Invasive species seminar

Our former Project Officer, Rose Muir, returned to

her old stomping ground to share her knowledge of

alien invasive species. Now with the NIEA, Rose was

keen to increase the awareness of specific species,

including the infamous Japanese Knotweed.

Divis boardwalksThe National Trust asked us to help build and install

new boardwalk sections - using reclaimed timber - on

the Heath Trail around the back of Divis Mountain. Our

volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to do something

different and deliver path improvements on the site.

Colin Glen river clean upOur Big Saturday Task initiative is going from strength

to strength and recently we donned our waders and got

stuck in to clearing the Colin River alongside Lagan Valley

Regional Park volunteers and the Colin Glen Trust. General

rubbish, construction waste and even parts of old cars

were dragged out.

Pond weed clearance with Ligoniel Anglers

We’ve been eager to team up with the anglers for quite some time, so when they needed help to clear out the pond weed from the big mill pond, we were

delighted to get involved.

Reptile survey trainingPhilip McErlean has once again demonstrated his superior knowledge of lizards during his fantastic

survey training course. The focus of this year’s survey is Carnmoney Hill and Philip has kindly agreed to allow the course participants to tag along with him as he checks

the site for Ireland’s only land-based reptile.

Invasives: l-r Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed

It’s your Belfast Hills: The Partnership brings together statutory bodies with a role to play in the Belfast Hills, including Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Antrim councils. These representatives are joined by people from the farming, community, commercial, recreation and environmental sectors. All have pledged to work together to benefit the Belfast Hills.Charity No: XR70288 Company No: NI053189

Address: 9 Social Economy Village, Hannahstown Hill, Belfast, BT17 OXST: 028 9060 3466 • F: 028 9030 9867 • E: info@belfasthills.org • www.belfasthills.org

Sacred landscapes, prehistoric burial chambers and potato fields from the Great Famine are just some of the secrets of the Belfast Hills revealed in a new heritage guide published by the Partnership.

The booklet with illustrations by artist Philip Armstrong, focuses on former structures located throughout the Belfast Hills including Divis and Black Mountain, Colin Glen Forest Park and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve, Cave Hill and Carnmoney Hill.

The project is part of a landscape partnership scheme being supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and includes funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Prehistoric burial cairns, hut sites and stone-walled enclosures from the Early Christian period are located on Divis and Black Mountain.

On the lower slopes of the hill lies evidence of lazy beds where people, hundreds of years ago, grew potato crops. The cultivation beds probably date from the time of the Great Famine of 1845 – 1852 and are near the remains of the small houses belonging to people who were farmers or gamekeepers.

At Slievenacloy just above Poleglass, initial impressions suggest only grassy fields, but the site holds more

intrigue with mysterious earthworks still to be explained.

A throne for Celtic kings, Bellevue pleasure gardens and Ligoniel’s linen mills are just some of the fascinating historical features around Cave Hill.

Carnmoney Hill’s limekilns which processed limestone, and ace aviator Lilian Bland who flew there in 1910, making her the first woman in the world to build and fly her own plane, are also featured.

For a copy of the booklet, call into the Belfast Hills Partnership offices, libraries and Visit Belfast.

An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org.

Belfast Hills Heritage guide for essential summer reading

Quicklime: A limekiln on Carnmoney, which was used to produce quicklime that was spread on fields to increase production, or for motar in house building

Lazy beds: Potato cultivation on Divis Mountain is featured in our new heritage guide

Game on for heritage festivalIt’s game on for a summer kaleidoscope of fun and exciting activities at the Belfast Hills heritage

festival running from July 28 to August 3.Hop on our landscapes and legends

bus tour of the Belfast Hills or explore McArt’s Fort on our

Game of Thrones walk on Cave Hill, where Celtic kings were crowned in ancient times.Get the kids out for some puddle and pond dipping

at Ligoniel Dams, enter an enchanted world making

‘fairy doors’ at Mossley Mill and forge your own junior Celtic

collars - all the rage in the Bronze Age - at the Ulster Museum.

Enjoy a moonlit river night of songs and stories of the Belfast Hills on Belfast’s barge on the Lagan or take a

woodland wander of Colin Glen Forest Park.There’s a butterfly hunt at Castle Upton in Templepatrick, a rocky roadshow exploding volanoes and earthquakes at Island Arts Centre, Lisburn and get lost on the new junior orienteering course at Belfast Castle.Jo Boylan, Belfast Hills outreach officer, said this year’s festival was already proving popular.“It’s great to see all generations out in the Belfast Hills enjoying the history, geology, folklore, wildlife andculture of the hills that surround Belfast, Lisburnand Newtownabbey.“It is our busiest time of the year and wonderful to see so much enthusiasm and a spirit of fun from people interested in this wonderful resource.”

