Limavady - market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, in the scenic Roe Valley. Limavady is nowadays part of Causeway Coast and Glens District, and in 2011 had a population of 12,032. "Limavady" is from Léim a' Mhadaidh - "leap of the dog". In legend the dog leapt from a bluff across the Roe Valley to warn of attack, or summon help, or simply to leg it.

Understand

• "very Irish, for though it has been planted for more than two centuries by English and Scottish settlers, the old Irish race still forms the great majority of its peasant inhabitants; and there are few, if any counties in which, with less foreign admixture, the ancient melodies of the country have been so extensively preserved." - Publisher's introduction of 1855

Jane Ross (1810-1879) lived with her sisters at 51 Main St Limavady, and early one morning in 1853 she heard an unusual violin tune played outside her window. She was a keen collector of Irish folk music; she never got the name of the player or of the tune, but it joined a batch published by George Petrie. Known as the "Londonderry Air", it was originally without words. It was unlike other Irish folk tunes, and other collectors were unaware of it. It's nowadays believed to stem from the 18th-century Aisling an Óigfhir or "The Young Man's Dream", but played so slowly and mournfully as to cause Ross to mistake the time signature.

The first set of words to the tune appeared in the 1870s, and something like 50 versions have been published, mostly so sad and mawkish that you would either fall about laughing or throw up. There really ought to be a mash-up version (yes, that scans for its first line), to set His love among the sons of men, and lie and faint within your silken bosom, the pilgrim told not how or when . . . But in 1913 Frederic Edward Weatherly set the words that have become the unofficial national anthem of Northern Ireland and its diaspora. They're every bit as mawkish, and you can laugh or upchuck if you will - lots of late-night carousers do so - but if there is a single molecule of Ulster in your being, then you will nevertheless sing like you mean it. It's called "Danny Boy".

Get in

City of Derry Airport 📍 (IATA: LDY) is at Eglinton 10 miles west on A2, with flights from the UK and in summer from the Med. You've more choice flying into one of the Belfast airports.

One commuter bus 246 runs in the morning M-F from Eglinton (for airport), Ballykelly and Limavady via Dungiven to Belfast Europa station, and returns around 17:00. The rest of M-Sa it only plies between Limavady and Dungiven every hour or two.

Ulsterbus 143 / 144 / 152 runs from Londonderry via Eglinton and Ballykelly, taking 70 min to Limavady. It's hourly M-Sa but with only four on Sunday.

Bus 134 / 234 runs M-Sa every 2-3 hours from Ulster University and Coleraine along the coast road A2 to Castlerock, Magilligan crossroads, Bellarena, Aghanloo Cross and Limavady, taking just under an hour. The 234 Goldline Express continues to Ballykelly, Eglinton and Londonderry.

Limavady Buscentre 📍 is east end of Main St.

The railway runs right next to Limavady and the airport and serves neither. Trains run hourly from Belfast to Londonderry with a halt at Bellarena 📍 five miles north, where you'll need to have a taxi arranged as Bus 134 (above) is infrequent. Otherwise stay on the train to Londonderry then take the bus out. (No point changing at Coleraine, it's the same bus as at Bellarena.) Actually the train did stop once at Limavady in 2021 but that was because someone dumped a burning car on the tracks. It wasn't believed to be a protest about Ulster's poor commitment to sustainable transport so no arrests ensued.

By road from Belfast follow M2 / A6 to Dungiven then B68 north.

Lough Foyle Ferry sails in summer from Greencastle in County Donegal to Magilligan Point 📍. It sails Jun-Aug, shuttling continuously from 09:00 to 20:00, a 10 min crossing. It carries light vehicles; there are buses to Greencastle but no onward public transport from Magilligan Point. In 2021 one-way fares are €16 for a car and passengers, €2.50 for a foot passenger or motorbike. Make sure your personal and car documents are valid for the Republic of Ireland.

Get around

You need your own wheels to explore the area.

The main taxi operator in Limavady is Bells +44 28 7776 3929.

