1 National Trust Divis and the Black Mountain Traditional Geocache
1 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 historical location 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
Allow yourself at least 45 mins to an hour to find this traditional cache and return to car park - but why not take longer and enjoy your surroundings on the way?
The cache is a medium sized camouflaged lockable lunchbox with geocache label on the lid, best approached by heading to the information point at N54' 36.175 W006' 01.696 and following the stream down to the mill race.
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 is located in the vicinity of a hidden site of historical interest.
In the 18th and 19th centuries the industrial revolution came to Belfast and many mills and factories sprang up around the base of the hills. Initially they relied on water power to run them and they also needed water for the processes of making linen and other industries such as brewing and dyeing. The many rivers and streams flowing down from the hills were harnessed to run Belfast’s mills, and several dams were constructed to the south of Divis Lodge, below Whiterock and at Ligoniel.
The cache is located close to a former dam which once powered McCance's Mill in Suffolk. Look around to see the lapping stones of the dam. The dam is on the Collin River which, apart from the Lagan, is the only unculverted river in Belfast.
The trip to the information point is along a tarmac road and the second stage is across the fields, so come prepared. This is a great place for a walk with the kids and goes off the beaten track without being too strenuous. The scenery here is beautiful and 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 sunshine.
At the Long Barn there are toilet facilities, hot drinks and a picnic area for you to stop at as you head towards the information point. You can also borrow one of our GPS navigators from the Long Barn with all of our geocaches pre-loaded for your convenience.
Please be careful when uncovering the cache, muggles can come up to the cache site behind you so please be discreet when taking out the cache and hiding it again. If you see anything you like in the cache box, please trade up or even so everyone can enjoy the contents.
Good Luck and enjoy your trip to this hidden treasure!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj gur zvyy enpr naq svaq gur Unjgbea Ohfu.