Upper Moyola Valley Landscape

Key Characteristics

• Broad, undulating limestone valley, dissected by numerous small, branching streams.
• Small-scale patchwork of pastures and broadleaf woodland on the valley floor, while farmland on upper slopes has a relatively open character.
• Small, angular fields with dense hedgerows and numerous hedgerow trees; stone walls on more elevated slopes.
• Sharp transition between farmland patchwork and open moorland on the upland slopes to the west of the valley.
• Straight roads along margins of valley; elsewhere lanes are narrow and twisting, with fords and small stone bridges at stream crossings;
• Numerous farms and scattered cottages; a few larger settlements at principal road junctions.

Landscape Description

The Upper Moyola Valley is the broad basin of the Moyola River on the eastern fringes of the Sperrin Mountains. It is dominated by the peak of Slieve Gallion to the south. The valley is deeply undulating, with steep, rounded slopes dissected by numerous small branching streams. The slopes become steeper and smaller in scale towards the centre of the valley. The surrounding mountains provide a strong sense of enclosure. The steep slopes towards the valley centre have a relatively small-scale landscape pattern, with small pastures and many small broadleaf woodlands forming an irregular patchwork. There are numerous hedgerow trees and small copses, which often create an impression of dense woodland when viewed from the outer margins of the area.

The river is almost hidden from view. The dense tree cover creates an enclosed landscape and tends to mask the variations in landform. Many fields are partially enclosed by earthbanks and wire fences as well as by hedgerows. There is a rich diversity of trees; oak, ash, beech, birch and rowan are all found within the hedgerows and there are beech avenues leading to some of the more prosperous farms. Broadleaf woodland predominates, but there are also some small conifer plantations such as Derrynoyd Wood. The landscape becomes larger in scale towards the outer margins of the valley, where many of the fields are enclosed by stone walls. This regular field patchwork extends high up onto the slopes of the surrounding mountains, often with a striking division between the farmland and the moorland above.

There are numerous scattered white-washed farms and cottages, with small clusters of buildings at some bridges and fords. Settlements are generally larger on higher land towards the outer margins of the vale. The lanes within the steeper river valleys are winding and very narrow, with abrupt turns to cross the streams on stone bridges. By contrast, on the higher land the roads are relatively straight, with long views across the vale and to the Sperrins.

Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to Change

The landscape is more intensively farmed on the more elevated parts of the vale, where hedgerows are in relatively good condition. However, the farmland on the lower slopes of the upland moors is of poorer quality, with gappy hedgerows, dominated by gorse and bracken. Some fields in the centre of the vale are also infested by thistles and rushes.

The undulating landform and dense woodland towards the valley centre tends to screen any buildings and development. However, there is more evidence of pressure for development in the more accessible areas, close to the straight roads and larger settlements on the higher land. Here development is more prominent and the landscape generally, more sensitive.

Principles for Landscape Management

• Woodland management will ensure that the diverse pattern of tree cover is conserved and enhanced, with new planting maintaining the strong linkage between existing trees and woodlands.
• Restoration of stone walls will conserve the striking and historic field pattern (including townland boundaries) on the upland edges of the vale.

Principles for Accommodating New Development

• New buildings may be integrated into this diverse landscape if they are accompanied by extensive planting, linking to existing field and woodland patterns.
• The long views across the valley should be taken into consideration in siting new development.
• New buildings will be prominent and may have a disruptive influence on landscape pattern if they form a continuous line along the straight roads towards the outer edges of the area.