Skip to main content
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • The Murrins Nature Reserve

    Topics:
    • Land and Landscapes, 
    • Biodiversity, 
    • Nature Reserves

    Nature reserves are chosen from among the very best examples of our wildlife, habitats and geology. They contain a wide range of species, communities and geology and their designation is a public recognition by Government of their importance.

    Location

    The Murrins Nature Reserve is situated in the beautiful foothills of the Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone, south of the A505 between Omagh and Cookstown.

    Description

    The Murrins Nature Reserve was formed from a retreating ice sheet dammed into a lake into which rivers brought vast quantities of sediment. The sediment was then deposited in a series of deltas. This is one of the main reasons why the site has generated a lot of geo-morphological and ecological interest.

    Today, this dry raised fan of material supports rich heath vegetation dominated by bell heather which is home to the red grouse. Its dry ridges extend out like a delta into a sea of blanket bog, itself only some 4000 years old.

    Turf-cutters here have unearthed the remains of a bronze-age field network under the bog, established at a time when the climate was different and the growing qualities of soil quickly became exhausted.

    Perched among the glacial moraines (rocky debris or till carried along and deposited by a glacier) are several small lakes called kettle-holes, formed from melted blocks of ice abandoned by the retreating ice-sheet. They are the haunt of mallard, teal and the occasional nesting feral grey-lag goose.

    Around some of the lakes, green and blue damselflies dart amongst the swampy vegetation which includes the rare broad-leaved mud sedge. This is a place of open views, expansive bogland and the ever-present whistling wind which makes this a fitting place for hunting falcons.

    Further information

    Visitors are asked to contact the Site manager to arrange access on Tel. 02866344803

    Related content

    • Altikeeragh Nature Reserve
    • Annagariff Nature Reserve
    • Ballymaclary Nature Reserve
    • Ballynahone Nature Reserve
    • Ballyquintin National Nature Reserve
    • Banagher Glen Nature Reserve
    • Belshaw's Quarry
    • Binevenagh Nature Reserve
    • Bohill Nature Reserve
    • Boorin Nature Reserve
    • Brackagh Nature Reserve
    • Breen Oakwood
    • Brookend Nature Reserve
    • Castle Archdale Islands Nature Reserve
    • Cloghy Rocks Nature Reserve
    • Correl Glen Nature Reserve
    • Giant's Causeway National Nature Reserve
    • Glenariff Nature Reserve
    • Granagh Bay Nature Reserve
    • Hanging Rock and Rossaa Forest Nature Reserve
    • Hollymount Forest National Nature Reserve
    • Killard Nature Reserve
    • Killeter Nature Reserve
    • Killykeeghan and Crossmurrin Nature Reserve
    • Lough Beg National Nature Reserve
    • Lough Naman Bog Nature Reserve
    • Lough Neagh Islands Nature Reserve
    • Magilligan Point Nature Reserve
    • Marlbank Nature Reserve
    • Meenadoan Nature Reserve
    • Mullenakill Nature Reserve
    • Murlough National Nature Reserve
    • North Strangford Lough National Nature Reserve
    • Oxford Island National Nature Reserve
    • Portrush Nature Reserve
    • Quoile Pondage Nature Reserve
    • Randalstown Forest Nature Reserve
    • Rathlin Kebble Nature Reserve
    • Rea's Wood Nature Reserve
    • Reilly and Gole Woods Nature Reserve
    • Roe Estuary Nature Reserve
    • Ross Lough Nature Reserve
    • Rostrevor Oakwood Nature Reserve
    • Slieveanorra Nature Reserve
    • Straidkilly Nature Reserve
    • The Dorn Nature Reserve
    • Turmennan Fen Nature Reserve
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens