3 National Trust Divis and the Black Mountain Traditional Cache
3 National Trust Divis and the Black Mountain
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The cache is a traditional cache in a wildflower haven a little off the beaten track at the National Trust Divis and the Black Mountain.
Divis and the Black Mountain rest in the heart of the Belfast Hills which provide the backdrop to the city’s skyline. They are rich in wildlife, archaeology and history, with spectacular views across Northern Ireland and beyond.
See rare species in their natural habitat
Our property is significant for biodiversity with red grouse, stonechats, skylark, snipe and other upland breeding birds, while kestrels, peregrine falcons and ravens feed in the area. There are several occupied badger setts and on a walk through this habitat you may encounter a hiding Irish Hare or see a Marsh Fritillary butterfly flitting about. The mountains comprise a mosaic of grassland heath and bog. The heath is made up mainly of heather species but a closer look reveals some interesting flora such as the heath spotted orchid. Along the short grasses on the river banks you may unearth the many colours of waxcaps during the autumn and winter months. Thirteen species of waxcap fungi have already been identified on the site; one of them is a new record for Northern Ireland. A number of species found here in the mountains are identified as Northern Ireland Priority Species.
Divis and the Black Mountain came into the care of the National Trust in November 2004 and opened to the public in June 2005. There are walking trails along a variety of terrain – through heath, on stone tracks, along boardwalk and road surface, including the start of the 10km Divis Mountain to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park Trail.
The property is a working farm with free roaming cattle between April and November.
Please wear suitable footwear and clothing for walking in the area. The mountain environment can change rapidly. Please keep dogs under close control at all times.
Parking and entrance is free, but please note that the car park closes at 8pm - car park co-ordinates are N54' 35.950 W006' 02.530.
All of the caches can be done as part of the Divis and Black Mountain Series. The whole series will take approximately 7 hours to complete so ensure you have adequate snacks and water to sustain you.
This cache is also not far off the 10 mile Divis to Dixon Walk, so can be incorporated into that route.
The Cache
This cache can be accessed either from the main entrance on Divis Road or, for a quick find, through the yellow gate opposite the Glenside Community Woodland on the Upper Springfield Road.
If parking at the lower yellow gate, please do not obstruct the entrance. Allow yourself 45 mins to an hour to find this cache and return to the yellow gate or approximately 2 hours from the Divis Road car park and back.
The cache is a medium sized camouflaged lockable lunchbox with geocache label on the lid. A small selection of usual swaps were available at the time of placing the cache as well as a National Trust Divis and the Black Mountain marker - if you're going to visit a geocache anywhere else in the world why not take it with you? There are also some information pamphlets included - feel free to take one with you.
This cache will take you to a wonderful vantage point for you to sit and take in while the sounds of nature jostle with the sounds of the city. The views from here are stunning across the Collin Valley to Collin Mountain and down to the Mournes. Pick out the Cooley Mountains in the far distance on a good day. On the journey to the cache, look out for some of our spectacular wildlife from insects to plants and from Irish Hare to Kestrels. Look around water pools and puddles for newts and keep an eye out for lizards basking in the summer sunshine. This location is wonderful during the summer for wildflowers, and orchids in particular. Follow the sound of grasshoppers to find them hiding amongst the grasses and flowers and keep an eye out for the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly which has been recorded in the vicinity of the cache.
The difficulty rating of this cache is determined by approach. Walking from the yellow gate, the trip is suitable for children as the route is well established and relatively easy to follow uphill along a tarmac road and then turning downhill onto an older lane just before reaching the TV mast. For the more fit and adventurous who are approaching the cache via the National Trust car park, or following the series, the terrain is more difficult, is off the beaten track for most of its’ length and is wet underfoot in places, so come prepared.
You can borrow one of our GPS navigators from the Long Barn with all of our geocaches pre-loaded for your convenience.
Whichever way you approach the cache, enjoy your trip to this beautiful haven.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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