My holidays in Northern Ireland generally include one or more pilgrimages to places of shared family interest. As a child, I spent many holidays in Upperlands with Cousin, her parents and her siblings. So off we went to meet Cousin’s big sister for a light lunch and a walk round the dams that powered the machinery at the linen factory which used to be the main local employer.
Water power
So we walk and we talk. We recall people and events from decades ago. Cousin tells how in a moment of rage with her now husband, she threw her engagement ring onto the path by one of the dams, then had to scrabble about to find it, rather ruining her grand gesture.
It’s a great place for swans. There’s an island where they nest, safe and unmolested. Each pair had at least five cygnets. It occurred to me that this would be a perfect bird sanctuary. I said this aloud, and was distressed to learn that the land has been bought by developers and so could one day be a gated community. And I don’t mean a prison.
I don’t have the words to say how great a lost opportunity think that would be. These pictures may help you see what I mean.
Still
Shaded
Landing
A family on water
Flower
Machinery
A family on land
Machinery
I mean, wouldn’t you want to go there?
Isobel (and Cat)'s Blog 
What a shame if this gets developed…why is there an obsession with building places that will be possibly too expensive for most people to afford to buy…and in the process destroy historic and environmentally lovely areas…you must get your relatives to man the barricades!
Hope that Master B didn’t keep you up too late last night after your long trip home?
If some high profile person would make the suggestion it might happen. Especially if it were backed with cash. Otherwise, I think the developers, who no doubt see the whole place with different eyes, will have their way.
Alas the swans.
It was quite a late night with MasterB. And then he decided we should have quality time before it was light… 🙂
what a beautiful place… thanks for sharing. why are they called developers, though… it’s such a misnomer.
I wonder how many places there are like this in NI.
So that could be turned into a private paradise for the elite, terrible, terrible.
Though how many of the *elite* would want to live in Upperlands is questionable!
It’s beautiful!
I think so.
Your photos are great, Isobel. I especially like the one of the path. I tried twice to take photos of a family of swans with 5 cygnets but they were to skittish and I didn’t have a long enough lens to get a good photo. I also had to take the photos through tall grass. Yours are great -I’m surprised the parents didn’t get a little mean but maybe their babies are big enough.
The adult swans were not at all pleased to see us. There was a fourth, in the water to the left with another group of cygnets. My guess is that they were moving from one dam to another. We had to retrace our steps and find another route.
That landing is fab. Just watched Sandie Toksvig on QI demonstrating a swan landing!
Serendipitous!
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