newsletter autumn

It’s hard to believe we’re nearly twoyears into our four year Belfast Hillslandscape partnership scheme.It seems like only yesterday the Partnershipwas celebrating a major Heritage Lotteryfunding award, but already the benefitshave been felt in the hills. We have tackledthe big projects first, with new pathsalready installed including the Divissummit path and Mc Art’s Fort toHazelwood upgrade on Cave Hill.

Revamping of existing paths thatendure harsh conditions on thesummits, has receivedoverwhelming, positive feedback.Our partners have also been addingto the infrastructure with a major newNational Trust path from the north end of Black Mountainback to Divis Long Barn. Lots of new and upgraded pathshave also been put in place at Ligoniel, making this agreat place to discover.

Our next step is to concentrate on maps and panels thatwill introduce people to these new places in the hills. Ourwildlife work also continues, with improvements atbrownfield sites such as Black Mountain quarry, andcollaboration with farmers and landowners on hedgerowimprovements. Survey work has concentrated on a rangeof wildlife including badgers, nesting birds, wildflowersand insects - all reflected in our broadened eventsprogramme. We have completed a major survey of oftenforgotten and enigmatic heritage sites in the hills, andproduced a stunning leaflet showing the townlands of thehills.

Hundreds of families were digging for archeologicalvictory on our ‘big dig’ on Divis, and our summer heritage

Our salmon in the classroom project released

fish back into the Colin River – one of many

taking place at the Belfast Hills Partnership

festival was a resounding success.

We have expanded our series of school visits withgroundbreaking river and wildfire awarenessprogrammes. Pupils are also getting involved in oursalmon in the classroom initiative while filmmakingtalent has been in abundance with the production of aWildfire in the Hills video for use in schools across theBelfast Hills. Check out the short film made by localpupils on our website or YouTube.

Scores of volunteers have been recruited and trained andmany are working on practical management, surveying,ranger and research work across sites in the hills. Thiswill ensure the benefits of our work continues for yearsto come, says partnership scheme manager LizzyPinkerton.

“From practical ‘spade in the ground’ work to winningnew people over who are appreciating the value of thehills and why they deserve such investment, there hasbeen lots happening in the Belfast Hills,” she said.

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Our Townlands project alsodelved into where our mostcommon placenames comefrom across the Belfast Hills.A leaflet has been produced,with money from theHeritage Lottery Fund aspart of the Belfast Hillslandscape partnershipscheme. Northern IrelandEnvironment Agency, theDepartment of Agricultureunder the RuralDevelopment Programmeand cross border Irishlanguage agency, Foras naGaelige are also involved.The initiative involved cross-community Irish languagegroup, ULTACH Trust.Divis Mountain in westBelfast is the Anglicisedversion of Dubhais meaning‘black ridge’, while Ligonielon the outskirts of northBelfast or Lag an Aoil,means ‘the hollow of thelimestone’.Carnmoney is the site of thelarge Iron Age rath ofDunnaney Fort, or Nancy’sFort, which probablyderives from the Irish DúnÁine meaning ‘the fort ofÁine’ – an ancient sun-goddess.Some names reflect therich Christian heritage ofthe hills including Shankill– ‘the old church’. It is alsolikely that Budore – thetownland which has a roadof the same name refers tothe site of an earlyChristian hermitage. The leaflet is available now.

The origins of some of our most well-known place names have now been revealed in a major newstudy by the Belfast Hills Partnership.


Rattle and HumAutumn is here, but a task force has been out creating a wildflowermeadow in west Belfast in time for spring. It comes after theharvesting of native seeds that are one of the most vitalingredients in creating a wildflower habitat.The seeds of the yellow rattle plant, known as Rhinanthus minor, are key toencouraging wildflowers to grow that help wildlife flourish. They keep downgrasses which would otherwise muscle out rarer meadow plants.Collected over the summer months, the seed will be used on a patch of groundin Colin Glen Forest Park. It is hoped that flowers including cowslip andspotted orchid flowers, birds such as owls, meadow pipits and skylark,mammals - Irish hare, harvest mouse and bats - and insects like the commonblue butterfly, burnet moths and bumblebees, will benefit from the initiative.These species depend on healthy habitat and many have suffered fallingnumbers in recent years with the depletion of wildflower meadows. The projectis part of our Heritage Lottery Fund’s landscape partnership scheme, which istasked with developing the landscape of the Belfast Hills through communityaction.

