Silent Valley wins Top Trail in Co Down at Walk NI Awards
01 March 2024 9:13
Silent Valley has been revealed as the Top Trail in County Down by the Walk NI Awards 2023.
Ringed by mountains, Silent Valley is located within the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its site includes beautiful parkland, lakes and a pond and a number of walking trails for all abilities. It attracts around 50,000 visitors every year, most of whom come to enjoy the peace and solitude of its unique mountain landscapes and the varied wildlife.
Owned by NI Water, Silent Valley is one Northern Ireland’s most visited tourist sites.
NI Water Area Manager Gary Presho said: “We are really proud that Silent Valley has been voted as the winner of the Top Trail in County Down by the Walk NI Awards 2023. It offers a number of walking trails for all abilities, making it an enjoyable place to visit in the midst of unique and delightful countryside that is also a haven for wildlife.
“NI Water provides a number of visitor facilities at the site including an information centre, conference centre and education centre – all housed in two historic bungalows that overlook the parkland’s wonderful views. A beautiful traditional tea room is also open daily throughout the year, exactly what you need after a walk through this beautiful part of the country.
“Silent Valley is a stunning site open for visitors to explore and enjoy, while also operating as a key strategic reservoir providing drinking water for a large part of County Down and the Greater Belfast area. It has celebrated some momentous anniversaries recently – 100 years of the Mourne Wall last year and recently 100 years since the cutting of the first sod which was the beginning of the reservoir we depend upon today. These anniversaries serve as a reminder of the age of the site as well as a time to reflect on NI Water’s continuing its good work to not only provide safe drinking water for the population it serves but also as a shared space for all to enjoy for the next 100 years.”
To find out more about the Walk NI 2023 award winners, including Silent Valley’s award win for Top Trail in County Down, visit www.walkni.com/blog/the-best-walks-in-northern-ireland-2023/
Ends
Media enquiries to the NI Water Press Office via email to press.office@niwater.com