'A long time' before Éowyn-hit visitor attraction fully reopens
The Silent Valley Reservoir near Kilkeel, County Down has finally reopened its gates to the public after being closed for more than nine weeks because of damage caused by Storm Éowyn.
But it is only a restricted opening because some of the walking trails and nature trails are still considered to be unsafe for people to use.
Gary Presho from NI Water says the roots of trees that fell in the storm tore footpaths up, and it is unclear when work can take place to make the paths accessible again.
"It's going to take a long time and at this stage I wouldn't like to put a time scale on it," he told BBC News NI.
Mr Presho says he has been "counting the days" to get the park reopened.
It's taken this long, he says, because of "the amount of destruction across the woodland and the number of trees we have had to clear from main access areas."
He's aware that local people have been "very keen" to visit again, especially now good weather is returning.
For Ruth McClenaghan, who runs Silent Valley Café, it has been "a long wait, a very long wait."
She was forced to close for more than two months until the park reopened this week and admits it was a "struggle".
"This is my main job, my business. We have a farm as well but this is the main income," she said.
Ms McClenaghan says she's really glad to be back and hopes she never sees another storm like Storm Éowyn.
Many of the people who visit Silent Valley live locally and not having access for the last two months has been a big loss.
Joanna Laffin lives within walking distance from the park and was among the first back through the gates when it reopened.
"I really missed it," she told BBC News NI.
"I have a childminding business and we come here three times a week. A visit to the ducks and a go on the swings."
Martha Spears couldn't wait to bring her great-grandson Caleb back to the park.
"I'm here at least once, maybe twice, three times a week.
"I just love it. It's my favourite spot."
Cathy Gardner said she understood they had to close the park "for health and safety reasons "but said it was "sorely missed" and she was so glad to see it open again.
Cathy's daughter Rachel Gardner, who also lives locally, said before the closure they would have been there "all the time".
The destruction caused by Storm Éowyn continues to affect outdoor sites across Northern Ireland.
Some locations, including Mount Stewart and Castle Ward, still have significant trails that remain inaccessible due to storm damage. Restoration efforts are underway, but it will take a few months to ensure these areas are safe for visitors.
Outdoor visitor sites have fully reopened following Storm Éowyn.
Cairn Wood has partially reopened. Some trails and areas within the site will remain closed. On-site signage will advise visitors to stay on the paths for their safety.
Gosford Forest Park – horse and bike trails remain closed
Darkley Forest – closed
Keady Glen – closed
Loughgall Country Park – some trails remain closed
Oxford Island – some trails remain closed
All locations are open. Attractions such as Belfast Zoo, Belfast Castle, Malone House and Tropical Ravine are all open as normal too.
Pans Rock foot bridge/walkway Ballycastle remains closed due to structural damage arising from tidal surge during the storm.
Some sections of the Red mountain bike trails at Garvagh Forest remain closed due to the volume of fallen timber.
Repair works on trees and fences across some of our green spaces and parks ongoing.
Gortin Glen Forest Park, the horse Trails and Scenic Drive are currently closed, however, it is anticipated that the Scenic Drive will reopen by Saturday 05 April 2025.
Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark staff along with partnering agencies, have been working diligently to assess and safely reopen sites impacted by the storm. Recreational trail access is open in all sites in Fermanagh with two exceptions, Belmore Forest and Lough Navar Scenic Drive.
All other Council owned forest parks are open, however, there may be some localised restrictions in place where works are ongoing.
All council owned outdoor visitor sites have been reopened following Storm Éowyn in January
Mid & East Antrim Borough Council does not have any outdoor visitor sites that are closed or partially closed due to Storm Éowyn.
Status of outdoor visitor sites and open spaces available on the Council's website.
