woods and forests antrim

Attractive riverside walks beside the Bann. Augustine Henry Commemorative Grove. Bluebells a feature during May....

At one time, oakwoods covered much of north-east Antrim. Gradually the trees were felled for timber and the land cleared for farming. Today, Breen Oakwood is one the last fragments of these once extensive woodlands. The mature oaks form a dense canopy overhead, with birch on the higher ridges. Rowan, hawthorn, holly and hazel grow beneath to form an understorey, with alder and willow in the damper areas beside streams. Ferns and mosses thrive in the damp, shady conditions, while dragonflies...

Cascading down from the Antrim Plateau to the sea, the Glenariff River has cut a narrow gorge through the hard basalt rock. Spectacular waterfalls within the gorge throw up fine spray which catches shafts of sunlight in a rainbow of colours. About 100 years ago, trees were planted to enhance the native woodland of oak, hazel, ash and willow, and to make the area more attractive to visitors. Catwalks, paths and footbridges were built throughout the gorge to make the waterfalls easier to reach....

Colin Glen Forest Park The historic Colin Glen Forest Park is a beautiful wooded river glen right on Belfast's doorstep....

Randalstown Forest and Farr's Bay are two small adjacent nature reserves on the north shore of Lough Neagh. The shoreline here is part of a much larger wildfowl refuge that extends from the River Sixmilewater in the east to Blackrock Bay in the west. The area is not typical of most of the Lough Neagh shoreline as it is not grazed by cattle and is therefore heavily wooded. Parts of the wood are dry with ash, hawthorn and blackthorn but other parts are very wet with alder and willow trees. Rar...

Miced conifer forest on slopes of Knocklayd Mountain. Magnificent views over town to Rathlin Island and Scotland....

Guided walk through some of the lesser known parts of the Lagnan Valley. Meet at Bell's Lane Park, 10.00 a.m. Lambeg. Belfast City Council/Lagan Valley Regional Park....

Mixed conifer forest with broadleaves. Deer enclosure and herd of wild fallow deer. Wildfowl hide on Lough Neagh Shore. National nature Reserve....

Mixed conifer forest with broadleaves on banks of Glenarm River...

Rea's Wood stretches for one mile along the shores of Lough Neagh and is a fine example of a wet woodland, dominated by alder, willow and birch trees. The Lough level has been lowered several times and the woodland now straddles parallel sand bars with wet peaty hollows in between that were once part of the lake bed. The luxuriantly vegetated woodland floor provides ideal habitat not only for many plants but also for many rare invertebrates including snails, slugs, horseflies and beetles. So...