See

• Roe Valley Country Park is a 3-mile stretch where the River Roe channels through a scenic wooded gorge. The visitor centre-cum-museum remains closed in 2021. The area is used for fishing, kayaking, river-bathing and abseiling.
• Binevenagh rises abruptly northeast of the village. It's the western bastion of the Antrim plateau, formed of basalt from lava upwelling 60 million years ago. You can drive most of the way up, for example by Bishop's Road branching off B201 the old Coleraine Rd. It's designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and has great views from the cliffs towards Lough Foyle and County Donegal. Gliders, hang-gliders and para-gliders launch from the edges. Near the top (385 m / 1263 ft) is a shallow lake for fishing.
• Magilligan Point, 55.1909°, -6.9648°. Magilligan Point is one of the best places to visit on the north coast. A stone's throw from Donegal and views along the causeway coast. This is the end of the beach and dune system that stretches miles to Castlerock. There is a Martello Tower in the sandhills, a pub, and a ferry you can take to Greencastle just for the ride. You can't venture inland as it's an army firing range, which surrounds a prison, perhaps a subtle hint to the inmates. 2021-11-09
• Benone Strand stretches for 7 miles from Magilligan Point to Downhill cliffs above Castlerock, with views across to Donegal. The easiest access is midway, by the tourist complex and caravan sites off A2. There's another access at its east end towards the cliffs, but in between it's cut off by the railway. Beware that vehicles are permitted on the beach, and some of them rev around with no regard for the children.
• Mussenden Temple 📍: see Castlerock for this oddity perched on the cliff edge at the east end of Benone Strand.
• Dungiven Castle 📍 has variously been a dance-hall, army base, school and hotel, but is closed in 2021.

Do

• Roe Valley Arts (M-Sa 09:30-1700) on Main St put on music and exhibitions. They previously organised Roe Valley Folk Festival but it's not known if this will resume in 2022.
• Roe Valley Leisure Centre on Greystone Rd has a gym and pool.
• Golf: the course is within Roe Valley Resort, see Sleep.
• Benone Tourist Complex by the beach has a 9 hole golf course, putting green, driving range, tennis courts and an outdoor kids activities area.
• Danny Boy Jazz & Blues Festival is in June. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, and dates for 2022 are tba.
• Stendhal Festival is a pop music and comedy event in August. The next is probably 11-13 Aug 2022 but tbc.

Buy

• Tesco on Main St is the principal store, open M-Sa 08:00-00:00, Su 13:00-18:00.
• SuperValu on Market Street is open 08:00-21:00, Su 13:00-18:00.
• Lidl is on Main St is small; it's open 08:00-21:00, Su 13:00-18:00.
• There's an ATM at the Bank of Ireland on Main St.
• Dungiven has a Supervalu on the main road open M-Sa 08:00-22:00, Su 13:00-18:00.

Eat

• By the Buscentre are Junction Bar & Grill, McNulty's Fish & Chips, Frank Owens bar (see below), Kebab King and Scotty's Cafe.
• Classic Wine Bar, 48 Main St BT49 0EU, +44 28 7776 7707. W-F Su 11:00-22:00, Sa 11:00-01:00. Relaxed place with European cuisine. 2021-08-23
• Lime Tree, 60 Catherine St BT49 9DB, +44 28 7776 4300. W-Sa 17:00-23:00, Su 13:00-16:00. This Mediterranean restaurant gets good reviews for food, service and ambiance. 2021-08-23
• Moonlight is an Indian / Italian restaurant at 50A Catherine St, open W-M 16:30-22:30.

Drink

• The Corner Bar, 41 Main St. Good town centre choice. 2021-08-23
• Frank Owens, 50 Main St (next to Buscentre). M-Sa 11:30-00:00. Trad bar with beer garden and outdoor marquee in summer. 2021-08-23
• Distilleries: you'll have to join the tourist hordes at Bushmills, Limavady's distillery closed in 1915.

Sleep

• Alexander Arms, 34 Main St BT49 0EU, +44 28 7776 3443. Small hotel next to bus station. In 2021 the restaurant is open but their accommodation remains closed. 2021-08-23
• Keady View Farm, 47 Sea Coast Rd BT49 9DW (north river bank), 55.060°, -6.955°, +44 28 7776 4518. B&B in modern farm bungalow just north of town. 2021-08-23
• Roe Park Resort, 10 Lisnakilly Road BT49 9FB, 55.039°, -6.955°, +44 28 7772 2222. 118-room upmarket hotel with golf, dining and spa, great for comfort and service. Some decor could do with a refurb. B&B double £180 2021-08-23
• Drummond Hotel, 2 Main St, Ballykelly BT49 9HP (on A2 two miles west of Limavady), 55.044°, -7.011°, +44 28 7772 2121. Comfy small hotel on main road. B&B double £90 2021-08-23
• Kintala Resort, Drumrane Rd, Dungiven BT47 4PH (6 miles south of Limavady), 54.931°, -6.935°, +44 28 7721 7104. Plush spa, with cabins, glamping pods and apartments. B&B double £130 2021-08-23
• Deighan's Caravans are at Benone Beach and open April-Sept. Many units are static but tourers are welcome.

Connect

Limavady has 4G from all UK carriers; you might also get a signal from the Irish carriers. As of Aug 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• Castlerock has the odd Mussenden Temple.
• Derry is a fascinating walled city.
• Coleraine is by the university. Travel that way for Giant's Causeway and other sights along the Antrim coast.