Springwell Forest (S) to Castlerock - Dungiven to Castlerock Trail
This hike is the 2nd part of a two-days trek from Dungiven to Castlerock. Surrounded by forest, climb hills and mountains in search of breathtaking views.
A
Limavady walk
posted on 08/02/23 by Walk NI. Last update : 22/02/23
Description
Start : Small car park along A37 Coleraine-Limavady road (Nearby postcode BT51 4JP). Coordinates Lng : -6.81604 - Lat : 55.07777
(S) From the car park, cross the road, and taking great care, walk East along the verge for around 750 m.
(1) Then turn left onto a forest track leading down into Springwell Forest. Be careful to follow the signposts into the forest and look at the map to reach Formoyle road after around 2.9 Km.
(2) Continue past Formoyle Church to the B201 – known locally as the Murder Hole Road.
(3)Turn left (West) and take great care on this road as you proceed in a Westerly direction for 2.2 Km or so to a junction with the Altikeeragh Road.
(4) Turn right (North) and follow this road for a 800 m or so.
(5) Then turn left (West) onto a forest track. Walk West through Grange Park Wood for around 3.5 Km to the television relay station on the summit of Harkins Hill.
(6) Join a surfaced road and walk 1.6 Km or so to Bishop’s Road.
(7) Turn right (North) and follow Bishop’s Road North for a kilometre to a junction with Leighrey Road.
(8) "To make the out-and-back detour to Binevenagh, turn left here and descend along Leighrey Road for around 635 m where you turn left onto a forest road and follow it for around 2.3 Km to the car park and viewing area at the edge of Binevenagh’s impressive cliffs. You are on Binevenagh Summit and his lough. Return along the same route to Bishop’s Road at waypoint (3).''
Otherwise, continue North for 13,3 Km along Bishop’s Road, enjoying fine views across Magilligan and Inishowen as the road swings North-East and begins to descend more steeply and takes you almost into Downhill.
(9) Look out for a sharp right turn leading into Downhill Forest and after 700 m or so, turn left along the Burrenmore Road.
(10) At a sharp junction turn right (South-East) into the Springbank Road for 170 m or so.
(11) Then turn left (East) again to enter Downhill Forest. Walk through the trees for around 600 m to reach the A2.
(12) It’s well worth making the short detour from here to visit the Mussenden Temple (National Trust property – entrance fee from Easter to September), perched on the edge of the cliffs above Downhill and then continuing past the 12 Apostles Cottages into Castlerock. (A) Allow an extra thirty or forty minutes for this.
Otherwise simply turn right (East) onto the A2 and follow it for 1.3 Km.
(13) At the junction, turn left (North) into Sea Road and walk 700 m downhill to the finish of the Ulster Way quality section in Castlerock. (E)
Waypoints
- S : km 0 - alt. 241 m - A37 Coleraine-Limavady road
- 1 : km 0.75 - alt. 247 m - Forest track - Springwell Forest
- 2 : km 3.52 - alt. 185 m - Formoyle road - Formoyle Church
- 3 : km 4.33 - alt. 184 m - B202 - Murder Hole Road
- 4 : km 6.54 - alt. 205 m - Altikeeragh Road
- 5 : km 7.31 - alt. 246 m - Forest track
- 6 : km 10.82 - alt. 340 m - Television relay station - Surfaced road
- 7 : km 12.42 - alt. 332 m - Bishop’s Road
- 8 : km 13.53 - alt. 280 m - Out-and-back detour to Binevenagh
- 9 : km 26.79 - alt. 59 m - Sharp turn - Downhill Forest
- 10 : km 27.55 - alt. 68 m - Springbank Road
- 11 : km 27.72 - alt. 71 m - Downhill Forest
- 12 : km 28.32 - alt. 55 m - A2 - Mussenden Temple
- 13 : km 29.59 - alt. 43 m - Sea Road
- E : km 30.72 - alt. 14 m - Castlerock
Useful Information
Start : Small car park along A37 Coleraine-Limavady road (Nearby postcode BT51 4JP). Coordinates Lng : -6.81604 - Lat : 55.07777
Terrain : Rural roads
Public Transport : Translink
Facilities : Refreshments are available at the finish of the route in Castlerock. However this is a long route with no refreshment stops along the way – walkers should carry provisions accordingly.
There is a greater selection of accommodation at the end in Castlerock.
There is also no accommodation along this section of the route so walkers should arrange collection for accommodation off-route in Limavady or Coleraine area.
Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.
Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.
During the walk or to do/see around
(A) Mussenden Temple is a small circular building located on cliffs near Castlerock in County Londonderry, high above the Atlantic Ocean on the north-western coast of Northern Ireland.
Perched on the cliffs overlooking Downhill Strand, it was once possible to drive a carriage around the temple: however, coastal erosion has brought the edge closer to the building. The temple was built in 1785 and forms part of the Downhill Demesne. The demesne was formerly part of the estate of Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol, who served as the Church of Ireland Lord Bishop of Derry from 1768 until 1803. It was Lord Bristol – popularly known as "the Earl-Bishop" – who had the "temple" built. Constructed as a library and modelled from the Temple of Vesta in the Forum Romanum in Rome, it is dedicated to the memory of Bishop Lord Bristol's niece Frideswide Mussenden. Its walls were once lined with bookcases. A fire was kept burning constantly in the basement. This and its enclosed flue meant that, even in this very exposed location, the books never got damp.
Over the years the erosion of the cliff face at Downhill has brought Mussenden Temple ever closer to the edge, and in 1997 The National Trust carried out cliff stabilisation work to prevent the loss of the building.
The inscription around the building reads:
"Suave, mari magno turbantibus aequora ventis
e terra magnum alterius spectare laborem."
"Tis pleasant, safely to behold from shore
The troubled sailor, and hear the tempests roar."
Source and more information about the temple here!
