Avish
Comprising cliff land and basalt plateau, the cliffs of Avish form part of the dramatic headland which can be seen by motorists travelling along the main coastal road from Castlerock to Bellarena (also referred to as Gortmore View Point on maps and roads signage).
From its highest point, 240m above sea level, the property offers spectacular views across Magilligan Point, Lough Foyle and beyond to Donegal.
Part of an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the property's cliffs and scarp slopes are home to many rare plant species, and rare birds such as the peregrine falcon are known to nest on the crags along the main cliff.
Avish is also of considerable historical interest. Additional archaeological investigation is required to reveal the full significance of a ruined settlement comprising a farmstead with unusual earthworks and irregular earthen field boundaries.
How to get there
Take the Bishop’s Road from the village of Downhill, following road signs for Gortmore View Point. Avish is 3 miles from Downhill. Also on national cycle route NCN93.
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Downhill and Mussenden Temple
The landscaped estate, gardens and buildings at Downhill near Castlerock reflect the vivid personality of their creator - the flamboyant Earl Bishop, Fredrick Hervey.
Hervey, one of the most colourful characters of the eighteenth century, was both the Bishop of Derry and Earl of Bristol. In the early 1770's he chose the bleak headland at Downhill to build a grand country house, and surround it with a landscaped estate.
The house was one of the most renowned in Ireland and it contained treasures from throughout Europe. It suffered a disastrous fire in 1851 which destroyed most of the contents. It was rebuilt and lived in until shortly after World War II when the roof was taken off and it is now in ruins. However its setting and architecture give more than a hint of its former glory.
Hervey also spent a vast fortune on the grounds. He erected a Mausoleum in 1778 dedicated to the memory of his brother, the 2nd Earl, the top of which fell during a storm in 1839. He also built the Lion Gate which stands beside the remains of a double walled garden with dovecot and ice house still intact.
Perched on the edge of cliffs in the most spectacular of the buildings, the Mussenden Temple. Built as a library and modelled on the Temple of Vesta in Italy it is dedicated to the memory of Hervey's cousin Frideswide Mussenden.
The remnants of Hervey's extensive landscaping can be seen today in the demesne and the attractive Black Glen with its wide range of trees and shrubs.
A walk along the cliffs near the Temple gives excellent views of fulmar, black guillemot and kittiwake.
How to get there
- Train: Service from Belfast or Londonderry to Castlerock
- Bus: Ulsterbus no 134 between Coleraine & Londonderry passes Hezlett House & Downhill
- Cycle: NCN route 93 runs past Downhill & Hezlett
- Car: Downhill is located 5ml from Coleraine on the A2. Drive time: Coleraine 10 mins.
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Portstewart Strand
Between the popular seaside resort of Portstewart and the mouth of the River Bann lies the magnificent beach and dunes of Portstewart Strand.
The two-mile long strand is best known as a mecca for holidaymakers, attracting well over 100,000 visitors a year. The beach currently holds the coveted Blue and Yellow flag awards, recognising high standards of beach management and water quality.
Unusually for a National Trust beach, cars can be brought on and parked on the strand - a long-standing tradition the Trust allowed to continue after it purchased the beach in 1980. It is now one of the few beaches in Northern Ireland that families can drive to and enjoy picnics and recreation without having to park elsewhere.
The Strand plays host to a wide range of leisure activities - from bathing and swimming, to horse riding, dog walking and jet skiing. Waves arriving fresh from the Atlantic are often good for surfing.
The Strand is also an important nature conservation site and is officially designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a proposed Special Area of Conservation. The combination of open sand, dune and damp hollows provides a mosaic of habitats rich in plants and insects.
The dunes themselves were formed around 6,000 years ago and reach heights of up to 30 metres (100ft). Neolithic pottery and implements have also been found on the site, along with bronze pins and Roman jewellery, reveling a long history of human habitation.
At the western end of Portstewart Strand lies Barmouth, an important estuarine site acquired by the Trust in 1972. The adjacent Grangemore dunes system was acquired in 1991. Together the two sites form a combination of habitats unique in Northern Ireland - salt-marsh, freshwater marsh and ancient dunes.
Barmouth is managed as a local nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary, and attracts large numbers of migrant and wintering waterfowl and waders. A National Trust bird hide, accessible for wheelchair users, provides excellent views of the spectacle, although this is a fragile site and access is restricted.
The Trust land lies on the west bank of the River Bann, used as an access route by millions of eels on their way to breed in the Sargasso Sea, and by salmon on their way to spawn in the rivers flowing into Lough Neagh.
How to get there
- Train: Service from Belfast or Londonderry to Coleraine
- Bus: Ulsterbus no 218 from Belfast terminates in Portstewart
- Cycle: NCN route 93 runs past the Strand
- Car: The Strand is a few minutes from the centre of Portstewart. Drive time: Belfast 1.15 hrs
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