Topic: Wildest Place in NI? (Read 26477 times)

sjh1 · « **on:** February 21, 2012 »

First a few personal thoughts... I class "wilderness" as places where natural processes are allowed to occur without human interference. Thus there are some old hedgerows and patches of waste ground that I would class as pretty wild. I particularly like to see natural regeneration of self-seeded native trees. I also like places with a lot of wildlife, particularly predatory species as there's something untamed about them.

Weather and accessibility aside some of our uplands aren't very wild in my opinion. In parts agriculture has just destroyed them; vegetation removed and resown with non-native grasses, overgrazed by sheep, stripped for turf or planted with conifers.

Anyway I'm not sure about my personal wildest spot so would like to hear some ideas! So where does everybody think is the wildest spot in Ulster? (include Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan if you like but be as specific as possible, no point in just saying 'the Mournes').

gardener · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2012 »

http://3tree.co.uk/ian/post.php?aubaction=showfull&id=1329168061&archive&start_from&ucat=1&

looks like a good spot, I have yet to go but its on the list, hope the link works

gardener · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Glenveagh National Park on Facebook some beautiful photos posted recently, last link didn't seem to Work

beau · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Rostrevor oakwood nature reserve mature natural woodland covering 41 acres.It also contains ash,hazel,holly and wildcherry.Birds include blackcaps,willow warblers,chiff chaffs,jays and buzzards.Red squirrel,foxs and rumour has it pine martens ...

Samm · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2012 »

I'll be looking at the replies to this with some interest. Always intriguing to see what people regard as wild. I work in finding and protecting all the best bits of Northern Ireland for their nature conservation value, so have been on pretty much all of the most naturally (nothing is natural, it's all semi-natural) wild places we have. I'm lucky enough to get to see all the privately owned bits that people aren't normally allowed on. We have truly amazing places in this country, from woodlands to grasslands, bogs, sand dunes, wetlands..... Looking forward to what people suggest. I don't know that I could name just one! I'd have to name hundreds of places, for hundreds of different reasons!

And beau, it's not a rumour, there are pine martens there!

mregan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Samm what's your thoughts on the Golf Course plan for north coast?

Mourneman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Quote from: Samm on February 21, 2012

I'll be looking at the replies to this with some interest. Always intriguing to see what people regard as wild. I work in finding and protecting all the best bits of Northern Ireland for their nature conservation value, so have been on pretty much all of the most naturally (nothing is natural, it's all semi-natural) wild places we have. I'm lucky enough to get to see all the privately owned bits that people aren't normally allowed on. We have truly amazing places in this country, from woodlands to grasslands, bogs, sand dunes, wetlands..... Looking forward to what people suggest. I don't know that I could name just one! I'd have to name hundreds of places, for hundreds of different reasons!

And beau, it's not a rumour, there are pine martens there!

not sure if this is a pine martin,came across this creature while out fishing

family photos 885 by shannaghan, on Flickr

gardener · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2012 »

black squirrel maybe?

Samm · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Quote from: mregan on February 21, 2012

Samm what's your thoughts on the Golf Course plan for north coast?

I think one of the problems with the environmental side of things is that there tends to be a bit of a Fr Ted type response of 'down with that sort of thing', without knowing any detail of what they're talking about. So, not having ever seen the plans and not knowing the area very well, I don't have any professional thoughts.

sjh1 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Mourneman: creature looks like a mink to me (American mink, originally escapees or releases from fur farms but large wild population exists)

Gardener: accessed them Glenveagh photos from your link, have visited there once but will have to get up for a proper visit.

Will also have to check out Rostrevor oakwood.

Re. Giant's Causeway Golf Course I was actually going to mention it in my first post but thought better not to cos it could take us off on a tangent. But ... my thoughts on hearing the news today were that if it's just built on the farmland ('improved fields'), that some of the land surrounding the Causeway seems to be, it might actually improve habitats for wildlife/scenery e.g. bits of rough, tree planting etc. I think it's important to stress that much of our farmland really is a green desert as far as most wildlife is concerned. Also historically the Causeway was a lot more developed than it is today. If I recall correctly it had a tourist railway among other "attractions". But maybe a Causeway Golf Course thread should be started?

Drongo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Quote from: Mourneman on February 21, 2012

not sure if this is a pine martin,came across this creature while out fishing

Where were you fishing...?

Looks too bulky and black to me a pine marten, and the eye shine is usually a greenish tinge, the fact that this is more yellow/amber is pushing me to side more on mink...

The neck is usually yellowish brown and covers more area than the white stripe that appears in the pic...

However, the way it's holding it's tail, it could possibly be just a domestic cat

mregan · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2012 »

My perception of environmentalists have changed in one reply. For the better I might ad thanks Samm.

Sorry for the thread hijack btw.

Central Sperrins are pretty wild!

Samm · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2012 »

I think I'd vote for mink too. It can only be mink, pine marten or cat (I'm ruling out otter and stoat!). Looks too long and squat to be a cat, the colouring seems more mink like than pine marten, plus you were around water which is more mink type habitat. My only real issue is, although mink can climb, you wouldn't normally expect to see them up a tree, but sure I suppose it might just have been an adventurous mink!!

Where was the photo taken?

Mourneman · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Mink is the right answer( according to the local gamekeeper anyway) it was taken near Inch abbey ,river Quoile about 5 am,its hard to tell from that photo but it had very long claws which it used to climb the tree with,a wee bit scary as my dogs were barking at what i thought was a black bag,until it moved & started hissing $:-\$

whoRya · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2012 »

Someone mentioned about trees re-seeding themselves. Not sure if that is the case here, but there are a few scattered ones in the area. I thought it looked cool.

On the topic, I think I get the feeling of wilderness when I can't see or hear a road. I love the feeling of needing to take gear with you to 'survive' the environment in which you are going to.

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Author Topic: Wildest Place in NI? (Read 26477 times)

sjh1

Wildest Place in NI?

gardener

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gardener

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beau

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Samm

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mregan

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Mourneman

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gardener

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Samm

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sjh1

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Drongo

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mregan

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Samm

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Mourneman

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whoRya

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