Binevenagh () is a large, steep-sided hill in

County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. It is part of the Keenaght Hills, which mark the western edge of the Antrim Plateau, formed around 60 million years ago by molten lava. Binevenagh and its cliffs overlook the Magilligan peninsula and dominate the skyline over the villages of Bellarena, Downhill, Castlerock and Benone beach. The area has been classified as both an Area of Special Scientific Interest and as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The total area of the AONB is 138 km². The Bishop's Road, named after the

Bishop of Derry The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the monastic settlement originally founded at Daire Calgach and later known as Daire Colm Cille, Anglicised as Derry. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in ...

, extends across the plateau. Notable features include the Mussenden Temple and a cliff top viewing area on the Bishop's Road giving good views over

Lough Foyle Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle ( or "loch of the lip"), is the estuary of the River Foyle, on the north coast of Ireland. It lies between County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Sovereignty over t ...

and across

Inishowen Inishowen () is a peninsula in the north of County Donegal in Ireland. Inishowen is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland. The Inishowen peninsula includes Ireland's most northerly point, Malin Head. The Grianan of Aileach, a ringfor ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

Sport

*Gliding - the Ulster Gliding Club uses the slopes for gliders. *Hang gliding and Paragliding - the slopes are used for soaring by the Ulster Hang gliding and Paragliding Club (UHPC). *Fishing - an artificial lake at the top of the mountain is used for trout fishing. *Motorsport - the Coleraine & District Motor Club run the Eagles Rock

hillclimbing Hillclimbing, also known as hill climbing, speed hillclimbing, or speed hill climbing, is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course. It is one of the oldest forms of motorsport, since the firs ...

event during the month of July.

Railway access

The trains on the Belfast-Derry railway line, run by NI Railways (NIR), call at Bellarena railway station between Waterside railway station, in

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...

, and Castlerock railway station. Trains continue from Castlerock to Coleraine railway station and other stations to Belfast Lanyon Place and Belfast Grand Central.

Plane crash

On 24 June 1944 a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

Consolidated Liberator V (FL977) of No. 5 Squadron RAF was returning to RAF Ballykelly after a combat mission over

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

. The aircraft crashed into Binevenagh during its third attempt to land, killing all nine crewmembers onboard.

References

External links

Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Marilyns of Northern Ireland Mountains and hills of County Londonderry Special Areas of Conservation in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Environment Agency properties Protected areas of County Londonderry Volcanism of Northern Ireland Aviation accidents and incidents locations in Northern Ireland {{Londonderry-geo-stub