pre-Celtic settlers stretches back over 5,000 years and continues to the iron age & even present day in the people who still farm and dwell in the valley. Dating back to 3000 BC Stone Age houses were set below the Red Cellar cave which was the winter sleeping quarters of the brown bear and other extinct animals. Excavations in the 1940s recovered one of only three surviving Bronze Age shields and distinctive beaker pottery pointing to the influence of different cultures in the settlement. Viking silver was uncovered at the early Christian stone forts close to the lake. Castles succeeded a lake dwelling defence that was built on an artificial island, with 15th century ruins surviving.

It is an archaeological site of outstanding significance. The visitor centre was built in 1980 and uses two of the excavated Stone Age houses as its floor plan.