The River Bann flows from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, via Lough Neagh. It is the longest river in Northern Ireland at 80 miles long.
There are many important species associated with the river including otter, bat species, Atlantic salmon, brown trout, eel and sea lamprey. Rivers also provide valuable wildlife corridors for species to move from one area to the next.
Otters live on the banks of rivers, lakes and the coast feeding on fish, shellfish, smaller mammals, and birds. In the UK, otter conservation efforts have focused on improvements in river habitat and water quality, and the declining trend now appears to be reversing.
The sea lamprey is a jawless, eel-like fish, which is a parasite of fish and marine mammals during part of its life cycle. In Northern Ireland the species is restricted to the Lower Bann and Foyle systems. Little is still known of this species, but it has under gone dramatic declines in some areas in Europe.
There are many places you can enjoy the delight of the River Bann from its mouth at Castlerock and Portstewart Stand down through Christy Park and Riverside Park in Coleraine, heading out along the road to Kilrea to Camus or on to Drumaheglis Caravan Park and Marina.
