strangford and quoile a living heritage

Killard Nature Reserve, at the mouth of the lough is celebrated for the assortment and colour of its wildflowers on the maritime grassland bounded by low cliffs, a sandy beach and a rocky headland. The River quoile Pondage Nature Reserve and Information Centre, just downstream from Downpatrick was once a tidal estuary and is now freshwater, with marshes and rowing woodland. It is particularly rich in birds, plants, butterflies and other insect life, and includes pleasant riverside walks. The centre features an exhibition on the history and wildlife of the area, and is lively and informative. Quoile Pondage itself comprises 450 acres of freshwater wetland, created when a barrier was built at Castle Island to alleviate flooding in the Downpatrick area. It is a favoured and well frequented fishing spot, with plentiful supplies of trout, perch and roach. The Steamboat Quay on the Quoile River was built in 1840 to serve as a port to Downpatrick until it was superseded by the arrival and growth of the railway network, which ran into Downpatrick itself.