Blackwater Valley Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Flat marshy vale and floodplain of the River Blackwater.
• Wet meadows, pasture and bog.
• Secluded, secret landscape enclosed by drumlins, which extend as isolated rounded hills across the floodplain.
• Attractive historic designed landscapes, with woodland, lakes and grand houses; picturesque riverside settings.
• Fields separated by bushy hedgerows and trees creating an enclosed wooded character.
• Inaccessible, with few settlements; winding banked lanes give few views.
• Rural, peaceful and unspoilt landscape.

Landscape Description

The Blackwater Valley contains the flat marshy floodplain of the tortuous Blackwater River, which flows from the Clogher Valley into Lough Neagh. Numerous small streams flow between scattered drumlins which form islands on the floodplain and an abandoned canal, with numerous bridges follows the length of the valley. Drumlins enclose the valley and tortuous hedge-banked lanes allow limited views, creating a secluded landscape. The river is fringed with wet semi-improved and improved pasture and marsh. Fields are divided by mature overgrown hedgerows and trees giving the area a well wooded character.

Historic wooded designed landscapes, large estate houses, parkland and lakes enjoy an attractive riverside setting. The Caledon Estate on the border with the Republic is the largest and most impressive designed landscape, with stone walls, follies and acres of mature woodland. There are few settlements or dwellings and small twisting roads keep to the edges of the floodplain. The small village of Caledon is the principal settlement. Red roofed farm barns are a local feature. This is a rural, peaceful, undisturbed and unspoilt valley with outstanding scenic qualities.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The landscape is in good condition with excellent examples of wetland and parkland which have both ecological and historical value. There are only limited views of this landscape from adjacent higher ground so small changes in the landscape would not necessarily be visible. However, the small-scale enclosed character of the valley ensures that large scale or extensive development would be intrusive.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Drainage of the remaining bogs would result in loss of the valuable wetland landscapes.
• The management and replanting of hedgerows and hedgerow trees would help retain the wooded character and ecological value of the area and avoid the necessity for wire fences.
• The management and ongoing planting of woodlands is essential to conserve the special landscape character.
• There are opportunities for the management and restoration of historic parkland landscapes to ensure that they remain long term features in the landscape.
• The management of the river channel and corridor to ensure the conservation of its ecological and landscape value would be of benefit. Priorities include the sensitive cutting of riparian vegetation and monitoring the water for pollution. Buffers of vegetation along the banks would help prevent polluted run-off from entering the river.
• The provision of footpath access along the river and canal corridor would enrich the recreational value of the landscape.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• Large developments could not be integrated into this small scale, secluded landscape.
• The wider landscape settings of historic features and estates should be considered in relation to any changes from built development.
• It is essential that any new development is associated with extensive tree planting to ensure that it does not disrupt the wooded and unspoilt character of the river valley.
• Built development along the roads at the lower edges of the floodplain would be out of character with the existing landscape pattern; houses are generally sited on higher land and are typically away from the road.
• The restoration of derelict buildings is preferable to the construction of new ones.