Get booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.orgGet booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.org

010527 - BH Summer Newsletter 3.indd 1 01/07/2014 12:39

Our new app is in development and it has a

number of great features with all you need

for a great day out in the Belfast Hills.

The app - due to come online in

the next few months - will allow

users to identify individualhills from a distance. It gives

details on the public sites that

can be accessed in the hillsand provides informationincluding directions, walks,upcoming events, and things to see like standingstones, limekilns and cashels.

Children are championing local birdlife after swift towers were built in their school grounds, nestled in the Belfast Hills.Known as swift towers, state-of-the-art ready-made multiple nests have been installed at Naiscoil Enna in the grounds of St Enda’s GAA grounds on Hightown in Glengormley and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Park Lodge.

The project, spearheaded by the Belfast Hills Partnership to boost swift populations acrossthe Belfast Hills, has seen the erection of a network of pioneering bird boxes, completewith solar-powered bird call.

Swifts return to the same nest year after year, but a reduction in sites has seen a dramatic decline in recent years.

Bog Meadows nature reserve, Colin allotments and the Belfast Hills Partnership offices have also had swift towers installed.

Cash for the £20,000 initiative has come fromthe Northern Ireland Environment Link’s Challenge Fund.

High flyers: l-r Ciara Lappin, Noel McCartney, Reuben McCrea, Aoife McComb, Ethan Dornan with Belfast Hills Partnership manager Jim Bradley and Brian Cahalane from NI Swift Group

Get snappy for our photography courseOver the past couple of years we have been inundated with requests for a photography course. Well, it’s finally here.We are offering 12 lucky participants a three-day training course where they will learn about the basics of digital photography before progressing to advanced lessons on macro and landscape techniques. Prior experience is not necessary and cameras will be provided for your use.

The training package will cost £15 per head and participants are asked to ensure their attendance for all three days. BHP volunteers and Friends will get priority booking.Contact us as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you’re not off on holiday this summer, a newbook encouraging you to be a “tourist at home”could be invaluable.

Entitled, Rambles In The Belfast Hills, the book takes the readeralong geographical features and reveals historical anecdotes.Its author Susan Clements from Newtownabbey, says it became her mission todiscover the beauty of the Belfast Hills close to home, rather than venture miles to find an interesting walk.

“When I first started exploring Cave Hill, I began to realise that when I decided to be a tourist at home, I saw things with

new eyes,” said Susan.

“With this in mind I set forth on my mission to persuade others to venture away from the rut and look around them. So

some of the walks in this book may be familiar, but approached from another angle can be linked to other walks to make a

longer distance challenge.

“I wanted to include a variety of environments, from the rugged countryside of Divis and Cave Hill to the more urban and

city areas along the Lagan and Lough Shore.”

Rambles In The Belfast Hills is published by Cottage Publications and is available in local booksellers priced £14.99.

It can also be bought online through www.cottage-publications.com

Alien invasive plants are not native to Irish shores. They are highly adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigour, combined with a lack of natural enemies, often leads to major outbreaks.

Species like Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed threaten the character, habitat and wildlife of the Belfast Hills.

The Partnership has been surveying, mapping and controlling invasive species in the hills for some years now.

This work is co-ordinated with partners so that we can plug the gaps and take a broader approach along river valleys and habitats.

Partnership manager Jim Bradley said: “Groups of volunteers are helping control invasive such as Himalayan Balsam by pulling them before they flower. Citibank

staff were recently involved in clearing a site at Glencairn.

“To check this strategy is working well, we’ve also enlisted a Queen’s University student, who is surveying sites which we cleared in the last few years.

“It is clear from early observations that once Himalayan Balsam has been pulled for two years, the native vegetation quickly recovers, either by spreading rapidly from the edges or from old seed banks in the soil“ said Jim.

“It’s great to see the long term benefits of this work. The native plants such as Herb Robert or Golden Saxifrage are now attracting far more local native species and so sustain the wildlife of the hills.”

To get involved in this and other work to benefit the hills, contact Freddie Harris.

Alien invaders retreating in the hillsNative plants are making a comeback as the Partnership continues thefight against invasive species in the Belfast Hills.

