Overview
Aghalee (Irish: Achadh Lí, ‘field of calves’) is a small, wooded village on the slopes of Friar’s Glen in County Antrim, near the southeast shore of Lough Neagh and west of Lisburn. It is not a tourist town and does not pretend to be. What brings people is the Broad Water towpath, a walk along the old Lagan Navigation Canal.
The Broad Water walk
The Department for Infrastructure lists a 3½-mile public towpath section from Moira railway station to Soldierstown, following the route of the original canal. The path passes the Broad Water itself, a reservoir built to keep the canal topped up, where open water and reeds draw wildfowl.
Worth knowing:
- Where to start. Use the designated Soldierstown towpath car park, or start at Moira railway station. Follow signs and keep to the towpath.
- Wildlife. The reed beds and open water draw ducks, swans, grebes, teal, pochard and goldeneye, best in winter. Spring brings reed warblers and bluebells, primroses and wild garlic along the banks.
- Coming back. Allow time to retrace your route along the towpath.
- Conditions. Check current conditions and any gate notices before you go.
- Dogs are welcome but should be kept under close control.
History
Aghalee was shaped by the Lagan Navigation Canal, which opened in the late 1700s and made the village a lock-station before boats reached Lough Neagh. Much of the engineering was the work of Richard Owen, who is buried in nearby Soldierstown churchyard. The canal carried agricultural goods and drove local growth until it was abandoned in 1954.
Soldierstown, on the towpath, takes its name from a body of soldiers stationed there during the disturbances of 1641, when the village held a barrack with two troops of horse and foot of the royal army. Older still are the ruins of Old Aghalee Church, in the cemetery at the corner of Ballinderry Road and Old Church Lane. From the 1970s Aghalee turned into a commuter village for Belfast but kept its towpath and rural feel; it still has a GP, a pharmacy, a community hall and a training centre.
Food
After the walk, Clenaghans is a long-established restaurant-with-rooms in the area. For more choice in cafés, pubs and takeaways, neighbouring Moira is a short drive. Aghalee itself has a café, a fast-food outlet and the community hall, and not much else.
Practical information
Getting there
- By car: Aghalee is on the A3 between Lurgan and Antrim. From Belfast, take the M1 and leave at junction 9.
- By public transport: Moira railway station (NI Railways) is the nearest rail link, and the towpath can be started from there. Check Translink for trains and buses if you are arriving without a car.
- Parking: Use the designated Soldierstown towpath car park.
Facilities and access
The towpath is a public route that is free to use. Check the Department for Infrastructure page above for current conditions before you set out.
Best time to visit
- Spring and early summer: wildflowers on the banks and birdlife at its most active.
- Autumn: golden woodland reflected on the water.
- Winter: the best birdwatching, with wintering waterfowl gathering on the Broad Water.
Nearby
- Antrim Castle: the ruins of a 17th-century fortress in landscaped parkland, a short drive north.
- Moira Demesne: a historic estate near Moira.
- Portmore Lough Nature Reserve: an RSPB reserve on the shore of Lough Neagh. Check the RSPB for current access and facilities.
- Lagan Valley Regional Park: joins the towpath network near Union Locks for longer walks and cycling towards Lisburn.
Time it for winter and the Broad Water becomes a birdwatching walk more than anything else, with teal, pochard and goldeneye on the reservoir, best with binoculars.