The scheme’s volunteer officer Freddie Harris said yellow rattle is an essentialingredient for encouraging the new wildflower meadow. He explained thevolunteers would be cutting away some of the old grassland and sowing theyellow rattle seed - the first stage in creating a new meadow.“Wildflower meadows and grasslands are our most diverse yet mostthreatened habitats. They are rich in wildlife, landscape character, folkloreand history. “Yellow rattle is fantastic as it acts as a parasite against the grassand reduces the amount that can grow,” said Freddie.

High ‘ropes’ for

Colin Glen’s

new climbing

facilityThe Belfast Hills has a£250,000 outdoor activitycentre that is hoping toboost visitors to the westBelfast area and provide astate-of-the-art climbingfacilities for surroundingcommunities.SKYTrek outdoor activity centre

was opened by Minister for

Agriculture and Rural Development

Michelle O'Neill recently.

With over 100m aerial trekking

within Colin Glen, SKYTrek

Manager Susan Smyth says the

new high ropes activity centre is

expected to attract thousands of

visitors every year.

The project is funded by DARD via

Lagan Rural Partnership, Biffa

Award, ALPHA and Belfast city

council.

Meet the Belfast Hills RangerBecoming a volunteer with the Belfast Hills Partnership can land you a plumbrole as a hills ranger – just like Karen Stevenson.

The 23-year-old geography graduate (below) says a cursory look on the VolunteerNow website got her interested in our work and eventually led to her becoming oneof seven qualified rangers that act as the “eyes and ears of the hills”.

The Belfast woman has already clocked up 40 hours volunteering time thatincluded several courses to equip her with all relevant aspects of the managementof the hills sites for rangers. Though Karen is the only female ranger, it is hopedmore women will get on board as part of our Heritage Lottery-funded landscapepartnership scheme. It is hoped that over the remaining years of the scheme, 10 rangers will be installed.

“I saw volunteering opportunities and wentup and met with the volunteer officer. Isigned up for the practical conservationskills training programme, communitywalk leader and GPS courses and was upon Cave Hill doing path surveys inHazelwood,” she said.

“I have always been keen on nature andwildlife and a strong supporter of localconservation, so I’m enjoying getting outand helping, getting healthy in the freshair and learning about the issues thataffect the Belfast Hills.”

If you would like to become a hillsranger, contact volunteer [email protected]

L-R Minister for Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Michelle O'Neill with SKYTrek

manager Susan Smyth in Colin Glen


Remembering a kaleidoscope

of summer fun.School is back and autumn is here, but what a sizzlingly fantasticsummer it was in the Belfast Hills! A kaleidoscope of fun camepackaged with scores of events throughout the Hills as part of oursummer programme that included the second Belfast Hills heritage festival.

Our pond dipping and river safaris got youngsters learning aboutaquatic wildlife as part of the landscape partnership scheme’s riverawareness project, while Colin Glen had us hunting for fossils. On dryland there was bucket loads of fun at our crafty critters build a bug dayat Clotworthy House in Antrim, and we went back in time for arts andcrafts at historic Clifton House, Belfast.

We were up, up and away at our kitemaking day on Divis and there was lotsof fascinating wildlife at our bugs andbutterflies day at Slievenacloy naturereserve and invertebrate investigations event at Ligoniel Park.

For the latest list of Events log onto www.belfasthills.org/events

Please note: All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Suitable clothing and

footwear should be worn. Dogs are allowed on some walks but only if kept under control.

Parts of some walks can be steep or difficult.

Fossil hunting

River safariKite flying

Arts and crafts day

Pond dipping

Crafty critters


A childhood kept aliveby the spoken wordCourting along country lanes, avoiding haunted houses,playing hopscotch and walking miles to see the Ulster GrandPrix are just some of the memories recalled by one woman aspart of a fascinating oral history project.

A team of researchers have huntedfar and wide across the Belfast Hillsto record the nostalgia of days goneby – including hardships endured.

Retired teacher Joan Cosgrove is oneof over 20 interviewees as part of ourHeritage Lottery-funded landscapepartnership scheme.

She attended Wolfhill primary schoolin Ligoniel village in the 1940s andGrosvenor Grammar in the 1950s.

“My memories are very nice – playinghopscotch in the playground,” sherecalls.

“I was the only female in the street atthat time that went to grammarschool.