Get signed up to our E-NewsletterTo receive updates and events go to www.belfasthills.org and click on ‘sign up for our E-Newsletter’. Become our Friend! - Why not support the Partnership by becoming a Friend of the Belfast Hills? Get free entry to most events and enjoy other benefits for just £10 a year. Details are on our homepage. We’re at ‘Belfast Hills Partnership’ on Facebook, ‘Belfast Hills’ on Twitter and ‘Belfasthills’ on YouTube!

staff were recently involved in clearing a site

Invasives like HimalayanBalsam above, have been

replaced by native plants likeHerb Robert below, thanks to

the work of our volunteers

The Partnership has developed a Landowners Grant Scheme (LGS), which aims to assist the rural community to positively develop privately-owned land. The project, which has come with a cash injection from the Heritage Lottery Fund, relates to wildlife, built heritage and the overall appearance of the landscape.It has already delivered the planting of over a mile of native thorn hedging with protective fencing for landowners, creating wildlife corridors and connecting habitats.David Scott, project officer for the landscape partnership scheme said due to costs, investing in wildlife may not have been an issue that

landowners could have considered before. “The Belfast Hills Partnership recognises the important role that farmers and other landowners play in maintaining the landscape of the Belfast Hills,” he said.“This is a great opportunity for landowners in the Belfast Hills area to do something out of the ordinary on their land for which otherwise they could never justify the cost.“If you own land within the Belfast Hills area and would like to plant hedges, trees, wildflower meadows, renovate traditional stone gateposts or come up with something completely unique, we will be delighted to hear from you.”

Grant aid for land improvements

Before

AfterFor more details and an information pack please contact David on028 9060 3466 or david.scott@belfasthills.org.

A staggering half a million visits are now undertaken each year in the Belfast Hills.The increased popularity among users brought Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon to Belfast Castle to help launch The Belfast Hills Partnership’s recreation guide.

The 40-page publication promotes the availability of walking, running, cycling, orienteering, geocaching and other outdoor activities in the Belfast Hills. It shows how to access the public sites and includes maps, trails, grades of walks and cycling routes.It also aims to encourage healthy activities for users of the hills as well as family fun in the outdoors.The Heritage Lottery Fund, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), DARD and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland are among the agencies that funded the booklet.“With well over half a million visits undertaken in the Belfast Hills each year, the Belfast Hills are more popular than ever,” said Belfast Hills

Partnership manager Jim Bradley.

Jim said the guide would go a long way in helping promote the health of the people living in Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as Newtownabbey and Antrim and urged people not to be put off by the term ‘hills’.

“A wide range of paths and routes are available – from a virtually flat 400 metre path at Carnmoney Hill pond, to hiking the seven-mile boundaries of Divis and the Black Mountain across blanket bog and upland heath with elevations up to 377 metres (1,236ft).“Getting the people of Belfast into this area of outstanding beauty, and promoting the health benefits of the great outdoors, form key aims of the Partnership.

“The guide also promotes sustainable tourism and we hope it will help the

many visitors to the city coming to view the views from the Belfast Hills.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon said: “The hills around Belfast provide an iconic view of the city and they are a major attraction for locals and visitors alike. Whether it is that first glimpse of Napoleon’s nose as the ferry glides up Belfast Lough or the marvellous views provided by Divis and Black mountains, their environmental beauty calls to a wide audience who regularly hike or bike them. This guide, which encourages even more people to enjoy their attractions in a responsible and environmentally considerate way, will prove very valuable.”

tourism and we hope it will help the prove very valuable.”The guide can be picked up from libraries, Visit Belfast, local tourist offices, or by contacting the Belfast Hills Partnershipon 028 9060 3466/ info@belfasthills.org. An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org

Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon with eight-year-old Desi Henderson and Dara Daly (11) launching the new recreation guide

010527 - BH Summer Newsletter 3.indd 2 01/07/2014 12:39

Our new app is in development and it has a

number of great features with all you need

for a great day out in the Belfast Hills.

The app - due to come online in

the next few months - will allow

users to identify individualhills from a distance. It gives

details on the public sites that

can be accessed in the hillsand provides informationincluding directions, walks,upcoming events, and things to see like standingstones, limekilns and cashels.

Children are championing local birdlife after swift towers were built in their school grounds, nestled in the Belfast Hills.Known as swift towers, state-of-the-art ready-made multiple nests have been installed at Naiscoil Enna in the grounds of St Enda’s GAA grounds on Hightown in Glengormley and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Park Lodge.

The project, spearheaded by the Belfast Hills Partnership to boost swift populations acrossthe Belfast Hills, has seen the erection of a network of pioneering bird boxes, completewith solar-powered bird call.

Swifts return to the same nest year after year, but a reduction in sites has seen a dramatic decline in recent years.

Bog Meadows nature reserve, Colin allotments and the Belfast Hills Partnership offices have also had swift towers installed.

Cash for the £20,000 initiative has come fromthe Northern Ireland Environment Link’s Challenge Fund.

High flyers: l-r Ciara Lappin, Noel McCartney, Reuben McCrea, Aoife McComb, Ethan Dornan with Belfast Hills Partnership manager Jim Bradley and Brian Cahalane from NI Swift Group

Get snappy for our photography courseOver the past couple of years we have been inundated with requests for a photography course. Well, it’s finally here.We are offering 12 lucky participants a three-day training course where they will learn about the basics of digital photography before progressing to advanced lessons on macro and landscape techniques. Prior experience is not necessary and cameras will be provided for your use.

