Drumnaph Ruachan Trail

Start : Drumnaph Nature Reserve West Carpark (BT46 5PB)

(S/E) Leaving the western car park at O’Loughlin’s Farm, follow the waymarkers indicating a right direction (East). Walk for around 320 m to meet a river.

(1) Continue left (South-West) on to the banks of the Grillagh river (A) on your right-hand side. Walk West along the riverside to reach beside a stone bridge in an area called ‘Ruachan’ (B). Cross this pathway to transition between two habitats (C) veering South until you reach a road.

(2) Turn left (East) on the road and continue to arrive back at the car park. (S/E)

Start : Drumnaph Nature Reserve West Carpark (BT46 5PB)

Driving to the start & parking : For the west car park, take the Tirkane Road leading North-West from Maghera town centre. Continue for 3.5 Km, before turning right onto the Halfgayne Road. The west car park is 1Km along this road on the right hand side.
To reach the east car park from the west car park, continue for 700m along the Halfgayne Road, before turning right onto the Gortinure Road. Continue along this road for 1Km before turning right onto the Grillagh Road, the east car park is 300m on your right.

Terrain : Grass pathways are in place

Public Transport : Translink

Facilities : As this is a natural woodland environment, no toilet or refreshment facilities are provided. New pathways do include a short section suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Dog Policy : Dogs are allowed but must be kept under control.

Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.

(A) ‘Griollach’ means a wet and mucky area and is the name of a local townland through which the river flows. The Grillagh river is used by Atlantic Salmon, which enter freshwater some 35 miles north through the mouth of the River Bann at Coleraine and make their way upstream in order to spawn.

(B) ‘Rua’ means red in Gaelic and its use here is likely to be in reference to the rust coloured land which is stained by naturally occurring ochre. This can be seen clearly leeching into the local ditches and streams, from which it was easily extracted for use. Ochre was one of the simplest and earliest used dyes and in view of the place name it is likely that people would have taken it from this area.

(C) To the west we have the cutover bog dominated by plants that thrive in acidic nutrient poor conditions. To the east and up the hill we are looking at an acid marsh which is dominated by rushes, sedges and grasses.

The natural beauty and wildlife of this ancient woodland !

These lands have been used for low-intensity agriculture for many years. The O’Loughlin farm is now a rare example of species-rich habitats containing many plants and animals that are now scarce in the wider landscape. Just beside the car park, there is an old lone hawthorn tree. The Gaelic name for this tree is ‘Sceach Gheal’ meaning white bush which comes from its profuse blossom during May. Single Hawthorn trees feature widely within this upland landscape. Historically farmers have avoided damaging these trees in the belief that disaster would befall those who dared to dig up or cut down a ‘fairy thorn’.

Along the side of the path is an impressive mature hedge which is dominated by Holly. Directly south of the path is an area of cutaway bog. Peat or turf was a hugely important fuel in most parts of rural Ireland as for many centuries little wood was available due to the destruction of the woodlands during the 17th century following the Elizabethan conquest.