“Grosvenor was non fee paying. It’sonly now - that I myself became a

teacher years later - I realisedthe implications of that. In away, it was the first workingclass grammar school thatexisted within the Belfast thearea.”

Motorbike racing at Dundrod was abig draw in the 1950s, says MrsCosgrove.

“We used to walk from Ligoniel overthe hill to see the Ulster Grand Prix -now that’s some dander. But therewould have been hundreds of peopleaccessing that walk to see the UlsterGrand Prix.

“I can remember droves and drovesof people.”

‘Walking out’ with a boy with a posyof bluebells and primroses is also

New facilities for walkers at Carnmoney HillRathfern social activity centre - just beside the Knockenagh Avenue entrance of Carnmoney Hill– is open and available for use by visitors to the woodland walk. Users are welcome to make useof the centre's changing and toilet facilities. For additional peace of mind you can request a radio to take on your walk in order to contact staff should you get intodifficulty. Refreshments can be bought at the tuck shop with room hire also availableThe centre is run by local volunteers and is open from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday. Contact staff if you wish to usethe facilities on Saturdays or Sundays. Call 02890 865 917 or email [email protected]

fondly recalled by Mrs Cosgrove.

“I was playing round the street andJohn came and he said to me would Ilike to go for a walk - it was a Sunday– and I said I would love to go for awalk – (it was) my first date. So Iwent in and put my good coat on andnever let on to my mother.

“John and I walked up Ligoniel hilland he went into the meadow andbrought me out a bunch of bluebellsand primroses,” she said.

The oral histories will be availablenext year on our website.


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 thefarming, community, commercial, recreation and environmental sectors. All have pledged to work together tobenefit 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: [email protected] • www.belfasthills.org

Funders of the BelfastHills Partnership

Lurgan Design & Print Tel: 028 38 321 255

Gregor Fulton from the WoodlandTrust says all livestock arevulnerable to extremes oftemperature, which affects feedintake, reproductive performanceand susceptibility to disease. “While we certainly can’t control theelements, we can help to lessen theireffect,” he said.“Trees and woodsthoughtfullyintegrated intofarms have animportant role toplay. Plantingnative trees, orallowing them todevelop inhedgerows,provides winter

shelter and summer shade,important for livestock welfare andproductivity.“Many landowners will be eligible forgrant-aid from Forest Service’sWoodland Grant Scheme. Those whodon’t qualify for government fundingcan apply for support from the

Woodland Trust.”

Trees can aid farmersFarmers in the Belfast Hills are being encouraged to plant trees to help with the challenges offarming in ever more extreme weather.The Woodland Trust says native treescan provide shelter for livestock andcrops and help combat flooding. The Trust is offering free advice, sitevisits and guidance on sources offunding, so farmers can experiencethe benefits of woodland.Trees provide vital shelter from windand rain during the winter months,increasing newborn livestocksurvival rates. This issue was borneout in severe blizzards and snowfallin the Belfast Hills and other parts ofNorthern Ireland last spring. According to research, trees plantedin the right place can also makefarms more resistant to flooding.Their leaves catch rain, while theirroots help water infiltrate deep downinto the soil.

To find out more, telephone 0845 293 5689, [email protected] or visitwww.woodlandtrust.org.uk/farming Farmers are being urged to plant trees to

combat the problems of extreme weather

This year has seen another long term community recording project to widen the skills of volunteers working withBelfast Hills Partnership.

Volunteer teams, alongside community groups involved in our hugely successful WildflowerAcademy, are learning the skills involved in monitoring wildlife and habitat. We are taking about 30participants from basic surveys through to seed collection, replanting and follow up sitemanagement. Plantlife has provided identification guides and recording sheets to carry out its UKwide Wildflowers Count.The data can be analysed to assess trends that may indicate to us environmental problems affectingplant communities. Local communities, hill users and our volunteers are providing sterling helpin making sure data including wildlife and changes to habitat, are recorded. Ongoing monitoringis vital because it provides data and statistics that often support cases for conservation such asdecisions concerning designations of Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs).

The Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR) at the Ulster Museum, British Trustfor Ornithology (BTO), Butterfly Conservation NI and iSpot nature recording at the OpenUniversity are just some of the organisations that will record what you see in the Belfast Hills.

Wildflower Academy is a budding success


newsletter autumn

Documents

hills video

thebelfast hills

survey work

research work

ground work

ourwildlife work

divis mountain

major newnational trust