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.
| Divis | |
|---|---|
| Dubhais | |
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,568 ft (478 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,250 ft (380 m)[1] |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Naming | |
| English translation | black ridge |
| Language of name | Irish |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Parent range | Belfast Hills |
| OSI/OSNI grid | J280754 |
| Topo map | OSNI Discovery 15 |
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
editAmong 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
editIn September 2023, National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded the National Trust £3million 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
edit- ^ a b c MountainViews
- ^ a b "Place Names NI". Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Divis Project | Belfast". National Trust. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ https://www.walkni.com/wp-content/uploads/Divis-Trails-Leaflet.pdf
- ^ "Divis Mountain — Biodiversity Northern Ireland". biodiversityni.com. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ https://www.birdguides.com/sites/europe/britain-ireland/ireland/northern-ireland/antrim/divis-mountain/
- ^ https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/divis-and-the-black-mountain/a-view-to-the-future-project#rt-the-vision