Roe Valley Country Park
Encyclopedia
The Roe Valley Country Park is a forested area containing part of the River Roe
, south west of Limavady
in Northern Ireland
. It is maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, which is part of the Department of the Environment
of Northern Ireland.
The park is approximately 3 miles long and consists of mainly deciduous
, riparian
woodland on each side of the Roe. The terrain next to the river is mostly steep sided gorge, with some areas of flat grassland on the northwest bank. As the river has a large, freely draining catchment area
, it significantly increases in volume and speed soon after heavy rain. This is most visible around the visitor centre, where the river is forced through a narrow section of the gorge.
The area around the visitor centre contains the Green Lane Museum, with exhibits on local history, the area linen
industry, agriculture and artefacts of rural life.
In the 18th century, the local linen industry was based on the same site, the remains of which include flax
drying fields with watch towers, derelict buildings and a waterwheel originally used to power the machinery.
There is also a disused hydroelectric generating station which was the first to operate in Northern Ireland in 1896.
and brown trout
is allowed with a permit. Parts of the river containing rapids
and weirs
are used for kayaking, although the park officially bans boats and canoes. Scrambling
on the rock faces at O'Cahan's Rock has also been restricted. The section of river below O'Cahan's Rock, consisting of a bridge and weir, is used for swimming. The forest is used for orienteering
by local clubs and schools in Limavady
.
The river is bridged at several points through the park, although only the bridge by the visitor centre is suitable for vehicles. There are footbridges below the O'Cahan's Rock car park, below O'Cahan's Rock itself, at Carrick Mills and below Carrick Church.
River Roe (Northern Ireland)
The River Roe flows north from Glenshane in the Sperrin Mountains to Lough Foyle, via the settlements of Dungiven, Burnfoot, Limavady and Myroe. The river is contained within County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.- Etymology :...
, south west of 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...
in 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 maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, which is part of the Department of the Environment
Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)
The Department of the Environment is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for the Environment.-Aim:...
of Northern Ireland.
The park is approximately 3 miles long and consists of mainly deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, riparian
Riparian forest
A riparian forest is a forested area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a river, stream, pond, lake, marshland, estuary, canal, sink or reservoir. -Etymology:...
woodland on each side of the Roe. The terrain next to the river is mostly steep sided gorge, with some areas of flat grassland on the northwest bank. As the river has a large, freely draining catchment area
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, it significantly increases in volume and speed soon after heavy rain. This is most visible around the visitor centre, where the river is forced through a narrow section of the gorge.
Attractions
A visitor centre provides managerial office space, a cafe, exhibition space and a presentation area.The area around the visitor centre contains the Green Lane Museum, with exhibits on local history, the area linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
industry, agriculture and artefacts of rural life.
In the 18th century, the local linen industry was based on the same site, the remains of which include flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
drying fields with watch towers, derelict buildings and a waterwheel originally used to power the machinery.
There is also a disused hydroelectric generating station which was the first to operate in Northern Ireland in 1896.
Recreational activities
Fishing on the river for salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
is allowed with a permit. Parts of the river containing rapids
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
and weirs
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
are used for kayaking, although the park officially bans boats and canoes. Scrambling
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
on the rock faces at O'Cahan's Rock has also been restricted. The section of river below O'Cahan's Rock, consisting of a bridge and weir, is used for swimming. The forest is used for orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
by local clubs and schools in 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...
.
The river is bridged at several points through the park, although only the bridge by the visitor centre is suitable for vehicles. There are footbridges below the O'Cahan's Rock car park, below O'Cahan's Rock itself, at Carrick Mills and below Carrick Church.
External links
- Green Lane Museum - information from Limavady Borough Council