The training package will cost £15 per head and participants are asked to ensure their attendance for all three days. BHP volunteers and Friends will get priority booking.Contact us as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you’re not off on holiday this summer, a newbook encouraging you to be a “tourist at home”could be invaluable.

Entitled, Rambles In The Belfast Hills, the book takes the readeralong geographical features and reveals historical anecdotes.Its author Susan Clements from Newtownabbey, says it became her mission todiscover the beauty of the Belfast Hills close to home, rather than venture miles to find an interesting walk.

“When I first started exploring Cave Hill, I began to realise that when I decided to be a tourist at home, I saw things with

new eyes,” said Susan.

“With this in mind I set forth on my mission to persuade others to venture away from the rut and look around them. So

some of the walks in this book may be familiar, but approached from another angle can be linked to other walks to make a

longer distance challenge.

“I wanted to include a variety of environments, from the rugged countryside of Divis and Cave Hill to the more urban and

city areas along the Lagan and Lough Shore.”

Rambles In The Belfast Hills is published by Cottage Publications and is available in local booksellers priced £14.99.

It can also be bought online through www.cottage-publications.com

Alien invasive plants are not native to Irish shores. They are highly adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigour, combined with a lack of natural enemies, often leads to major outbreaks.

Species like Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed threaten the character, habitat and wildlife of the Belfast Hills.

The Partnership has been surveying, mapping and controlling invasive species in the hills for some years now.

This work is co-ordinated with partners so that we can plug the gaps and take a broader approach along river valleys and habitats.

Partnership manager Jim Bradley said: “Groups of volunteers are helping control invasive such as Himalayan Balsam by pulling them before they flower. Citibank

staff were recently involved in clearing a site at Glencairn.

“To check this strategy is working well, we’ve also enlisted a Queen’s University student, who is surveying sites which we cleared in the last few years.

“It is clear from early observations that once Himalayan Balsam has been pulled for two years, the native vegetation quickly recovers, either by spreading rapidly from the edges or from old seed banks in the soil“ said Jim.

“It’s great to see the long term benefits of this work. The native plants such as Herb Robert or Golden Saxifrage are now attracting far more local native species and so sustain the wildlife of the hills.”

To get involved in this and other work to benefit the hills, contact Freddie Harris.

Alien invaders retreating in the hillsNative plants are making a comeback as the Partnership continues thefight against invasive species in the Belfast Hills.

Get signed up to our E-NewsletterTo receive updates and events go to www.belfasthills.org and click on ‘sign up for our E-Newsletter’. Become our Friend! - Why not support the Partnership by becoming a Friend of the Belfast Hills? Get free entry to most events and enjoy other benefits for just £10 a year. Details are on our homepage. We’re at ‘Belfast Hills Partnership’ on Facebook, ‘Belfast Hills’ on Twitter and ‘Belfasthills’ on YouTube!

staff were recently involved in clearing a site

Invasives like HimalayanBalsam above, have been

replaced by native plants likeHerb Robert below, thanks to

the work of our volunteers

The Partnership has developed a Landowners Grant Scheme (LGS), which aims to assist the rural community to positively develop privately-owned land. The project, which has come with a cash injection from the Heritage Lottery Fund, relates to wildlife, built heritage and the overall appearance of the landscape.It has already delivered the planting of over a mile of native thorn hedging with protective fencing for landowners, creating wildlife corridors and connecting habitats.David Scott, project officer for the landscape partnership scheme said due to costs, investing in wildlife may not have been an issue that

landowners could have considered before. “The Belfast Hills Partnership recognises the important role that farmers and other landowners play in maintaining the landscape of the Belfast Hills,” he said.“This is a great opportunity for landowners in the Belfast Hills area to do something out of the ordinary on their land for which otherwise they could never justify the cost.“If you own land within the Belfast Hills area and would like to plant hedges, trees, wildflower meadows, renovate traditional stone gateposts or come up with something completely unique, we will be delighted to hear from you.”

Grant aid for land improvements

Before

AfterFor more details and an information pack please contact David on028 9060 3466 or david.scott@belfasthills.org.

A staggering half a million visits are now undertaken each year in the Belfast Hills.The increased popularity among users brought Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon to Belfast Castle to help launch The Belfast Hills Partnership’s recreation guide.

The 40-page publication promotes the availability of walking, running, cycling, orienteering, geocaching and other outdoor activities in the Belfast Hills. It shows how to access the public sites and includes maps, trails, grades of walks and cycling routes.It also aims to encourage healthy activities for users of the hills as well as family fun in the outdoors.The Heritage Lottery Fund, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), DARD and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland are among the agencies that funded the booklet.“With well over half a million visits undertaken in the Belfast Hills each year, the Belfast Hills are more popular than ever,” said Belfast Hills

Partnership manager Jim Bradley.

