Caring for the Hills, their Wildlife and People
Newsletter Issue 13 Spring 2011
Strong Currents for River Awareness Project A new current is running through the Belfast Hills with a scheme to reconnect communities with the heritage and wildlife of local rivers. Schools and community groups who get involved in the rivers initiative will research old and current maps, existing literature and photographs. But a primary source of information will come from members of community groups in the Belfast Hills. It is hoped these people will unearth a rich supply of anecdotal stories and information about their local waterways and streams. Entitled the River Awareness Project, the scheme will focus on the main rivers of the Belfast Hills - Colin, Farset, Clowney, Blackstaff, Glencairn, Forth, Crumlin, Clady and Milewater rivers. Three of these will be chosen for a study of fish species, pollution, old maps and river courses. Industrial heritage and other wildlife will also galvanise the project. Bill Andrews of the Belfast Hills Partnership said it was hoped there would be lots more awareness about the rivers in the hills. “We hope to research the kind of access we have to these rivers and record their wildlife. Where appropriate, we wish to facilitate community involvement in improvement works and also run events on the rivers.”
In this issue
If your community group or school would like to be involved, just contact Lizzy Pinkerton at the Belfast Hills Partnership or email lizzy.pinkerton@belfasthills.org
CHICKEN RUSTLERS 1837
THIS YEAR’S EVENTS
‘ROCK DJ’ MACONIE ON DIVIS
THE YEAR OF THE BAT The Belfast Hills is helping to raise awareness to the plight of local bats as 2011 marks the international year of the bat. April normally sees the emergence of our bats after their winter hibernation. But this year the Partnership is warning that building work and the removal of trees and green spaces is making habitat “a desert” for our native bats by removing the insects they feed on for survival. Species found in the Belfast Hills and in green areas around Belfast include pipistrelle, Leisler, natterers and Daubentons bats. Jim Bradley of the Partnership said it was vital that we helped protect our bats as much as our daytime wildlife.
A rare natusius’s pipistrelle bat found at Colin Glen
“There are an amazing number of night-flying insects that attract bats around Belfast. Though there may be fewer insects at hill summits, these are still great habitats for pipistrelle, Leislers and natterers,” he said. “Daubentons feed across the water and live in a few areas of the Belfast Hills. Lagan Valley is also wonderful for bats. But when you see trees and greenery disappearing, you get a desert for bats.” See on our events at www.belfasthills.org for details on bat nights in the Belfast Hills this year.
PILOT OF THE AIRWAVES
L-R: Jim Bradley and Stuart Maconie on Divis
The BBC’s Stuart Maconie was delighted to have made it all the way up to the summit of Divis Mountain during a recent visit to the Belfast Hills. The Radio 2 DJ of Radcliff and Maconie fame took to the Divis and Black Mountain site alongside the staff from the Belfast Hills Partnership for an episode of Ramblings. Partnership Manager Jim Bradley, board members Cormac Hamill and Bill Andrews, and Charlie Monaghan from Glen Walkers put in appearances for the Radio 4 broadcast.
Belfast Hills Living Landscape Lady This is the woman who has taken up the million pound challenge to shape the future of the Belfast Hills for generations to come. Lizzy Pinkerton is the Belfast Hills landscape partnership scheme development manager and has been busy at the helm of the new post she secured last November. She has already secured £160,000 match funding which will help unlock £1.17 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) over the next four years. The scheme contains a portfolio of over 30 projects that provide long-term social, economic and environmental benefits for the wider Belfast Hills area. Work on the ground should start by 2012. The initiative will include path improvements at Cave Hill, Divis Mountain and Slievenacloy Nature Reserve. A variety of heritage-based projects will also take place including oral history recording, archaeological surveys and the publication of a heritage booklet of the Belfast Hills. Events, exhibitions, publications, volunteering and training opportunities will also be key in getting people involved in the Belfast Hills. “I have been talking to lots of people and have so far secured money from the Rural Development Fund and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency,” said Lizzy. “Our field guide heritage booklet, community work, surveys, website improvements and onsite interpretation are all exciting things happening. So watch this space as we’re only starting to improve the Belfast Hills.” A community event and short presentation about the project will be held in Bryson House, 28 Bedford Street, Belfast on Tuesday April 19 between 7pm and 8pm.
