Drum Bridge
The Lagan Valley Regional Park was established in 1967 with the aim of protecting the local countryside, its wildlife and developing the area for informal recreation.
It covers some 4,000 acres (1,600ha) and extends for 11 miles (17.6km) along both sides of the Lagan between Belfast (Stranmillis) and Lisburn (Union Locks).
The Regional Park is a patchwork of landscapes from wet meadows, ponds and urban parks to mixed woodland, riverside trails and nature reserves providing a network for wildlife. A vital corridor for our biodiversity that supports flora such as orchids and ancient oaks, Atlantic salmon and Barn owls.
A passage to our past; it contains many clues to its history such as Stone Age monuments (e.g. the Giant’s Ring), Norman mottes, relics of the linen industry and of course, the Lagan Navigation built during the 1700s. Despite its proximity to urban areas, the Lagan Valley Regional Park retains its rural character and is an ideal place to enjoy the countryside, pursue active sports such as cycling and canoeing, or to participate in more leisurely pursuits such as bird watching and walking.
Click the following link for more information www.laganvalley.co.uk
Lock Keeper's House
Each lock or group of locks required a lock-keeper who was provided with a house and a garden by the Lagan Navigation Company during their employment.
The nearby lock-keeper’s house is the original house designed and built in the 1750s by Thomas Omer, the Dutch engineer responsible for the first section of the Lagan Canal, Stranmillis to Union Locks (Sprucefield).
The two-storey house is almost square in shape with a large keystone over the door. The semi-circular recesses on the end walls give the building a distinctive look.
Otter- Lutra Lutra
Occurring in both coastal waters and on rivers and lakes, otters are most active at dusk and during the night. With their webbed feet, waterproof fur and slender bodies, these secretive animals are well adapted for aquatic life. They can dive for many minutes in search of their prey, which consists of fish, coots, moorhens, ducks and frogs.
Otters live in a holt or den, which consists of a hole in the riverbank, under tree roots or under a pile of rocks. Normally living to 5 years, sometimes 10 years, otters grow to about 120cm long (including the tail) and can weigh up to 15kgs.
Kingfisher - Alcedo Atthis
A small, stocky bird with vibrant plumage; its back and wings are a dazzling electric blue, while its underparts are a rich, rusty orange. The bird’s head is large relative to its body, with a long, pointed black bill perfect for catching fish. It has short legs and a distinctive, upright posture when perched near water. The emblem of the Regional Park, those with sharp eyes may catch a flash of electric blue and orange darting across the water of moving rivers and streams, the kingfisher’s rapid flight and sharp calls make it a striking sight.