Jim said the guide would go a long way in helping promote the health of the people living in Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as Newtownabbey and Antrim and urged people not to be put off by the term ‘hills’.

“A wide range of paths and routes are available – from a virtually flat 400 metre path at Carnmoney Hill pond, to hiking the seven-mile boundaries of Divis and the Black Mountain across blanket bog and upland heath with elevations up to 377 metres (1,236ft).“Getting the people of Belfast into this area of outstanding beauty, and promoting the health benefits of the great outdoors, form key aims of the Partnership.

“The guide also promotes sustainable tourism and we hope it will help the

many visitors to the city coming to view the views from the Belfast Hills.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon said: “The hills around Belfast provide an iconic view of the city and they are a major attraction for locals and visitors alike. Whether it is that first glimpse of Napoleon’s nose as the ferry glides up Belfast Lough or the marvellous views provided by Divis and Black mountains, their environmental beauty calls to a wide audience who regularly hike or bike them. This guide, which encourages even more people to enjoy their attractions in a responsible and environmentally considerate way, will prove very valuable.”

tourism and we hope it will help the prove very valuable.”The guide can be picked up from libraries, Visit Belfast, local tourist offices, or by contacting the Belfast Hills Partnershipon 028 9060 3466/ info@belfasthills.org. An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org

Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon with eight-year-old Desi Henderson and Dara Daly (11) launching the new recreation guide

010527 - BH Summer Newsletter 3.indd 2 01/07/2014 12:39

Invasive species seminar

Our former Project Officer, Rose Muir, returned to

her old stomping ground to share her knowledge of

alien invasive species. Now with the NIEA, Rose was

keen to increase the awareness of specific species,

including the infamous Japanese Knotweed.

Divis boardwalksThe National Trust asked us to help build and install

new boardwalk sections - using reclaimed timber - on

the Heath Trail around the back of Divis Mountain. Our

volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to do something

different and deliver path improvements on the site.

Colin Glen river clean upOur Big Saturday Task initiative is going from strength

to strength and recently we donned our waders and got

stuck in to clearing the Colin River alongside Lagan Valley

Regional Park volunteers and the Colin Glen Trust. General

rubbish, construction waste and even parts of old cars

were dragged out.

Pond weed clearance with Ligoniel Anglers

We’ve been eager to team up with the anglers for quite some time, so when they needed help to clear out the pond weed from the big mill pond, we were

delighted to get involved.

Reptile survey trainingPhilip McErlean has once again demonstrated his superior knowledge of lizards during his fantastic

survey training course. The focus of this year’s survey is Carnmoney Hill and Philip has kindly agreed to allow the course participants to tag along with him as he checks

the site for Ireland’s only land-based reptile.

Invasives: l-r Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed

It’s your Belfast Hills: The Partnership brings together statutory bodies with a role to play in the Belfast Hills, including Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Antrim councils. These representatives are joined by people from the farming, community, commercial, recreation and environmental sectors. All have pledged to work together to benefit the Belfast Hills.Charity No: XR70288 Company No: NI053189

Address: 9 Social Economy Village, Hannahstown Hill, Belfast, BT17 OXST: 028 9060 3466 • F: 028 9030 9867 • E: info@belfasthills.org • www.belfasthills.org

Sacred landscapes, prehistoric burial chambers and potato fields from the Great Famine are just some of the secrets of the Belfast Hills revealed in a new heritage guide published by the Partnership.

The booklet with illustrations by artist Philip Armstrong, focuses on former structures located throughout the Belfast Hills including Divis and Black Mountain, Colin Glen Forest Park and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve, Cave Hill and Carnmoney Hill.

The project is part of a landscape partnership scheme being supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and includes funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Prehistoric burial cairns, hut sites and stone-walled enclosures from the Early Christian period are located on Divis and Black Mountain.

On the lower slopes of the hill lies evidence of lazy beds where people, hundreds of years ago, grew potato crops. The cultivation beds probably date from the time of the Great Famine of 1845 – 1852 and are near the remains of the small houses belonging to people who were farmers or gamekeepers.

At Slievenacloy just above Poleglass, initial impressions suggest only grassy fields, but the site holds more

intrigue with mysterious earthworks still to be explained.

A throne for Celtic kings, Bellevue pleasure gardens and Ligoniel’s linen mills are just some of the fascinating historical features around Cave Hill.

Carnmoney Hill’s limekilns which processed limestone, and ace aviator Lilian Bland who flew there in 1910, making her the first woman in the world to build and fly her own plane, are also featured.

For a copy of the booklet, call into the Belfast Hills Partnership offices, libraries and Visit Belfast.

An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org.

