Outstanding
beauty  |
The Sperrin Mountains are located in the heart of Northern Ireland and boast
a treasure trove of wildlife and geology. This area of outstanding
natural beauty stretches from the western shoreline of Lough Neagh to the Tyrone/Donegal
border. | | Sperrin
Mountains - ther's gold in them there hills |
In Spring
Sperrin's rivers and streams are brimming with a rich natural history including
birds, mammals, and fish. Gold country  Prospectors
have been panning for gold across Ireland for more than 3,500 years, and the precious
metal can still be found in Sperrin today.
The gold in these hills occurs
in veins of white quartz so panning is still the best way to find it. There
are also plenty of other minerals to look out for including iron pyrites, black
magnetite and ruby coloured garnet. Gold is bright, yellow and heavier
than anything else in the Sperrin streams which is a good test for prospectors
baffled by Fool's Gold. Stream dipping  Gortin
Burn in the Sperrins enjoys crystal clear, unpolluted water, making it a great
place to go stream dipping.
Look out for Caddis Fly larvae, Mayflies, and
Freshwater Shrimps as well as a range of small fish. The bigger fish such
as Brown Trout, young Salmon, Eels and Lamprey can be found in the main river
near Gortin - the Owenkillew. Because there's so much life in and under
the water, this is also a pretty good spot for looking for bird species that capitalise
on this food bonanza. Bird watchers should keep their eyes peeled for Dippers,
Grey Wagtails and Herons. Bat man The
river is also home to a mammal known as Daubenton's Bats - this water bat roosts
in the cracks under bridges. This medium sized bat species has a pinkish-brown
face, and the fur on their upper-parts is dark grey/brown with the under-parts
being silvery grey. These small mammals have adapted to hunting on water
and have large furry feet to enable them to catch small insects. Listen
out for their distinctive cries as they leave the roost at night. | 
