Overview
Oxford Island is not an island. It sits on the southern shore of Lough Neagh, Ireland’s largest freshwater lake, and it is really a peninsula reaching out into the water, with woodland, meadow, reed bed and open shore across 282 acres (113 hectares). The reserve is managed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, and admission is free. Come for an hour or half a day: there are woodland and shore trails, bird hides, a lakeside discovery centre and a play park for children.
From island to peninsula
It was a true island once. In 1846 the level of Lough Neagh was lowered for the first time and the water pulled back, joining Oxford Island to the mainland. By the 1960s most of it was farmed or grazed, with little wild vegetation left. When the Craigavon new-city plans set the land aside for public recreation, the council began a long restoration: thousands of mixed woodland trees went in, old fields were let revert to species-rich grassland, and the shore was left to develop on its own. It is now part of the Lough Neagh and Lower Bann Special Area of Conservation.
Trails, hides and the shore
Follow the reserve map for public paths and bird hides. Keep dogs on a lead.
In winter the lake fills with wildfowl: whooper and Bewick’s swans, goldeneye, tufted duck, pochard, teal and wigeon, with curlew and lapwing along the shore. Summer brings common terns and sedge and willow warblers. Keep half an eye on the undergrowth for otters and the odd buzzard. Along the water you will pass the old Starting Battery, the traditional start line for the sailing club’s regattas, and a set of metal wave sculptures that catch the light off the lake.
The Discovery Centre and Kinnego Marina
The Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, built in 1993, is the hub of the reserve, with exhibitions on the local wildlife and heritage. It is also home to the Lagan Canal Trust, whose exhibition on the inland waterways is aboard the Enterprize Barge, a restored canal lighter moored outside.
Visit Armagh lists separate opening for the reserve and the Discovery Centre, so check both before you go, along with the current facilities and any café hours. Just along the shore, Kinnego Marina is home to the Lough Neagh Sailing Club, going since 1877.
The play park
The reserve has a play park built around the local wildlife, with conservation-themed equipment alongside swings, slides and a roundabout, plus climbing frames, rope work, stepping stones and tunnels. Check with the Discovery Centre about access for children who use wheelchairs.
Wildlife, flora and the great midge swarm
The council keeps the habitats in shape: some grassland is cut for hay, some grazed by rare Irish Moiled and Dexter cattle to hold back scrub, and invasive Himalayan balsam is pulled to protect natives like bluebell, orchid, yellow rattle and ragged robin. The meadows are good for butterflies, with orange tips, common blues, small coppers and peacocks among them, and around sixty species of moth.
Then there is the midge. Lough Neagh is famous for the chironomid, a small fly that spends most of its life underwater. Around late spring and early summer, billions of them rise in a single mating swarm above the treetops. They are completely harmless, with no mouthparts and a few days’ life, and they feed the lake’s fish, birds and bats. It is a sight if you catch it, and it is also a lot of midges, so pick your evening.
Under the surface, the lough holds pike, perch, pollan, brown and rainbow trout, lamprey and migratory salmon. It is the eels, though, that made Lough Neagh’s name.
Practical information
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening | Reserve and Discovery Centre are listed separately; see Visit Armagh |
| Admission | Free |
| Contact | 028 3832 2205 |
Getting there By car, leave the M1 at Junction 10 and follow signs for Lurgan and then Oxford Island. The address is Annaloist Road, Craigavon, BT66 6NJ. By public transport, take a Translink train to Lurgan or Portadown and check for a local bus to the reserve.
Safety at the shore Follow signs along the shore. Keep children and dogs away from discoloured water or scum, and check the council’s blue-green algae advice.
Access and dogs Check the Discovery Centre about suitable paths and mobility assistance before travelling. Keep dogs on a lead.
When to go Spring and autumn are good for migrating birds; summer suits picnics by the water; winter is quiet and atmospheric for a solo walk. Allow two to three hours for the trails, the hides and a coffee.
If you can, come at dusk in late May or early June for the midge swarm, one of Lough Neagh’s odder natural spectacles.