The Cookstown Farmland is a drumlin landscape to the west of Lough Neagh. The drumlin landform is relatively shallow in the Cookstown area, but becomes steeper and more pronounced on the higher land to the west near Beaghmore and towards Slieve Gallion to the north west. Further to the east, the landform flattens towards the floodplains of the Ballymully, Ballinderry and Killymoon Rivers.
This lowland area is typical of other drumlin landscapes with scattered farms and villages within a diverse patchwork of fields, hedgerows and small copses. It is a relatively small-scale farmland landscape, but with larger arable fields in areas with shallow terrain. The drumlins are less well defined than those elsewhere in the Province, giving small landscape elements, such as hedgerow trees and individual buildings greater prominence. The floodplain landscapes have a distinctive character, with extensive wet woodlands and embanked roads. The wooded parkland landscapes and high stone boundary walls of the Killymoon, Loughry and Drum Manor estates are important local landscape features. The Killymoon River is particularly attractive, with a sequence of woodlands and small-scale riverside pastures along the immediate river corridor. Cookstown is the principal regional town.
It provides a strong focus and is a major service centre for the district. Elsewhere, the traditional settlement pattern is scattered, with small clusters of buildings associated with farms and hamlets. On the floodplains, the villages typically have a linear form, with concentrations of buildings at the principal road junctions. Here farms and small-holdings are often more isolated at the end of tracks, at a distance from the main road. Overall, the landscape seems relatively enclosed, with views contained by drumlins, hedgerows and hedgerow and riverside trees.
Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to ChangeThe landscape is in relatively good condition, although there is evidence of hedgerow removal in areas where agricultural operations are undertaken at a more intensive scale. Hedgerow trees are particularly important in defining the characteristic regular structure of the landscape and for integrating new development. The landscape is less vulnerable to change in areas where hedgerow trees and hedgerows are intact.
The most sensitive parts of the landscape are the river corridors and their associated trees and woodlands, the historic designed landscapes and the river floodplains. For instance, modifications to river channels would have a significant impact and other forms of landscape change or development close to river floodplains cannot easily be screened.
Principles for Landscape Management