Downhill Forest Mill Trail

There are two waymarked paths in the forest; one is just over a kilometre long while the other is two kilometres in length. The Ulster Way also runs through part of the forest.

There is a National Trust walk in the Bishops Gate which directly opposite the entrance and can be used to extend the walk

County

Londonderry

Distance

1.2 miles

OS Map

Sheet 4

Nearest Town

Castlerock

Route Shape

Circular

Route Type

Forest

Terrain

Gravel paths

Grid Reference (Start)

C761354

Grid Reference (End)

C761354

Point of Interest

Northern Ireland's fattest Sitka spruce

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Binevenagh

Route Description

Downhill Forest is a small mixed woodland of 83 hectares just inland from the North Coast of Northern Ireland, near Castlerock. The Forest was originally part of the estate of Frederick Harvey, the 4th Earl of Bristol and Bishop of Derry, which included Downhill Castle, now maintained by The National Trust.

A walk through Downhill Forest will allow you to view one of Northern Irelands fattest Sitka spruce (in 1962 the girth was approximately 6m), an Early Christian Promontory Fort and an old water powered sawmill with its lade running round the small lake in the middle of this woodland.

The lake was originally designed as a fishpond, a number of Mallard ducks have taken up residence. Both the waymarked walks pass by this elongated pond.

There are two waymarked paths in the forest; one is just over a kilometre long while the other is two kilometres in length. The Ulster Way also runs through part of the forest. The North West Orienteering Club have also created a permanent orienteering course in the forest.

These walks are situated in a working forest environment and may be subject to diversion and closure from time to time.

Getting to the Start (by Public Transport)

Translink - journeyplanner.translink.co.uk

Getting to the Start (by Car)

From Coleraine ~ Take the A2 through Articlave, Downhill Forest is on the left after approx. 1½ miles
From Limavady ~ Take the A2 towards Castlerock, Downhill Forest is on the right approx. 3½ miles after Benone.

When parking please do not block the gates as lorries, emergency vehicles and other official vehicles may need access to this entrance at anytime.