Maghera
Drumnaph Nature Reserve
Nestled on the edge of the Sperrins, the Reserve boasts a rich variety of habitats including ancient woodland, wetland, bog and meadow with the Grillagh River running along its edge. It is a haven for wildlife and you are sure to get a glimpse of something special during your visit.
Situated a 2 minute drive from An Teach Glas.
Maghera
Slí An Chairn – Carntogher Way
Experience this 9.8-km circular trail on the Carntogher Mountain, located up the road from the houses. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
Maghera
Tirnoney Dolmen
One mile north of Maghera stands a prehistoric tomb at least 4,000 – 6,000 years old. Dolmens are tomb structures with standing stones and a horizontal capstone, found in a number of places in Ireland. In it our ancestors would have placed the cremated remains of their dead.
In earlier times a cairn of small stones would have covered it, at least partially. Dolmen means “stone table”. These are known as portal tombs because of the two large uprights upon which the capstone rests at its highest end which forms the entrance to the tomb.
In the field to the south there is rumoured to be a souterrain or artificial cave. Normally associated with ringforts, these caves were constructed as a refuge in times of danger sometime between the 5th and 12th Centuries.
Tirkane Sweathouse
This unusual dry-stone structure was used to cure fevers and pains up to the end of the 20th Century. It was probably constructed in the 16th-17th Century and many similar sites around the country were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. In Germany, these sites are known as Irish baths and this suggests that Irish Missionaries who travelled to Europe in the Dark Ages introduced sweathouses to that country.
A fire of turf or wood was lit inside the structure and the entrance was closed so that the heat built up and the stones became very hot. Then rushes were spread on the hot floor and water thrown on the stones to produce steam. The patient then sat in the sweathouse for as long as possible before emerging to bathe in a nearby small stream. It is only one of five such monuments in the country, situated only a 2 minute drive from the accommodation.
Knockoneill Court Tomb
A megalithic tomb, dating to the Neolithic or New Stone Age (2000-3000 BC), is found in Knockoneill. It is known locally as the ‘Giant’s Grave.’
Situated a 5 minute drive from An Teach Glas.
Maghera
St Lurach’s church
The present day ruins of St. Lurach’s Church date back to the 10th Century and it stands on the 6th Century monastery founded by St. Lurach, the Patron Saint of Maghera. Contained within the ruins is a sculpture of the crucifixion, which is thought to date from the 10th Century, making it one of the oldest in Ireland. The details of the sculpture can still be seen today. Located 5 minute drive from houses.
