Foyle Valley Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Broad, accessible valley on the western slopes of the Sperrins
• Farmland has strong, geometric field pattern, which continues onto the slopes of the adjacent higher land
• Sperrins to the east, with scenic, steep, wooded tributary glens
• Deeply incised river channel, with wooded banks and river terraces between Victoria Bridge and Newtownstewart
• Roads follow terraces on outer edge of valley floor or on lower valley slopes
• Attractive stone bridges.

Landscape Description

The Foyle Valley follows the border with the Republic to the south of Londonderry, before turning eastwards at Strabane to follow the meandering course of the river (known as the Mourne and, to the south of the confluence with the Derg, the Strule). It is steeply enclosed to the east by the slopes of the hills to the west of the Sperrins range. It continues to the east of Newtownstewart and includes the lower reaches of the Owenkillew River. The character of the river channel varies from an open sheet of water between agricultural fields to the north of Ballymagorry, to an incised, wooded channel to the south of Strabane. The river flows within a deeper valley in areas where it is influenced by glacial moraine. The steep, irregular mounds of moraine on the banks of the Strule to the west of Newtownstewart are a distinctive local landmark.

The valley landscape blends with that of the surrounding hills; a well-enclosed, geometric patchwork of fields and hedgerows sweeps up onto the steep slopes of the Sperrins. There are arable fields as well as pastures in areas with a shallower landform and in the Maghereagh area, where there is a an alluvial plain alongside the Foyle. By contrast, the tributary valleys of the Burndennet (near Milltown Burndennet) and the Glenmoran River (by Artigarvan) to the west of this flat valley floor, have a deeply undulating, secretive character. The villages in these steep valleys retain some of the large mill buildings. There is a transition from hedgerows to stone walls on the upper pastures. Stone bridges are a feature of the river valley, which is highly accessible as local roads follow the low terraces towards the margins of the valley floor. The valley is well-settled, and the towns of Newtownstewart, Sion Mills and Strabane are on the banks of the Mourne and the Strule.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The river valley is an attractive and sensitive landscape, prominent in views from the many roads and settlements. The deciduous woodlands on the steep banks of the Strule are particularly sensitive to changes from development, infrastructure or engineering works which might affect the shape and form of the channel.

The steep valley slopes of the margins of the Sperrins are also sensitive to change as they form a backdrop to river valley views and are part of the landscape setting for Strabane, Sion Mills and Newtownstewart. The special undulating character of the landscape in the Artigarvan area is also particularly sensitive and has relatively little capacity to accommodate further development.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Management of the deciduous woodlands on the steep river banks and valley slopes will ensure that this attractive and ecologically important landscape feature is sustained
• Picnic sites should be designed to take advantage of scenic river views
• The robust network of field boundaries is a distinctive feature of the landscape and it is important that hedgerows and stone walls are maintained and replanted if they are disrupted by any form of landscape change.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• The natural linear pattern of the valley landscape encourages ribbon development along both major and minor roads, but this is particularly intrusive as buildings are prominent in the relatively short views across the valley. Ribbon development could threaten the unspoilt, tranquil character of the valley, reducing the subtle variations from one part of the valley to the next and potentially detracting from the distinctiveness of the individual valley settlements.
• New development can only be accommodated if it is integrated into the landscape through new planting which is designed to link with existing hedgerow and woodland patterns; any large scale development would require extensive woodland planting in order to reduce its overall dominance in valley views