Thursday September 1st

We decided to have an easy day today and headed west from Coleraine in search of the Mussenden Temple. It was not hard to find.

 

This was a wonderful site but required lots of walking. The Mussenden Temple was in very good shape. It was built to be a library. The windows look North, East & West and the door looks South. When it was originally built you could take a carriage ride around it however the land has been eroded away by the North Atlantic. The Dove Cove was also in great shape. Dove down was used in pillows and mattresses. The doves were also eaten in the winter when meat was scarce. Inside there were many nooks for the doves to perch or nest.

 

It is too bad that the house was left to ruin in 1944. There are pictures of the house in the 1920's. The interior was beautiful. Now there is excavation being done on the living section of the old part of the house. The gardens have been recovered. One of the lions on top of the Lion's Gate has been fixed while to other one had to

be totally redone. This must have been an impressive residence in its hay day.

 

After lunch on site we went to see the Hezlett House. It is a Thatched Roof Cottage built in 1691. It was originally built as a rectory. It was bought by the Hezlett family in 1776 and remained in the family for 200 years. It was a six bedroom cottage. Issac Hezlett added an extension for his widowed Mother. It was a unique cottage as it has a cruck frame. The frame was built first them the walls were filled in. It is like an upside down boat.

 

We continued west to Magilligan Point. There is a gunnery range there as well a prison. At the Point there is a ferry to Donegal across Lough Foyle. We walked up to see the tower then came back along the beach. This is an 8 km beach running from Downhill to the Point.

 

On the way back we found a scenic route across the Binevnagh Mountain. The road is called the Bishop's Road as it was the favourite way for the Bishop to travel from Downhill House to Derry. There was a look out at an elevation of 853ft. We could see all the way to Magilligan Point and to Derry. Soon we were back. Our last day in this area.