Holidays in Londonderry, northern Ireland, in self-catering cottages

County Londonderry starts with the rugged Sperrin Mountains in the south, rolling down across farmland to Lough Neagh and Lough Foyle. The natural environment offers opportunities for outdoor activities such as hill walking, cycling, horse riding, angling and golf.

Holidays in Londonderry in self-catering holiday cottages and pine lodges

The Roe Valley County Park features a dramatic river gorge and is home to otters and badgers as well as many species of birds. The park caters for disabled anglers and there is a countryside museum and an audio-visual display. For the adventurous, the park provides an opportunity for rock climbing and canoeing.

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Historical sites are plentiful in the county. Springhill is a 17th century plantation house, which apparently is also home to a resident ghost. The house features an extensive collection of costumes. Folk history can be glimpsed at Hezlett House, a 17th century thatched cottage. In the 17th century, the city of Londonderry was protected by defensive walls. Although these walls have borne the brunt of several sieges, they are still standing and today's visitor can walk along the walls enjoying a unique viewpoint of the city. There is a guided walking tour of the walls. The Tower Museum can also be found here. It features an exhibition which tells the story of Derry through the ages and an exhibition dedicated to the wreck of one of the largest ships in the Spanish Armada.

Finally, one man's passion for history has resulted in the Claragh Heritage Centre. This is a private museum featuring items from all aspects of rural life collected personally by Tom Graham. However, Tom's great joy is to share his collection with visitors and, with prior arrangement, visitors are made very welcome. Tom is a source of information on all exhibits from farm tools to domestic utensils. Features include a working water wheel, a bell tower and a reconstructed early 19th century farm cottage.    

Self-catering holiday cottages and apartments to rent in County Londonderry :