Killeter Uplands Landscape

Key Characteristics

• broad ridges with rounded summits and wide, relatively shallow valleys
• homogeneous, large-scale mosaic of open moorland and conifer plantations on upland summits; finely grained mosaic of scrubby woodland, rough pasture and peaty marsh within valleys.Irregular patchwork of pastures subdivided by angular stone walls on lower slopes; transition to marginal pastures, with broken stone walls and regenerating scrub on the fringes of the moor
• no buildings on upper ridges; a few scattered farms and cottages on the lower slopes bordering the valley pastures
• small conifer shelterbelts beside isolated farmsteads
• derelict buildings
• peat cutting

Landscape Description

The Killeter Uplands are found to the far west of Tyrone. The uplands have a broad, rounded landform , which seem diminished in scale as they are dominated by extensive conifer plantations. The highest summit is Meenbog Hill at 271m. The area includes the upper reaches of the Mourne Beg River and the Derg, which flow within broad, shallow valleys.

The upland summits have a simple, large scale pattern of moorland, bog and extensive conifer plantations. The shapes of the plantations, and in particular the character of their edges, have a strong visual influence. Most are geometric blocks and they form hard, angular lines across the rounded slopes of the ridges. Within the valleys, patches of scrubby woodland, pastures and marsh form a more finely-grained landscape mosaic. Most fields are enclosed by stone walls; the field boundaries are straight, but often form strong diagonal lines across the slopes at odd angles.

The landscape becomes more open and the vegetation more stunted towards the higher land, where partially broken stone walls, earthbanks and gappy, remnant hedgerows subdivide the slopes, marking the former pattern of fields. Peat-cutting is an influence in the more accessible areas. It leaves geometric cuts and ridges, lowering the level of small blocks of moorland in relation to the surrounding land.

This is a remote landscape, with few roads and virtually no settlements. The scattered isolated farm buildings on the fringes of the moorland are often sheltered by small conifer shelterbelts; the contrast between the white buildings and dark conifers is striking and the farmsteads stand out clearly in the expansive landscape. Roads tend to be straight , with an exposed, open character and there are often straight tracks leading at right angles from the road into the plantations.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

Much of the landscape is inaccessible and the most important pressure for change is from conifer plantations. Many of the older plantations have hard, angular edges, which can be a distracting, negative visual influence. There is much scope for improvement as these plantations are felled and replanted. The ridges cover large areas of the Killeter Uplands and many of the valleys are not visible from public roads or settlements. They are therefore not highly sensitive to change.

Principles for Landscape Management

• the stark geometric shapes of conifer plantations can conflict with the natural edges of the landform and the use of broadleaf trees on the fringes of compartments would help to soften and integrate the plantation edges
• careful design of plantation margins on the fringes of river corridors would help to increase the overall impact of the rivers in the landscape
• the management of stone walls, which enclose pastures throughout the area, would help to conserve these attractive and distinctive local features

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• there are relatively few pressures for development in this area, but the scattered farmsteads are generally prominent on the fringes of the marshy valley floor; any additional development along the straight roads should be carefully designed to avoid continuous lines of buildings and to ensure that the remote, wild character of the landscape is retained
• development could be accommodated within the uplands, provided it is carefully screened by existing conifer plantations or new planting which links to the large scale landscape pattern
• access roads and the provision of utilities could have as much impact as the development itself and it would be important to retain the characteristic sense of remoteness