Roe Basin Landscape

Key Characteristics

• broad, saucer-shaped valley dominated by basalt escarpment to the east and the Sperrin Mountains to the south
• river meanders between open, grassy embankments in centre of the basin, with numerous small, branching tributary streams and small marshy oxbows
• small, rounded ridges of glacial moraine
• landform becomes undulating, with deep wooded glens, on margins of the basin
• regular, geometric patchwork of medium-sized pastures, with some larger arable fields on well-drained glacial till
• fields within basin enclosed by dense, hawthorn hedgerows with numerous, well-spaced hedgerow trees; hedgerows on margins are predominantly gorse
• fairly open farmland, with only small blocks of deciduous woodland
• scattered white-washed farms spaced at regular intervals throughout the basin; small villages and stone bridges at river crossing points

Landscape Description

The broad, saucer-shaped basin of the River Roe lies to the west of the basalt escarpment and to the north of the Sperrins. It is dominated by the dramatic landforms of these highlands, and in particular by the striking silhouette of the basalt cliffs. The alluvial floodplain of the River Roe, towards the centre of the valley, and the lower slopes of the surrounding highlands are fringed with rounded ridges of glacial moraine. Numerous branching streams flow from the foot of the surrounding slopes towards the River Roe, which winds between grassy embankments. The character of the Roe changes from an alluvial floodplain to a deep narrow gorge (at the Roe Valley Country Park) as it flows north across a band of more resistant metamorphic rock. The Roe Basin has a regular patchwork of pastures, with evenly scattered white buildings and a speckling of individually-spaced hedgerow trees.

Fields throughout the basin are enclosed by hedgerows, giving a unity to the landscape as a whole. There is a variation in the scale of the landscape pattern from the smaller, scrubby pastures on the edges of the basin to the larger, arable fields on the glacial ridges alongside the river. Beech trees are an important feature in hedgerows towards the centre of the basin. Heathy patches of birch, gorse and bracken throughout the valley; fields on the margins of Loughermore are partially derelict, with hedgerows of gorse and wire There are few large woodlands, although copses, small broadleaf woodlands and numerous hedgerow trees provide a sheltered character. Shelterbelts of Scot's pine are a striking feature on many farms near Dungiven. Villages have a clustered form and there are numerous white-washed farms scattered evenly across the basin.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The landscape varies in condition, depending on the quality of the soils and the prosperity of the farms. The farmland on ridges of glacial sandy soils is in particularly good condition, whereas that on the low-lying poorly drained parts of the floodplain and in areas with more acid soils is less well-kept, with gappy hedgerows and derelict farm buildings. Parts of the basin close to Dungiven, are subject to pressure for built development. Traditional buildings are typically sited at oblique angles to the roads (which often divide a farm in two) while more recent built development has a suburban character, with buildings in a linear form, directly facing the road. In many areas, the exotic palm trees and ornaments in the suburban gardens are a negative influence on local landscape character.

New roads and by-passes have also disrupted the landscape pattern where cuttings and embankments are poorly integrated with the surrounding landform. Sand and gravel quarries are a significant pressure in areas with ridges of glacial moraine towards the outer margins of the vale. The basin as a whole is overlooked by views from the surrounding uplands and the landscape pattern is therefore sensitive to change.

Principles for Landscape Management

• The restoration of quarries will provide opportunities for habitat creation, new farmland, recreational access or, perhaps, new development.
• Planting of widely-spaced hedgerow trees( especially oaks) should be encouraged throughout the valley to conserve this characteristic feature of the Roe basin; similarly stands of beech are appropriate towards the centre of the valley and on the approaches to Dungiven and Limavady.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Throughout the basin, native tree planting should be used to integrate new buildings into the surrounding landscape pattern; more extensive woodland planting, linked visually to the Loughermore forests, would be an appropriate means for integrating new development on the relatively open landscapes towards the margins of the basin.