Slievemore Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Broad, rounded sandstone ridges with a steep escarpment to the south-west.
• Glacial moraine within deep glens and on lower slopes produces an undulating, irregular landform, broken by rocky outcrops.
• Extensive heather moorland and some conifer plantations on ridgetops.
• Irregular patchwork of pastures, with pockets of peaty marsh and scrubby damp woodland in hollows.
• Tree cover increases on lower slopes, with numerous hedgerow trees.
• Mixed woodland, with a high proportion of conifers on escarpment slopes.
• A dense network of narrow lanes links scattered farms and villages with a few, straight roads across the ridgetop moorland.
• Sand and gravel quarries.

Landscape Description

Slievemore is the summit of the sandstone ridges which dominate the landscape of south east Tyrone. They extend from Pomeroy, on the Creggan Plateau, to Garvaghy and the escarpment at Errigal. The ridges are underlain by a variety of different sandstones, including Lower Old Red Sandstone and Conglomerates. The summits of Slievemore (313m) and Cappagh Mountain (280m) have a broad, rounded landform, while the lower slopes have a more complex, lumpy landform, a result of glacial deposition.

The landform near Pomeroy has a slightly different character. Here a high plateau, which is underlain by resistant igneous rocks, is deeply dissected by valleys such as that of the Upper Claggan River. The landscape has a diverse pattern, relating closely to the varied topography. The broad ridgetops are a large-scale mosaic of moorland and conifer plantations, with smaller pastures on the marginal slopes. Peat-cutting has had a significant influence in many parts of the moorland. The conifers form prominent, geometric blocks in the landscape and there are strong contrasts in scale, colour and character between the landscape of the ridge tops and that of the undulating pastures and marshy hollows on the fringes of the moorland. There are long views from the ridge top summits over the surrounding lowlands.

The lower slopes are a small-scale, diverse mosaic of pastures, woodland, patches of marsh and `waste' in the hollows and spoil heaps of abandoned quarries. Pastures are typically enclosed by hedgerows, although these become increasingly scanty on higher slopes, where they are dominated by gorse. Most of the fields on the fringes of the moorland, and conifer plantations are enclosed by wire fencing.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

This is a marginal upland landscape. Field boundaries are generally derelict, with wire fencing supplementing earth banks, stone walls and occasionally gorse hedgerows. The predominant pressure for change is from commercial forestry and the hard, geometric edges of these plantations are sometimes a distracting negative feature in the landscape. In addition, quarries and derelict sand and gravel workings are relatively common elements, and upstanding transmission masts on the open moorland are very prominent in views from the surrounding lowlands. The open, rounded summits are sensitive to change, but the more complex, undulating topography of the lower slopes could accommodate development, although they are relatively inaccessible.

Principles for Landscape Management

• The shapes of conifer plantations should be designed to relate closely to the underlying landform, with homogeneous forestry compartments in areas with a smooth, rounded landform and more diverse compartment patterns in areas of complex terrain. Undulating, intricate slopes and areas with a diverse field pattern should be left unplanted to reveal the underlying topography.
• The restoration of sand and quarries will provide valuable opportunities for landscape enhancement and habitat creation.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• New built development should be concentrated on the undulating lower slopes, where it can be easily sheltered by the undulating landform and existing trees; new tree planting should be associated with all new buildings, to integrate development with surrounding field patterns.
• Small, white-washed cottages are characteristic.
• Transmission masts are prominent on the highest peaks; additional transmission equipment should be amalgamated onto the existing masts to avoid the construction of new upstanding elements.
• Buildings which are set back from the roads along driveways will reflect the traditional settlement pattern.