Belfast Hills Heritage guide for essential summer reading

Quicklime: A limekiln on Carnmoney, which was used to produce quicklime that was spread on fields to increase production, or for motar in house building

Lazy beds: Potato cultivation on Divis Mountain is featured in our new heritage guide

Game on for heritage festivalIt’s game on for a summer kaleidoscope of fun and exciting activities at the Belfast Hills heritage

festival running from July 28 to August 3.Hop on our landscapes and legends

bus tour of the Belfast Hills or explore McArt’s Fort on our

Game of Thrones walk on Cave Hill, where Celtic kings were crowned in ancient times.Get the kids out for some puddle and pond dipping

at Ligoniel Dams, enter an enchanted world making

‘fairy doors’ at Mossley Mill and forge your own junior Celtic

collars - all the rage in the Bronze Age - at the Ulster Museum.

Enjoy a moonlit river night of songs and stories of the Belfast Hills on Belfast’s barge on the Lagan or take a

woodland wander of Colin Glen Forest Park.There’s a butterfly hunt at Castle Upton in Templepatrick, a rocky roadshow exploding volanoes and earthquakes at Island Arts Centre, Lisburn and get lost on the new junior orienteering course at Belfast Castle.Jo Boylan, Belfast Hills outreach officer, said this year’s festival was already proving popular.“It’s great to see all generations out in the Belfast Hills enjoying the history, geology, folklore, wildlife andculture of the hills that surround Belfast, Lisburnand Newtownabbey.“It is our busiest time of the year and wonderful to see so much enthusiasm and a spirit of fun from people interested in this wonderful resource.”

Get booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.orgGet booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.org

010527 - BH Summer Newsletter 3.indd 1 01/07/2014 12:39

Our new app is in development and it has a

number of great features with all you need

for a great day out in the Belfast Hills.

The app - due to come online in

the next few months - will allow

users to identify individualhills from a distance. It gives

details on the public sites that

can be accessed in the hillsand provides informationincluding directions, walks,upcoming events, and things to see like standingstones, limekilns and cashels.

Children are championing local birdlife after swift towers were built in their school grounds, nestled in the Belfast Hills.Known as swift towers, state-of-the-art ready-made multiple nests have been installed at Naiscoil Enna in the grounds of St Enda’s GAA grounds on Hightown in Glengormley and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Park Lodge.

The project, spearheaded by the Belfast Hills Partnership to boost swift populations acrossthe Belfast Hills, has seen the erection of a network of pioneering bird boxes, completewith solar-powered bird call.

Swifts return to the same nest year after year, but a reduction in sites has seen a dramatic decline in recent years.

Bog Meadows nature reserve, Colin allotments and the Belfast Hills Partnership offices have also had swift towers installed.

Cash for the £20,000 initiative has come fromthe Northern Ireland Environment Link’s Challenge Fund.

High flyers: l-r Ciara Lappin, Noel McCartney, Reuben McCrea, Aoife McComb, Ethan Dornan with Belfast Hills Partnership manager Jim Bradley and Brian Cahalane from NI Swift Group

Get snappy for our photography courseOver the past couple of years we have been inundated with requests for a photography course. Well, it’s finally here.We are offering 12 lucky participants a three-day training course where they will learn about the basics of digital photography before progressing to advanced lessons on macro and landscape techniques. Prior experience is not necessary and cameras will be provided for your use.

The training package will cost £15 per head and participants are asked to ensure their attendance for all three days. BHP volunteers and Friends will get priority booking.Contact us as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you’re not off on holiday this summer, a newbook encouraging you to be a “tourist at home”could be invaluable.

Entitled, Rambles In The Belfast Hills, the book takes the readeralong geographical features and reveals historical anecdotes.Its author Susan Clements from Newtownabbey, says it became her mission todiscover the beauty of the Belfast Hills close to home, rather than venture miles to find an interesting walk.

“When I first started exploring Cave Hill, I began to realise that when I decided to be a tourist at home, I saw things with

new eyes,” said Susan.

“With this in mind I set forth on my mission to persuade others to venture away from the rut and look around them. So

some of the walks in this book may be familiar, but approached from another angle can be linked to other walks to make a

longer distance challenge.

“I wanted to include a variety of environments, from the rugged countryside of Divis and Cave Hill to the more urban and

city areas along the Lagan and Lough Shore.”

Rambles In The Belfast Hills is published by Cottage Publications and is available in local booksellers priced £14.99.

It can also be bought online through www.cottage-publications.com

Alien invasive plants are not native to Irish shores. They are highly adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigour, combined with a lack of natural enemies, often leads to major outbreaks.

Species like Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed threaten the character, habitat and wildlife of the Belfast Hills.

The Partnership has been surveying, mapping and controlling invasive species in the hills for some years now.

This work is co-ordinated with partners so that we can plug the gaps and take a broader approach along river valleys and habitats.