Wonderful Website Makes Hills the Stars The hills are the stars of our new homepage bringing you right into a world of wildlife and beauty in the hills. Our new look website is now online and it’s better than ever in finding that walk or information you want. Our picture gallery has also been extended to include much more of the gorgeous images that you love from the beautiful Belfast Hills. www.belfasthills.org
Young “guardians” of hills urged to halt fires The Belfast Hills Partnership has appealed to young “guardians” in north and west Belfast to help protect the hills this year from arsonists. Anyone who detects a fire or sees another person starting one is asked to report it to the emergency services immediately. The emergency services and local communities have been battling in recent years to protect the hills and their abundance of wildlife from arsonists. Red grouse, stonechats, skylark, snipe and other upland breeding birds live in the Divis and Black Mountain area, while peregrine falcons and ravens feed on the mountain environment. The Partnership’s Project Officer Rose Muir said early spring fires were causing major damage and loss of wildlife at critical times of breeding. “Don’t assume that someone else will be calling the fire service. Use your mobile phones to call 999 if you see a fire. Young people in north and west Belfast are guardians of these hills and they hold the key to their future protection. Together we hope to stop these devastating upland heath fires,” she said. The skylark is small bird that nests in the grass and heath and is greatly damaged by hill fires. It lives on the highest points of Divis and Black Mountain and is known for its beautiful song that it gives out whilst hovering over the heather
Creating Recreation Partnership Study highlights need for coordination of recreation in the Hills An in-depth study of the Belfast Hills suggests people want more walks, better access to the hills through road signage, improved public transport and a public walking route across the sites. Entitled the Belfast Hills Recreation Development Plan, the 40-page report recommends how best to develop recreation in a co-ordinated way in the Belfast Hills. The study highlights six top recreational activities in the Belfast Hills - walking, road cycling, orienteering, geocaching, fell running and organised pitch sports. Other emerging activities should be promoted as they arise, it says. But until funding is available, the infrastructure improvements needed will not possible, the report’s authors say. However, Partnership Manager Jim Bradley said the recommendations would improve people’s recreational experience of the Belfast Hills and boost tourism potential for the city. “The proposals are a means to address how we can enhance the experience of returning visitors in the hills and encourage new recreational users - including tourists - onto the sites. The full report can be viewed online at www.belfasthills.org in the downloads section.
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Events Programme
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April Saturday 9 May Saturday 28 June Saturday 18 Saturday 25 July Thursday 21 Thursday 28 August Wednesday 3 Friday 5 September Saturday 10 Friday 23 October Sunday 2 November Saturday 5
At a Glance
Woodland family fun day at Carnmoney Hill Annual Belfast Hills bus tour Hidden hills – butterfly walk at Slievenacloy 8 Mile Challenge - Cave Hill and Carr’s Glen Summer treasure hunt – (July and August) Myths and legends on Divis and Black Mountain Bilberry evening feast on Cave Hill Buggy derby on Divis Mountain Genealogy open day Plant identification course History Alive: The archaeology of the Belfast Hills Carnmoney walk - national trails day Hidden Hazelwood
2012 January Saturday 7 March Saturday 24
Carnmoney calorie killer New Year’s walk Hidden hills - walk at Half Moon Lake
ALL ABOARD FOR OUR NEXT EVENT Explore Divis and Black Mountain, Cave Hill and Slievenacloy Local Nature Reserve by bus and on foot. Tour includes a stop off for scones and tea/coffee. Bring a pack lunch and wear warm clothing and sturdy footwear. Price: Adult £16, Senior Citizen £15, Child £10. Friends of the Belfast Hills £12. Booking is required.
To receive the events leaflet by post email your details to info@belfasthills.org or call us on 02890 603 466
Step Back in Time Chicken Raids at Carnmoney
A spate of Chicken rustling in 1837 and 1838 was causing feathers to fly in Carnmoney. The sleepy law-abiding parish was the target of some very determined chicken thieves who were plucking the birds from their “hen roosts”. Carnmoney Parish
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The parish is included in the Whitehouse district of petty sessions which are held at the village of Whitehouse Lower, near the east centre of this parish on every third Thursday. Three magistrates, namely Major Rowan of Merville and Robert Grimshaw of Whitehouse Upper in this parish and John McNeile of Parkmount in the adjoining parish of Shankill, usually preside at these sessions…..
It will be seen that the cases brought before these petty sessions are of a trivial nature and that offences of a grave character are almost unknown. This is rather surprising in a district so immediately in the vicinity of such a town as Belfast and in one which is the thoroughfare between it and all the towns north and west of it in this and the neighbouring counties. The larcenies were chiefly confined to the robbing of hen roosts, a crime which during the winters of 1837 and 1838 was of rather frequent occurrence. On a recent occasion (in February 1839) the thieves were detected and were found to be natives of Belfast and strangers to this parish. The great facility for exporting poultry to England and Scotland by the steamers and the prevalence of that custom offers an inducement to the commission of this crime. Ordnance Survey – Memoirs of Ireland Parishes of County Antrim 1 1838-39 Vol 2
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It’s your Belfast Hills Contact the Belfast Hills for help and advice with any concerns or questions regarding the hills, their wildlife and people. Address: Belfast Hills Partnership, 9 Social Economy Village, Hannahstown Hill, BT17 0XS Tel: 028 9060 3466 Fax: 028 9030 9867 Email: info@belfasthills.org Web: www.belfasthill.org Charity No. XR70288 Company No: NI053189