Coleraine

Many thanks to The Honourable The Irish Society (Book Fishing) for facilitating this camera's location and capitally funding its installation. The Lower Bann River originates from Lough Neagh in Toome and flows all the way to Portstewart, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Spanning a length of 38 miles, this waterway has been canalized and features five navigation locks at Toome, Portna, Movanagher, Carnroe, and Castleroe. The Lower Bann River is a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts, anglers, and cruisers, with minimal commercial traffic. It serves as a significant boundary between County Antrim and County Londonderry.At a location known as the Cutts, the Lower Bann River cascades into the estuary's brackish water over a rock sill, which is home to the renowned Bann fish traps. The Farson Digital webcam is installed here to monitor the river levels at the Cutts. The water level in the Lower Bann is regulated by the Rivers Agency through gates located at Portna (near Kilrea) and The Cutts in Coleraine. One of these gates is visible on the left side of our image. The lower River Bann, along with smaller rivers like the Roe, Agivey, and River Bush, offers excellent opportunities for catching highly prized Atlantic salmon.The poetical illustration "The Coleraine Salmon Leap" by Letitia Elizabeth Landon, featured in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrapbook in 1836, depicts the abundance of salmon in the river during that era and the recreational sport it provided. It accompanies an engraving of a painting of the salmon leap by Thomas Mann Baynes.Coleraine, situated near the renowned Causeway Coast tourist route, attracts over 2 million visitors annually. The area is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant's Causeway, which can be reached by a 25-minute bus ride. Buses from the town also serve the distillery village of Bushmills, and during the summer, a narrow-gauge steam train operates between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway. North of Coleraine lies the picturesque coastal town of Portstewart, featuring a sandy beach and scenic coastal walks. Portrush is another part of the Borough.In the northwest of Coleraine, you'll find the charming village of Castlerock, where the beach seamlessly connects with Portstewart's beach, separated only by the mouth of the River Bann. Nearby, you can explore the beautiful Benone Strand beach and visit Mussenden Temple, an 18th-century Anglican bishop's creation, perched on a cliff overlooking County Donegal and Scotland. The bishop's residence, Downhill House, which is managed by the National Trust, fell into disrepair after the Second World War.