Glenmore – Open - Partial closure on one trail remains until further notice
Drumcairne Forest – Closed until further notice
Maghera Walled Garden Walk - Largantogher walkway open
Iniscarn Forest - Walking Trails now open. Play Park remains closed until further notice
Derrynoid Riverside Walk - Closed - Contractor on-site. Expected to reopen soon
Davagh Forest Mountain Bike and Walking Trails - Solar Walk open. Contractor on site. All trails except Beleevna, Wolf's Hill, and Big Wig Jig, are expected to reopen soon
Pomeroy Forest Park - Open – but Grace Drennan trail remains closed. Expected to reopen soon
Kilbroney Park - Remote walking trails are partially closed, cross country mountain bike trails remain closed, forest drive opens weekends only due to commercial works
Slieve Gullion Forest Park - only the Giant's Liar remains closed
Castlewellan Forest Park - 70% remote walking trails remain closed, 75% cross country mountain bike trails remain closed, horse trails remain closed, Annesley Walled Garden & Arboretum remain closed
Drumkeragh Forest Park: 20% of remote walking trails remain closed
Seaford Walking Trail: 20% of walking trails remain closed.
Tievenadaragh Wood remains closed
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Majority of 214 wildfires started on purpose, say firefighters
Most of the 214 wildfires in Northern Ireland in recent days were started deliberately, firefighters have said. Between Thursday and Tuesday, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) crews tackled blazes in areas including the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Belfast, Newry and Ballygawley. A large gorse fire in County Tyrone is still being dealt with by firefighters. About 40 personnel are at the scene of the fire near the Millix Road, north of Ballygawley. Speaking at the scene, David Doherty from the NIFRS said "we have established that this fire was started deliberately". Fires in the Mourne Mountains, County Down, have been brought under control, but walkers are being advised to avoid the area until further notice. Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster Programme, NIFRS commander David Harbinson said he was still concerned by the situation. He said the vegetation was very dry and fires were therefore spreading rapidly. A gorse fire reported on Divis and Black Mountain in Belfast on Tuesday evening has also been extinguished. It was among those believed to have been started deliberately. Twenty-six firefighters tackled the blaze. At the scene: Catherine Morrison, BBC News NI Firefighters are continuing to beat down pockets of smoke and heat under the surface of the ground at the fire outside Ballygawley. Crews came from as far away as north Antrim to deal with the blaze. At its worst the fire front was 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and was threatening several homes nearby. The area is a wind farm and damage has been considerable. There is peat bog here too which traps the heat, making things more difficult for firefighters, and there are nesting birds and other wildlife which have been badly affected. They are still assessing the area affected but the fire service believes it to be about 100 acres. They also believe the fire was started deliberately. Earlier in the week, Sinn Féin MP for South Down Chris Hazzard called for a review of the law relating to burning in Northern Ireland. The law states that burning of vegetation such as heather, gorse (whin) or fern may only be carried out between 1 September and 14 April. Before any prescribed burning in Northern Ireland, those involved are advised to alert NIFRS headquarters to discuss the details. People who manage land may burn gorse in a controlled manner to clear land for other purposes, and burn heather to encourage new shoots that are more palatable to game birds. But this month's high temperatures and long dry spell have led to good conditions for wildfires to spread. From 2020 to 2024, there were no prosecutions at courts for the offence "burning whins in closed season", but the setting of gorse fires more generally can be prosecuted as arson. The Department of Justice does not keep records on the circumstances of arson prosecutions, for example whether someone was prosecuted for arson because they lit a gorse fire. In the Republic of Ireland, for comparison, the law states growing vegetation cannot be burnt between 1 March and 31 August of any given year. The controlled burning of lands is allowed in certain circumstance between 1 September and 28 February. Gardaí (police) and the fire service must be consulted before any burning. A number of wildfires have ravaged the landscape in the Mourne Mountains including at Slieve Bearnagh, Slieve Binnian and Bloody Bridge. A major incident was declared at the weekend when a large wildfire broke out near the Mournes, leading to homes being evacuated. That blaze is being treated as arson. There have been 147 fires across the mountains since Thursday night. Hikers 'devastated' over Mourne Mountains wildfires More than 100 firefighters tackle wildfire in 'major incident'
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Local farmers scramble to save what's left after catastrophic crop collapse: 'We urgently need help'
