The Long Barn visitor resource is a welcome addition for all visitors to this dramatic landscape, managed by the National Trust. It will provide a meeting place for local communities and many groups who regularly access the mountain, and should encourage more visitors to the mountain. Visitors can now enjoy the new facilities and find out more about the archaeology, history and unique habitats and wildlife of this spectacular area, and at the same time warm themselves with a hot cup of tea.
National Trust celebrates 'Access for All' on Divis and the Black Mountain: Demonstrating their commitment to providing ‘Access for All’, the National Trust, Northern Ireland’s largest conservation charity, has opened the Long Barn visitor centre and a Changing Places facility on Divis and the Black Mountain. This is the first National Trust property in the UK to install a Changing Places toilet, and the only one on a mountain! Changing Places toilets differ from standard accessible toilets, as they provide extra space and features such as a hoist, an adult height-adjustable changing bench and a non-slip floor. Providing these toilets in public places makes a dramatic difference to the lives of people who need these facilities.
How to get there:
From M1 motorway:
Leave M1 motorway at Junction 2 (Stockman's Lane).
Take the A55 (Outer Ring), signed Falls.
Go straight across first two roundabouts.
From dual carriageway, turn left on to Upper Springfield Road.
Continue for 2.5 miles, and a short distance past the national speed limit sign, turn right on to Divis Road.
Car park is on the left hand side opposite entrance to mountain.
Please note: access to Divis and the Black Mountain is only from Divis Road.
The Cache
The Cache is a standard tab-lock box which contained various novelty items, pens, logbook and a geocoin. This is a multi-stage cache leading to the final cache; at the first waypoint you will find the answers to questions about the physical characteristics of the Long Barn and vicinity which you will require to establish the co-ordinates of the final cache.
The cache will be found at N54 3A.BCD W006 0E.FGH, where:
AB is 60 (AMENDED 12 MAY 2011 AS POSTS REMOVED IN UPGRADE OF SITE).
C is the number of horizontal bars in the gate at SW corner of Long Barn.
D is the number of circular manhole covers at East end of Long Barn.
EFGH is 55 less than the year chiselled into an East-facing stone perimeter wall at the SW corner of the Long Barn (may not be easily seen if the gates to rear of Long Barn are locked)
The medium-sized tab-lock box cache contains numerous novelty items, a set of AA batteries, various old Uk and foreign coins, also some Party Poppers (3 only - do they still pop?)!
Belfast Hills Access Code
- Plan ahead - know where to walk, what to wear and how to minimise waste.
- Be safe - pay attention to signs, weather conditions traffic levels. Consider your personal safety, don’t walk alone, bring a mobile phone, let people know where you are.
- Understand Access - know where you are allowed to go and leave gates as you find them.
- Minimise impact - TAKE ALL LITTER HOME, extinguish matches cigarettes carefully, don't pollute water.
- Control dogs - Please keep dogs on a lead especially near farm animals.
- Respect the countryside - don't disturb or feed wildlife.
- Consider others - don't interfere with livestock, crops or machinery.
- Minimise noise.
The Belfast Hills the Partnership
The Belfast Hills stretch from Colin Mountain in the south to Carnmoney Hill in the north and are home to important wildlife and archaeological sites, stunning landscapes and scattered communities. The Belfast Hills Partnership Trust was established in 2004 as an independent company with charitable status with the following aims:
- To increase people's appreciation of the value of the Belfast Hills
- To plan and carry out work programmes to protect and enhance biodiversity on the hills
- To help people enjoy the hills through a range of well managed public sites
- To improve the quality of life for local people
The Belfast Hills Geocaching Series is supported by the Belfast Hills Partnership (BHP) – for more information about their activities and walks check out their website – www.belfasthills.org. If you would be interested to add to this Geocaching series please contact the BHP for up to date access information and landowners’ permission.