Starting point: The Lough Neagh Protector Statue (Finn McCool) at Antrim Lough Shore Park.
The Lough Neagh land and waterscape is one rich with the built heritage of huge transport infrastructure. The flat land surrounding the magnificent body of water made it a hub of transport from the earliest times to the present day. From log boats, to canals, to railways to airfields, to modern motorways the evidence surrounds the lough.
This tour will introduce this heritage and focus especially on the World War II aviation hub and the often-hidden built heritage that remains. We tend to forget how much of a part that Lough Neagh played in the World War II – there were no less than seven airfields around the Lough – Aldergrove, Nutt’s Corner, Clontoe / Ardboe, Toome, Langford Lodge, Maghaberry and Long Kesh.
Beginning in Antrim with the torpedo platforms and Aldergrove airfield, touring the lough shore to Toome and its extensive airfield. Lunch will be in the Lock Keeper’s Cottage beside the canal and old railway bridges. We move to Ballyronan Marina for a lough overview and then on to Cluntoe / Ardboe to remind us of the part that Northern Ireland played in the Allied Campaign and subsequent victory. Ardboe in particular has a wealth of built heritage remaining, with some three runways still intact as well as a multitude of buildings such as control towers, hangers, hospitals and even cinemas – you just need to know what to look for. Many of these have been repurposed all around the lough, some even as homes. This tour of the northern and western shores hopes to uncover these and for us all to see the hub of transport that Lough Neagh once was and indeed still is.
· Places on this tour are FREE but must be booked in advance. Not suitable for children under 12 years old.
· The coach will stop at the Lock Keeper’s Cottage at Toome, where you will have the opportunity to purchase lunch.
· Visitors are advised to wear flat shoes and bring a suitable outdoor jacket. Refreshments are not provided as part of this tour.
This tour is brought to you by Lough Neagh Partnership Ltd for European Heritage Open Day.
