Discover Coleraine: History, Trails and Nature on the River Bann

Coleraine combines an impressive urban history with trails through woodland landscapes and along the River Bann. At the centre is Coleraine Town Hall, built in 1859: the building, made of warm golden sandstone, is designed in a restrained Italianate style and serves as an accredited exhibition venue for Coleraine Museum.

Urban history at Coleraine Town Hall

Coleraine Museum offers changing exhibitions, events and talks inspired by its extensive collection. The holdings include books and documents belonging to the renowned folklorist Sam Henry. Alongside its architecture, a visit to the Town Hall therefore also provides a literary and folkloric perspective.

The Coleraine 400 Heritage Trail is ideal for exploring the town’s history. It leads through the historic town centre and tells of Coleraine as a fortified town from the time of King James I’s Plantation in the early 17th century. The trail is available in Ulster Scots, Irish, Polish and French. The Town Hall also supports the monthly Coleraine Specialty Market.

Heritage trails with different focuses

The Coleraine Heritage Trail is designed as a leisurely walk and explores the town’s history through some of its historic buildings. A map and a suggested route begin at Coleraine Town Hall. At the Coleraine History Hub in the Diamond Centre, you can also access an accompanying 3D map and an audio feature about the trail.

A different historical perspective emerges on the 1718 Heritage Trail. It tells the story of families from Coleraine, Aghadowey, Macosquin, Dunboe, Ballywillan, Garvagh, Kilrea and Ballymoney who emigrated to New England in 1718 due to economic pressure and in search of religious freedom. This also connects the town’s history with migration history.

Mountsandel Wood and the River Bann

For a stronger focus on nature, Mountsandel Wood provides a clear contrast to the exhibitions and historic buildings. The woodland covers approximately 21 hectares and stretches for about one mile along the eastern bank of the River Bann south of Coleraine. Two linear trails can be combined to form a circular route. The woodland path from Mountsandel Fort leads to the bank of the River Bann and runs close to the weir at The Cutts.

Swans, kingfishers and herons nest along the riverbank at Mountsandel. The site is also archaeologically significant: the earliest known human settlement in Mountsandel Wood in Ireland is dated to between 7600 and 7900 BC. The earthwork fortification is believed to date from the Norman period. Those wishing to combine nature and history will therefore find several starting points here for planning a day out.

Getting there and further ideas for day trips

Coleraine Bus and Train Station has 74 car parking spaces and 32 bicycle parking spaces. When planning accommodation, these facilities can provide a practical point of reference if you are considering different modes of transport. The Coleraine campus of Ulster University is an eight-minute walk from University Rail Halt. There, a woodland nature trail connects mature woodland areas with landscaped gardens and trees from the arboretum; you can also discover horticultural features of the campus.

For an active addition, Coleraine Sports Centre offers indoor and outdoor facilities, including multi-purpose sports halls, fitness and strength-training areas, a steam room, a sauna, grass pitches, artificial tennis courts, a multisport area and a floodlit 3G pitch. When choosing your holiday accommodation, you can therefore weigh up your preferred travel rhythm between urban history, nature trails and sporting activities.

For further travel planning, you can also choose Portballintrae, Portstewart, Aghadowey and Portrush.

For the main travel overview: Coleraine.