Partnership manager Jim Bradley said: “Groups of volunteers are helping control invasive such as Himalayan Balsam by pulling them before they flower. Citibank

staff were recently involved in clearing a site at Glencairn.

“To check this strategy is working well, we’ve also enlisted a Queen’s University student, who is surveying sites which we cleared in the last few years.

“It is clear from early observations that once Himalayan Balsam has been pulled for two years, the native vegetation quickly recovers, either by spreading rapidly from the edges or from old seed banks in the soil“ said Jim.

“It’s great to see the long term benefits of this work. The native plants such as Herb Robert or Golden Saxifrage are now attracting far more local native species and so sustain the wildlife of the hills.”

To get involved in this and other work to benefit the hills, contact Freddie Harris.

Alien invaders retreating in the hillsNative plants are making a comeback as the Partnership continues thefight against invasive species in the Belfast Hills.

Get signed up to our E-NewsletterTo receive updates and events go to www.belfasthills.org and click on ‘sign up for our E-Newsletter’. Become our Friend! - Why not support the Partnership by becoming a Friend of the Belfast Hills? Get free entry to most events and enjoy other benefits for just £10 a year. Details are on our homepage. We’re at ‘Belfast Hills Partnership’ on Facebook, ‘Belfast Hills’ on Twitter and ‘Belfasthills’ on YouTube!

staff were recently involved in clearing a site

Invasives like HimalayanBalsam above, have been

replaced by native plants likeHerb Robert below, thanks to

the work of our volunteers

The Partnership has developed a Landowners Grant Scheme (LGS), which aims to assist the rural community to positively develop privately-owned land. The project, which has come with a cash injection from the Heritage Lottery Fund, relates to wildlife, built heritage and the overall appearance of the landscape.It has already delivered the planting of over a mile of native thorn hedging with protective fencing for landowners, creating wildlife corridors and connecting habitats.David Scott, project officer for the landscape partnership scheme said due to costs, investing in wildlife may not have been an issue that

landowners could have considered before. “The Belfast Hills Partnership recognises the important role that farmers and other landowners play in maintaining the landscape of the Belfast Hills,” he said.“This is a great opportunity for landowners in the Belfast Hills area to do something out of the ordinary on their land for which otherwise they could never justify the cost.“If you own land within the Belfast Hills area and would like to plant hedges, trees, wildflower meadows, renovate traditional stone gateposts or come up with something completely unique, we will be delighted to hear from you.”

Grant aid for land improvements

Before

AfterFor more details and an information pack please contact David on028 9060 3466 or david.scott@belfasthills.org.

A staggering half a million visits are now undertaken each year in the Belfast Hills.The increased popularity among users brought Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon to Belfast Castle to help launch The Belfast Hills Partnership’s recreation guide.

The 40-page publication promotes the availability of walking, running, cycling, orienteering, geocaching and other outdoor activities in the Belfast Hills. It shows how to access the public sites and includes maps, trails, grades of walks and cycling routes.It also aims to encourage healthy activities for users of the hills as well as family fun in the outdoors.The Heritage Lottery Fund, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), DARD and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland are among the agencies that funded the booklet.“With well over half a million visits undertaken in the Belfast Hills each year, the Belfast Hills are more popular than ever,” said Belfast Hills

Partnership manager Jim Bradley.

Jim said the guide would go a long way in helping promote the health of the people living in Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as Newtownabbey and Antrim and urged people not to be put off by the term ‘hills’.

“A wide range of paths and routes are available – from a virtually flat 400 metre path at Carnmoney Hill pond, to hiking the seven-mile boundaries of Divis and the Black Mountain across blanket bog and upland heath with elevations up to 377 metres (1,236ft).“Getting the people of Belfast into this area of outstanding beauty, and promoting the health benefits of the great outdoors, form key aims of the Partnership.

“The guide also promotes sustainable tourism and we hope it will help the

many visitors to the city coming to view the views from the Belfast Hills.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon said: “The hills around Belfast provide an iconic view of the city and they are a major attraction for locals and visitors alike. Whether it is that first glimpse of Napoleon’s nose as the ferry glides up Belfast Lough or the marvellous views provided by Divis and Black mountains, their environmental beauty calls to a wide audience who regularly hike or bike them. This guide, which encourages even more people to enjoy their attractions in a responsible and environmentally considerate way, will prove very valuable.”

tourism and we hope it will help the prove very valuable.”The guide can be picked up from libraries, Visit Belfast, local tourist offices, or by contacting the Belfast Hills Partnershipon 028 9060 3466/ info@belfasthills.org. An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org

Belfast, Lisburn and in areas such as

Belfast Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon with eight-year-old Desi Henderson and Dara Daly (11) launching the new recreation guide

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Invasive species seminar

Our former Project Officer, Rose Muir, returned to

her old stomping ground to share her knowledge of

alien invasive species. Now with the NIEA, Rose was

keen to increase the awareness of specific species,

including the infamous Japanese Knotweed.

