Speedway

Divis

Divis
Dubhais
Highest point
Elevation1,568 ft (478 m)[1]
Prominence1,250 ft (380 m)[1]
ListingMarilyn
Naming
English translationblack ridge
Language of nameIrish
Geography
Map
LocationCounty Antrim, Northern Ireland
Parent rangeBelfast Hills
OSI/OSNI gridJ280754
Topo mapOSNI Discovery 15

Divis (/ˈdɪvɪs/; from Irish Dubhais 'black ridge')[2] is a hill and area of sprawling moorland north-west of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. With a height of 1,568 ft (478 m), it is the highest of the Belfast Hills.[1] It is joined with the neighbouring Black Mountain, and in the past they may have been seen as one.[2] Divis transmitting station is on the summit.

The mountain extends north to the Antrim Plateau and shares its geology; consisting of a basaltic cover underlain by limestone and lias clay.

In 2004 the Divis area and its surrounding mountains were handed over to the National Trust; having been under the control of the Ministry of Defence since 1953.[3]

Since then four walking trails have been developed, of varying lengths and taking walkers to differents points of interest: these are the Lough, Summit, Heath and Ridge trails.[4]

Wildlife

Among the most common birds to be seen on Divis are: snipe, curlew, meadow pipit, skylark, red grouse, greenfinch, cuckoo, owls and peregrines.[5] Less common are buzzards whose appearance is often recorded online to preserve valuable environmental data.[6] The site is also home to badgers and hares.

A View to the Future

In September 2023, National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded the National Trust £3 million to deliver a new project that will open up new trails and routes on the mountain. The overall aim is to create "Belfast's largest urban green space."[7]

References

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54°36′41″N 6°01′07″W / 54.61139°N 6.01861°W / 54.61139; -6.01861