Lagan Meadows

Lagan Meadows nestles alongside the River Lagan, close to the south Belfast suburbs of Stranmillis and Lockview - truly a piece of countryside within the city. It is a beautiful place all year round, and each season has its own highlights: glades of wild flowers in spring, butterflies and damselflies in summer, tree colour and fungi in autumn, and frosty fields and redwings in winter. Little wonder then that Lagan Meadows has been designated a Local Nature Reserve.

I walk the reserve regularly, most recently in late August. The hedgerows beside the main path were festooned with the white trumpet-shaped flowers of bindweed, while at ground level, amongst the seeding grasses, grew meadowsweet and knapweed. In some areas Devil’s bit scabious was in its prime. This plant was used in the 17th century to combat swollen throats, wounds and the plague, and gets its rather unusual name from the belief that the devil was so angry at its curative powers that he bit away part of the root to reduce its effectiveness.

The main path led me past meadows, grazed pastureland, and up on to higher ground into mature woodland. A few of the trees were beginning to show signs of colour change, with the irregular patches of yellow and red standing out from the greens around them. The woodland is generally good for birdlife. Within the space of a few minutes I spied two chaffinches, a family of blue tits noisily flitting through the branches, a blackbird watching me from the top of a nearby tree, and a treecreeper skirting the trunk of one of the pines. Jays are also found here. They tend to be rather shy birds, but become more visible in the autumn as they search for ripening acorns.

I made my way down from the wooded areas to the wetlands beside the River Lagan towpath, where in late February I remember seeing over two hundred frogs gathered to spawn: I wonder how the tadpoles fared throughout the summer. I was startled by a snipe as it exploded from the nearby tussock grass and flew erratically away across the marshland. I could hear mallards cackling on the river nearby. I could not help thinking that they were laughing at my expense.

I walked along the towpath to where the river bends sharply, and re-entered the reserve intending to look for evidence of its interesting history. The site formed the source of Belfast’s first piped water supply over two hundred years ago. Remnants of a pump house and an open aqueduct can just be seen among the undergrowth, while the source spring still runs today. It feeds an attractive pond, known as Lester’s dam, which covers a much smaller area than the original reservoir. This pond is fringed with reedmace, a plant commonly but mistakenly referred to as bulrush. It is a good place to listen for willow and sedge warblers singing, and for spotting dragonflies. And just where the stream exits the pond, any self respecting water whorl grass expert will discover water whorl grass, a rare enough plant around these parts.

Morning is often the best time to visit Lagan Meadows as the early joggers and dog walkers will confirm. They stand the best chance of coming across the park’s mammal life, which includes foxes, badgers and stoats, all of which I have seen at various times throughout the nature reserve like the foxes more often than not sauntering along the main path. However, the otters that frequent the park and the nearby River Lagan have so far eluded me.

Lagan Meadows epitomises what a Local Nature Reserve should be. Primarily it is about wildlife and protecting habitats. But equally important is the excellent opportunity it provides to showcase wildlife to people. In keeping with the ‘local’ part of the designation, the site is well used by the community. The Ulster Wildlife Trust manages part of the reserve in a lease arrangement with Belfast City Council, and encourages volunteers to help out with practical conservation tasks as well as running educational events for schools and the public.

Being a bit of a loner, however, I shall stick to wandering through Lagan Meadows at quiet times, always relishing the anticipation that comes from wondering what creatures might be round the next corner, and what thrills and surprises the local wildlife has in store for me.