The land, made available by Cookstown District Council, has been planted with a wonderful mix of native trees; over 12,000 in total and including alder, ash, birch, Scots pine, oak and willow. Springtime visitors will be impressed by beauties such as the bluebell, wood anemone, wild garlic and lesser celandine which grow along the riverbanks. A pathway will lead you on your gentle stroll, lasting approximately half an hour.
Keep an eye open for the red deer which sometimes visit Cabin Wood, by swimming across the Ballinderry River from Killymoon Estate. And as you walk over the brow of the gentle hill, cast your eye to the far side of the river: you’ll see beautiful Killymoon Castle and its impressive veteran trees.
Cabin Wood was once part of Killymoon Estate. A notice in the ‘Londonderry Sentinel’ on 27 December 1861 announced the sale of wood from the Estate, consisting entirely of first-class oak for ship-building and railway carriages. The advertisement boasted that the timber “could not be surpassed in the United Kingdom for size and quality”.
The Drumin Oak, named after the townland Drumin, is within Killymoon Estate. It is an impressive giant with a girth of over 25 feet. The oak is thought to date back to the seventeenth century and it is said that King William tied his horse to it. Certainly he stayed at Killymoon Castle when the oak was already sizeable. (Please note: the Estate is privately owned and is not accessible to the public.)
The Cache is a medium sized tab lock box containing the usual notebook, pencil and some swappable items.
The terrain to this cache can be very muddy and slippy - it is not suitable for wheelchair users. I would recommend the walk further into the area to listen to the birds and enjoy the tranquillity
Thanks to The Woodland Trust who kindly granted permission for this cache placement.