Bellarena is a small village

Village

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

 in County Londonderry

County Londonderry

The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It is on the A2

A2 road (Northern Ireland)

The A2 is a major road in Northern Ireland, a large section of which is often called the Antrim Coast Road because it follows the scenic coastline of County Antrim....

 coastal road between Limavady

Limavady

Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...

 and Coleraine

Coleraine

Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...

, 6 miles north of Limavady. It is sometimes referred to as Ballyscullion or Drumavalley. In the 2001 Census the population was 291. The village lies within Limavady Borough Council

Limavady Borough Council

Limavady Borough Council is a Local Council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Limavady. The Borough has a population of over 32,000 with 63% of the population living in a rural setting. It covers an area of 586 square kilometres and includes the valley...

 area and the North Derry Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with open views eastwards to the scarp slope of Binevenagh

Binevenagh

Binevenagh or Benevenagh marks the western extent of the Antrim Plateau formed around 60 million years ago by molten lava. The plateau and steep cliffs extend for over 6 miles across the peninsula of Magilligan and dominating the skyline over the villages of Bellarena, Downhill, Castlerock and...

.

Features

The village is a minor service centre providing retail, community and recreational facilities for the local rural population, including a primary school and a field centre. It has had considerable growth in recent years, with new private housing development and improved commercial facilities. The main concentration of development is the large Drumavalley public housing estate and the recently completed private development of Carriage Court.

Tourism

Bellarena has benefited from being close to a range of important tourism facilities including the recreational facilities, beach and caravan parks at Benone

Benone

Benone is a popular tourist destination in the Limavady district, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.Benone has several caravan sites, such as The Golden Sands,Deigans and a leisure complex with excellent facilities, including a 9 hole par 3 golf course and numerous tennis courts...

, the Magilligan

Magilligan

Magilligan peninsula lies in the northwest of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, at the entrance to Lough Foyle...

 to Greencastle

Greencastle

Greencastle may refer to:In the United States:* Greencastle, Indiana, a city* Greencastle, Missouri, a city* Greencastle, Pennsylvania, a borough* Greencastle, West Virginia, an unincorporated community...

 (County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

) ferry http://www.loughfoyleferry.com/main.htm and the nearby long-established Ulster Gliding Club http://www.ulsterglidingclub.org/ at Bellarena Airfield.

Transport

Bellarena is located close to the main railway line between Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 and Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

 and is served by Bellarena railway station

Bellarena railway station

Bellarena railway station serves the village Bellarena and the broader Limavady area in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.Bellarena Railway Station has served several Railway companies since it first saw service on 18 July 1853. It was closed for goods traffic from 4 January 1965. The station...

, which opened on 18 July 1853. It was closed for goods traffic from 4 January 1965. The station was closed on 18 October 1976, but re-opened on 28 June 1982. The station buildings are now in private ownership. The stationmaster's house was renovated in the 1980s and is now a private home.

Education

• Bellarena Primary School
• Magilligan Field Centre http://www.outdoorni.com/p402_Magilligan_Field_Centre.aspx?Tab=Facilities