The Gortin Lakes are
located half a mile east off the main Omagh to Gortin Road,
approximately 1 mile north of the Gortin Glens Forest
Park.
The Gortin Lakes
The rugged
countryside of the Sperrins region is some of the most beautiful in
Ireland. The natural blend of peaks, forests, moors, valleys, lakes
and rivers makes it a favourite for walkers and
ramblers.
Located in the
west of Northern Ireland, the region is surrounded by the largest
and least explored mountain range in the country. This off-road
gravel path around the Gortin Lakes
offers superb views
of the Sperrins landscape.
Set amid the
broad sweep of the Sperrins foothills, the lakes had their origins
in the late glacial period. A retreating ice sheet dammed a lake
into which rivers brought vast quantities of sediment. The sediment
was then deposited in a series of deltas.
Directions
From the car park,
the walk around the two lakes is laid out in the formation of the
figure eight and people can choose to walk in either
direction.
The gravel path
around the lakes undulates gently, offering the tranquillity of the
still, deep water on one side and the natural habitat and
vegetation on the other.
The
Backdrop
Today, the dry
raised fan of material deposited in glacial times supports rich
heath vegetation dominated by bell heather, which is home to the
red grouse.
Its dry ridges
extend out like a delta into a sea of blanket bog, itself only some
4,000 years old. Turf-cutters have unearthed the remains of a
bronze-age field network under the bog nearby, established at a
time when the climate was different and the growing qualities of
soil quickly became exhausted.
Perched among
the glacial moraines (rocky debris carried along and deposited by a
glacier), these lakes, known as kettle-holes, formed from melted
blocks of ice abandoned by the retreating ice-sheet. They are the
haunt of mallard, teal and the occasional nesting feral grey-lag
goose.
Around the lakes, green and blue damselflies dart among the swampy
vegetation that includes the rare broad-leaved mud sedge. This is a
place of open vistas, expansive bogland and the ever-present
whistling wind, a fitting place for hunting falcons. The lakes are
located within the Murrins Nature Reserve.
There are a number of other walking routes available within
minutes. Gortin Glens Forest Park offers several forest walks
including a section dedicated to mountain biking.
The Robbers Table
off-road walk is one for the serious rambler with sturdy footwear
and wet weather apparel a must. The Central Sperrins Way and a
section of the Ulster Way are also in close proximity. Nearby
visitor features include the award-winning Ulster AmericanFolk
Park, a superb family attraction that tells the story of emigration
from Ulster to America
in the 18th and 19th
centuries and provides visitors with a living history experience on
its outdoor site.
Not far away also
is another family-oriented attraction, The Land of Little Animals.
This indoor attraction is proving to be a very popular venue with
an estimated 26,000 visitors in the first year. You can expect to
see and interact with one of the rarest owls in Ireland, the worlds
biggest breed of owl, the worlds smallest breed of chicken, the
worlds largest breed of rabbit, the worlds smallest breed of
rabbit, the worlds smallest breed of monkey, large spiders and mini
beasts along with miniature donkeys and ponies.
The An Creagán
Visitor Centre in Omagh is yet another family-oriented attraction.
Children can enjoy the play areas and eco-trails, and visit
archaeological sites. Dont forget to find the "Akwaaba"
cache by
RosMcC
The National Cycle
Network Route traverses the locality and one of the Sperrins Cycle
Routes, the Strule Valley Cycle Route (37 miles) actually runs
between the lakes. Another Sperrins Cycle Route, the Gold Route (31
miles), explores the Owenkillew and Glenelly
Valleys.
The cache is a small tab-lock box with log book and some of the
usual goodies.
Visit the Geocaching Ireland discussion
forum HERE