In January, Storm Éowyn hit Ireland, leaving a path of destruction and flooding. The record-breaking extratropical cyclone was the most powerful storm to hit Ireland since Hurricane Debbie in 1961. Now, the full extent of the damage may be coming to light. According to The Irish Times, Storm Éowyn caused over €500 million (around $540 million) in damages to forests. It also damaged winter crops such as cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and leeks, per Business Plus, which detailed the devastating effects of the storm. One farmer was deeply concerned about the destroyed winter crop and future summer crop, saying, "We urgently need help on this one." In addition to affecting existing crops, Storm Éowyn could hamper future crops. As Business Plus explained, farmers worry that the ground could be too wet for sowing new crops, leading to shortages later in the year and food price increases. Michael Kilcoyne, chief of Consumers' Association of Ireland, said, "There's a fear that prices in the shops will go up," adding, "It could be that the ground is so wet and has damaged the fields, it'll make sowing crops for later this year difficult." Ireland is rarely hit by hurricanes or cyclones. However, extreme weather events are growing more intense as global temperatures rise, and areas not previously impacted are feeling the effects. Pete Falloon of the University of Bristol shared his concerns regarding crop vulnerability and the current state of our climate, saying, "Crops are often vulnerable to extreme weather, and we can expect to witness ongoing shocks to global agricultural production and supply chains, which ultimately feed into food security concerns." In short, destroyed crops mean less food. Less food leads to higher grocery prices. There's no magic wand to make severe storms disappear. However, it may be possible to reduce their intensity and impact. Strengthening infrastructure with climate-resilient buildings, improving emergency preparedness, planning evacuations, and fortifying homes can enhance safety now. At the same time, reducing pollution from dirty fuels — the primary cause of our overheated planet — could bring an angry planet back into balance. You can contribute to a cooler future by upgrading to energy-efficient appliances known to provide significant savings on utility bills. Should grocery stores donate food that's past its sell-by date? Yes — as long as it's not bad Yes — but only certain foods Only if it doesn't cost the store No — it could lead to problems Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
Fire service deal with more than 140 gorse fires in three days
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it has dealt with 146 gorse fires since midnight on Thursday. It comes after a major incident was declared at the weekend when a large wildfire broke out near the Mourne Mountains, and led to homes being evacuated. That blaze is being treated as arson. Firefighters are continuing to tackle a wildfire at Bloody Bridge in Newcastle on Monday morning. There were also wildfires in the Silent Valley and Ben Crom areas of Newcastle, as well as a wildfire involving forestry in Dervock, County Antrim. Danny Ard, of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, said since midnight on Thursday the NIFRS received 997 calls, 146 of which were gorse fire-related. "It's been quite pressured for us and challenging," Mr Ard said. Mr Ard said a "significant number" of wildfires were deliberate. "When you say deliberate in nature that can also be deliberate actions that have led to a fire where perhaps it is somebody who hasn't fully thought through what it is they're doing in terms of countryside safety," Mr Ard said. "The idea of the bbq and the idea of the campfire is nice but they haven't taken the precautions that you'd reasonably expect someone to take." A number of homes were evacuated on Saturday after the large wildfire broke out on Sandbank Road. Speaking to BBC News NI, one resident said: "The police came and shouted 'police, I need you to evacuate'. That was 3am, so I got myself together and they took me to my other son's house. "It was all burning, it was all in flames at that stage, a lot of smoke, a fair bit of smoke. Thankfully the firefighters, all those people, got it all sorted." On Sunday, NI Water said Silent Valley Mountain Park would be closed until further notice due to the fires. The Silent Valley Reservoir had recently reopened its gates to the public after being closed for more than nine weeks because of damage caused by Storm Éowyn. The fire service urged the public to remain vigilant, but moved to reassure people that "normal service delivery is being maintained". Multiple wildfires have been reported in the Mourne Mountains in recent weeks. Some of them are thought to have been started deliberately. The minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, has described the blazes as having a devastating impact on the environment and wildlife. Fresh fires in Mournes after overnight arson Amber wildfire warning issued as dry weather continues Mourne Mountains fire believed to be 'deliberate'
