This landscape has much in common with the East Lough Neagh Points. It comprises a 2km to 3km wide belt of flat land that fringes the northern shores of Lough Neagh between Toome and Antrim. The lough banks are carved into localised troughs and hummocks with incised streams but remain predominantly flat. The shoreline itself follows a meandering line of bays, inlets and headlands and to its west in particular, countless tiny islands a few metres off shore. In the west, the area merges seamlessly with lower slopes of the Long Mountain Ridge. Long Mountain Ridge extends almost to the lough but to the east, the land rises quite steeply from the lough shore. Here, it is fringed by broadleaf woodland which runs almost continuously over 6km from Portlee to Farrs Bay where it links with the extensive Randalstown Forest of The Shanes Castle Estate.
A border of reed beds is quite characteristic along much of the shoreline, giving a soft and distinct edge. In other marshy areas, patchy rushes and low growing alders create pockets of semi-natural habitat. Between these, horses, cows and sheep graze peacefully along the lough edge. Away from the lough shore, pastoral fields predominate with large fields bound by gappy hedges and drainage ditches. The shoreline is sparsely but regularly populated with settlements comprising either farms or small communities and villages rather than isolated dwellings. Houses close to the shore are often quite large; individual small bungalows and cottages are more common within the pastoral hinterland. Villages such as Churchtown, Knockaphort and Dostree have open aspects overlooking the expanse of the lough. Indeed, lough views are perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of this landscape.
Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to ChangeMost of this landscape is grazed intensively and its flat relief has encouraged large field sizes. Hedgerows are generally in poor condition but this permits characteristic views across the lough. The simplicity of this landscape, at least in the farmed interior, makes it fairly resilient to change, although it is vulnerable to a decline in field structure. There is a risk that large structures and large scale development would be particularly prominent in this rural landscape setting. The shoreline is a more fragile landscape which benefits from its open aspect and diverse edge and landcover. The Lough itself is designated as an ASSI, an SPA and is also a Ramsar Site. It is also classified as an `Area of Scenic Quality'. The farmed shore edge is subject to a low level of management.
Any reduction in grazing pressure would result in regeneration of woodland and encroachment by scrub and rush although this would add to its diversity and visual interest. Ad hoc and isolated new houses on the shoreline would lead to loss of its essential openness and degradation of the undeveloped shoreline character. The wooded shoreline to the east is more resilient although neglect of woodland creates pressure for change in this area.
Principles for Landscape Management