GREATROADS:The Bishop's Road in the Northern tip of Ulster
FOR OUR second journey this year we've headed almost to the northern tip of Ulster and travelled the road from just outside Limavady to the pretty seaside hamlet of Downhill, close to Castlerock on the northern coast.
We left Limavady on the B201 road to Coleraine, turning off at the signpost for Downhill about 4km from the town. Having turned off the B201 the road travels through a rural landscape for 2-3km before rising quickly on to the plateau which we plan to traverse.
The road surface - as throughout this route - is very good and reminds one once again of the excellent pothole-free minor roads that criss-cross Ulster in sharp contrast to the poor condition of the majority of the Republic's equivalent roads.
As the road heads between Binevenagh and Ballyhanna Forests the view to the west across Lough Foyle to the Inishowen peninsula is spectacular, while Magilligan Strand stretches roughly from north to south for a considerable distance.
Magilligan Strand is steeped in transport history and was the scene of some of the early flights of the first man to fly in Ireland, Harry Ferguson.
In the early days of motoring it was also the scene of speed trials as part of the Irish Automobile Club Reliability Trials which were such important events in the proving of early cars. About 4.5km along the road there is a turn-off to the northwest and from it a forest road leads down to parking areas beside Binevenagh Lake from where there are once again spectacular views across Lough Foyle.
Close by, Binevenagh Mountain rises to 373 metres. Binevenagh, incidentally, means "terrifying promontory".
Back on the road across the plateau we pass Windy Hill shortly after which the road changes direction and begins to head northeast.
From here the view across to Inishowen Head dominates before the road begins to descend to the tiny hamlet of Downhill with its painted row of houses on the coast.
The last part of the road descends sharply to join the coastal A2 route.
Just up the road stands the ruins of Downhill Castle, built in the 18th century for Frederick Harvey, fourth Earl of Bristol, who became Bishop of Derry in 1768 and who, because of his two titles, was known as the Earl Bishop. And he it was who caused the road we have just traversed to be built as well.
Today, the castle is in ruins, having been burnt down in 1851, but another of his creations, the splendid Mussenden Temple, survives in its cliff-top setting, having been built in 1785 as a summer library by the Earl Bishop. It is in fact a copy of the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli, having been admired by the Earl Bishop during his many travels.
Its pillared and domed rotunda bears an inscription written by Lucretius and translated by Dryden.
'Tis pleasant safely to behold from shore,
The rolling ship and hear the tempest roar.
The Earl Bishop was also responsible for the nearby beautiful Downhill Forest, where he caused many rare trees to be planted amongst its many waterfalls and prehistoric mound, Dungannon Hill.
This is an unexpectedly spectacular and interesting drive in a corner of Ulster which we have not explored in our previous drives. Take a drive up there so you don't miss it.