Saturday 5 June 2004
Dr Mark Cooper (GSNI)
Meet 10.30am, Slieve Croob car park, Dree Hill, Dromara (NGR J300452).
DIRECTIONS
FROM BELFAST OR NORTH. Drive from Belfast to Ballynahinch via Newtownbreda and Carryduff. Follow the one-way system into Ballynahinch. Turn left at the traffic lights in the main street (sign Newcastle, Dromara etc). Turn right almost immediately at the mini-roundabout. This is the Dromara road. It's a straight run of 6 miles from here to Dromara apart from a left at a T junction on the outskirts of the village which is clearly signed. Continue straight through Dromara, past the police station. This is the Rathfriland road (Note - this road has many bad bends and sudden narrowings). At about 1½ miles from Dromara, just after a phone box and just before a conspicuous church, turn left onto Dree Hill (road clearly named). The car park is 2 miles up Dree Hill, almost at the summit of the road on the left. Total time about 40 min from Newtownbreda, but note that there are roadworks south of Carryduff and there may be some short delays there.
FROM BANGOR ETC. Drive via Newtownards, Comber, Ballygowan, Saintfield to Ballynahinch - similar to the above from then on.
FROM SOUTH OR WEST. A possibility would be to get to Dromore (just off the main A1) and follow signs for Dromara. You could also go across country from Banbridge and approach Slieve Croob from the west but a good map would be needed as this area is a maze of minor roads.