Divis boardwalksThe National Trust asked us to help build and install

new boardwalk sections - using reclaimed timber - on

the Heath Trail around the back of Divis Mountain. Our

volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to do something

different and deliver path improvements on the site.

Colin Glen river clean upOur Big Saturday Task initiative is going from strength

to strength and recently we donned our waders and got

stuck in to clearing the Colin River alongside Lagan Valley

Regional Park volunteers and the Colin Glen Trust. General

rubbish, construction waste and even parts of old cars

were dragged out.

Pond weed clearance with Ligoniel Anglers

We’ve been eager to team up with the anglers for quite some time, so when they needed help to clear out the pond weed from the big mill pond, we were

delighted to get involved.

Reptile survey trainingPhilip McErlean has once again demonstrated his superior knowledge of lizards during his fantastic

survey training course. The focus of this year’s survey is Carnmoney Hill and Philip has kindly agreed to allow the course participants to tag along with him as he checks

the site for Ireland’s only land-based reptile.

Invasives: l-r Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed

It’s your Belfast Hills: The Partnership brings together statutory bodies with a role to play in the Belfast Hills, including Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Antrim councils. These representatives are joined by people from the farming, community, commercial, recreation and environmental sectors. All have pledged to work together to benefit the Belfast Hills.Charity No: XR70288 Company No: NI053189

Address: 9 Social Economy Village, Hannahstown Hill, Belfast, BT17 OXST: 028 9060 3466 • F: 028 9030 9867 • E: info@belfasthills.org • www.belfasthills.org

Sacred landscapes, prehistoric burial chambers and potato fields from the Great Famine are just some of the secrets of the Belfast Hills revealed in a new heritage guide published by the Partnership.

The booklet with illustrations by artist Philip Armstrong, focuses on former structures located throughout the Belfast Hills including Divis and Black Mountain, Colin Glen Forest Park and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve, Cave Hill and Carnmoney Hill.

The project is part of a landscape partnership scheme being supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and includes funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Prehistoric burial cairns, hut sites and stone-walled enclosures from the Early Christian period are located on Divis and Black Mountain.

On the lower slopes of the hill lies evidence of lazy beds where people, hundreds of years ago, grew potato crops. The cultivation beds probably date from the time of the Great Famine of 1845 – 1852 and are near the remains of the small houses belonging to people who were farmers or gamekeepers.

At Slievenacloy just above Poleglass, initial impressions suggest only grassy fields, but the site holds more

intrigue with mysterious earthworks still to be explained.

A throne for Celtic kings, Bellevue pleasure gardens and Ligoniel’s linen mills are just some of the fascinating historical features around Cave Hill.

Carnmoney Hill’s limekilns which processed limestone, and ace aviator Lilian Bland who flew there in 1910, making her the first woman in the world to build and fly her own plane, are also featured.

For a copy of the booklet, call into the Belfast Hills Partnership offices, libraries and Visit Belfast.

An online copy of the publication is available at belfasthills.org.

Belfast Hills Heritage guide for essential summer reading

Quicklime: A limekiln on Carnmoney, which was used to produce quicklime that was spread on fields to increase production, or for motar in house building

Lazy beds: Potato cultivation on Divis Mountain is featured in our new heritage guide

Game on for heritage festivalIt’s game on for a summer kaleidoscope of fun and exciting activities at the Belfast Hills heritage

festival running from July 28 to August 3.Hop on our landscapes and legends

bus tour of the Belfast Hills or explore McArt’s Fort on our

Game of Thrones walk on Cave Hill, where Celtic kings were crowned in ancient times.Get the kids out for some puddle and pond dipping

at Ligoniel Dams, enter an enchanted world making

‘fairy doors’ at Mossley Mill and forge your own junior Celtic

collars - all the rage in the Bronze Age - at the Ulster Museum.

Enjoy a moonlit river night of songs and stories of the Belfast Hills on Belfast’s barge on the Lagan or take a

woodland wander of Colin Glen Forest Park.There’s a butterfly hunt at Castle Upton in Templepatrick, a rocky roadshow exploding volanoes and earthquakes at Island Arts Centre, Lisburn and get lost on the new junior orienteering course at Belfast Castle.Jo Boylan, Belfast Hills outreach officer, said this year’s festival was already proving popular.“It’s great to see all generations out in the Belfast Hills enjoying the history, geology, folklore, wildlife andculture of the hills that surround Belfast, Lisburnand Newtownabbey.“It is our busiest time of the year and wonderful to see so much enthusiasm and a spirit of fun from people interested in this wonderful resource.”

Get booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.orgGet booking now! Call us on 028 9060 3466 or email info@belfasthills.org

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