Sperrin Foothills Landscape

Key Characteristics

• varied landform; typically rounded, dome-shaped hills and deeply dissected valleys, with a complex, undulating landform
• steep winding valleys, with waterfalls and dense woodland beside river
• diverse landscape pattern with transition from steep wooded valley sides to brown moorland summits or extensive moss within short distances
• hedgerows enclose all fields, becoming gappy with wire fencing on higher land; stone walls in areas of higher land close to the Sperrins
• relatively dense tree cover with numerous hedgerow trees and small copses; landscape becomes more open on elevated slopes
• dense network of roads and small settlements, with pressures for more development

Landscape Description

The Sperrin Foothills lie to the north and west of the Sperrins and include the rounded summits of Slievekirk (370m), Eglish (277m), the Highland Hill complex, Crookdooish (321m) and the river valley systems of Burn Dennet and the Faughan River. Fast-flowing streams have eroded deep, winding valleys, carving the landscape into rounded, dome-shaped hills. It is a dynamic landscape, with neat, rolling farmland, steep, wooded valleys and rounded 'caps' of moorland on the summits of the higher hills. Glacial moraine often forms a complex, steeply undulating landform on the valley sides; loughs and areas of peaty marsh, such as Lough Ash, are occasionally found in poorly-drained hollows. A well-enclosed geometric patchwork of fields and hedgerows sweeps up and over the summits of the smaller hills and ridges, giving the landscape a neat, domestic character.

All the fields are enclosed by hedgerows and wire fencing and there are numerous hedgerows trees, particularly towards the lower slopes. Mature beech trees are an important local feature. The field pattern breaks down on the steepest slopes and is replaced by broadleaf woodland. At the centre of the valleys of Burn Dennet and parts of the River Faughan, where the river flows within a pronounced cutting, the valley sides and riverbanks are clothed in dense woodland. Local roads, often with steep hedgebanks, generally skirt around the hills, following the contours, except in areas of peaty marsh, where they are straight and raised on embankments. Angular, branching roads often form a dense network with farms and houses scattered alongside. The hill-top town of Dunnamanagh is the largest in the area, but there are numerous small settlements on the mid-slopes of valleys; most are at junctions related to stone bridges over rivers. Many of the buildings are of white render and stand out clearly as a broken line in views across the valleys. The ruined castles of Dunnamanagh and Altinaghree are prominent high on the valley sides.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The quality of this landscape varies. The condition of the land improves with distance from the Sperrins and on well-drained land; fields on more elevated slopes tend to be less well-managed, with thistle and scrub encroachment in some areas. Hedgerows are an important influence on landscape character and there is some evidence that they have been removed to form larger fields in areas of relatively good quality land. Pressure for built development is very evident, with numerous examples of modern bungalows of designs which are not appropriate to such a rural setting. The deeply undulating, varied landform and relatively dense tree cover have helped to accommodate much of the recent development but in places it is visually intrusive and there is little capacity for more. Sand and gravel pits are common on the edges of the valleys, where glacial moraine provides an available source and there are many examples of quarries which form visual scars in the landscape.

Principles for Landscape Management

• The management and restoration of hedgerows and stone walls on the upland margins of the Sperrins will conserve the diverse landscape pattern
• Small-scale forestry is appropriate to avoid swamping the diverse landscape; the small, rounded hilltops are especially vulnerable
• Sand and gravel quarries have devastated the valley landscape near Fawney, on the NE bank of the Burn Dennet. There is scope for careful restoration of such sites, with regrading and planting with native species.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• The most appropriate location for built development is within existing settlements, which generally have robust landscape settings; ribbon development is often visually intrusive and may block valley views
• If new development is carefully sited so that it is sheltered by the natural landform, hedgerow patterns and woodlands, it may be successfully integrated within the complex valley landscapes.
• All potential building sites should be carefully analysed from the opposite side of the valley so that decisions about siting and design take account of the close views from one side of the valley to the other.