7 through thefishingindustry. area withstronglinkstoPortavogie Maryport inthenorthofEngland,an Its sculptor, ColinTelfer, isfrom whose liveswerelostatsea. It commemoratesthelocalmen Memorial justwithintheharbour. You’ll findtheFishermen’s harbour. other sideoftheroad,opposite The oldCoastguardstationisonthe vessels. fishing boats,aswellsomevisiting pontoons provideberthsforfurther £2 millionrenovation,andthenew harbour hasrecentlyhadafurther plant andfishmarketwerebuilt.The berths deepenedandanice-making it. Theharboursizedoubled,the 1985, whenPrincessAnnereopened and improvedin1955,thenagain completed in1910.Itwasdeepened St Andrew’s,backwhenitwasnewly The busyharbourwasonceknownas Harbour at seaaged19. Memorial, whodied in theFishermen’s commemorated one ofthemen Sandy Orr, Smiddy 9 8 catch uponvillagenews. focus forlocals,andagreatplaceto pumps, theSmiddywasonceareal old forgestillstand.Likethewater as ‘TheSmiddy’,andthehouse on NewHarbourRoadwasknown three blacksmiths,orforges.Theone Back inthe1920s,Portavogiehad play park. behind thebuilding,beside office. Afinepublicwalkwayruns addition, withitscarparkandpost Community Centreisamorerecent road arearound200yearsold.The School. Thecottagesatthetopof the headmasterofoldNational the topofroad,isatributeto roads. ThesignBrandon’sBrae,at It’s nowoneofPortavogie’smain Harbour Roadwasjustacarttrack. Less than100yearsago,New primary school. heritage, asdothemuralsatlocal celebrates thevillage’smaritime beside it,attheharbourentrance, remember himwell.Thewallmural years beforehisdeath,andlocals footballer livedinPortavogiethe the GeorgeBestmural.Thefamous To therightofharbour, you’llsee New Harbour Road Colourful Murals 10 12 11 Fishermen’s Paths Skippers’ Row to workat theharbour. walked from ClougheyandRatallagh Fishermen’s ‘pads’ orpaths.Many you mightspotthe tracesoftheold Approaching theport fromthesouth, still stands. the lighthouseonSouthRock navigation buoyreplacedit,although was decommissionedin2009anda was automatedin1982.Thelightship light vesselreplaceditin1877,which supported itsconstruction.Amanned 2nd MarquisofDownshire,who named inhonourofLordKilwarlin, Lighthouse. Itwasfirstlitin1797,and the rightisKilwarlin,orSouthRock, you’ll spottwomarkers.Theoneon Looking outtoseatowardsCloughey, shaped likeapig’sback! locally asthe‘PigRok’(rock),it’s On theshoreisasmallrockknown tide, butcheckthetidetablesfirst! You canwalktobothislandsatlow and BirdIsle,hometonestingterns. From theshore,youcanseeGreenIsle once blastedtobuildtheharbour. entrances. Thejaggedrocksherewere Special ScientificInterestmarksboth Road. AsignindicatinganAreaof Restaurant, orfromalongCloughey it fromthevillage,behindQuays known astheSouthShore.Approach Portavogie hasasecondlovelybeach, industry. built theseintheheydayoffishing Row’. Skipperswiththrivingbusinesses houses, knownlocallyas‘Skippers’ lined withfine,well-established Cloughey, you’llfindthemainroad Just roundthecorneronroadto & Bird Isle South Shore, Green Isle 14 16 15 13 Cloughey Kirkistown &theBogRoad Kirkistown Castle &Plantation Ratallagh &RingbuoyPoint a goodspottosee wildrabbits. farming haslongsinceended,it’sstill time inPortavogietoo.Althoughrabbit food andfur. Therewasawarren atone animals wereoncefarmedandbredfor its historyasarabbitwarren,where the boardwalk.Thenamerefersto and strollingacrossthedunesalong stopping atClougheyWarrencarpark soon cometoCloughey. It’sworth Heading southfromPortavogie,you the road. sign. Storiespersistthatshehaunts snow closetothebluePortavogie lady isbelievedtohavediedinthe Woman’ attheQueen’sWell.The legend oftheghostly‘WeeWhite The BogRoadishometothelocal airstrip fromtheroad. airfield, andyoucanseetheold Kirkistown RaceTrack wasoncean to visitors. this time.Thecastleiscurrentlyclosed Castle Planting,andalsodatefrom hill nearthecastleareknownas Cloughey. Thetreesatthecrestof is signpostedjustoffthemainroadto was constructedforRolandSavage.It This buildingdatesfromthe1600sand curlews, ducksandgeese. seals andgulls,terns,oystercatchers, you canspotlocalwildlife,including tables andgreatviews.Fromhere The carparkatRatallaghhaspicnic contained herein. The content of this guide is copyright of Ards and North Borough Council and shouldnotbe reusedwithout permission. Council Borough Down North and contained herein.The contentofthis guideiscopyright ofArds accuracy, the Councilcannotacceptresponsibility andassumesno liabilityforanyactionundertaken byanypersonusing theinformation presents theinformation asapublicservice, andwhileeveryefforthas beenmadetoensureits Council Borough Down North and Ards Authority, ArdsandNorthDown BoroughCouncilandNewry, MourneandDownDistrictCouncilaspartof the MaritimeHeritageInitiative. This guidewasproducedin acollaborationbetweenStrangfordLoughandLecale Partnership,NorthernIrelandFisheryHarbour k S BT30 6LZ 53a MarketStreet, The SaintPatrickCentre Downpatrick VisitorInformationCentre k S BT22 1NZ The Stables,CastleStreet Portaferry VisitorInformationCentre (Seasonal officeEaster–endAugust) k S BT23 4AD 31 RegentStreet Ards VisitorInformationCentre Information Centres: or contactanyofthefollowingVisitor www.strangfordlough.org For moreinformationvisit: visitstrangfordlough.co.uk

[email protected] 028 44612233 [email protected] 028 42729882 [email protected] 028 91826846 www.twitter.com/VisitStrangford www.facebook.com/VisitStrangfordLough Downpatrick formats onrequest. available inalternative This documentmaybe Please Note: Bangor Newtownards

Portavogie

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Portavogie Harbour Heritage Trail Portavogie visitstrangfordlough.co.uk 1

Warnocks Rd Portavogie Portavogie Fishing heritage Exploring the heritage trail The Prom (or East Shore) In the early 1900s, Portavogie had a large This heritage trail runs from the northern 2 Heritage Trail fishing fleet. These boats followed the fish end of the village at Stablehole and The A public footpath runs along the Map as far as Kinsale in the south of , Prom, to the South Shore, and beyond to beach at the East Shore, known and to the west coast of Scotland and Ratallagh on the Cloughey Road. locally as The Prom. From here, on Today, Portavogie is the second largest . a clear day, you can see the coast 3 Key fishing port in , after . Two public car parks are useful for Main Rd A2 of Scotland, and the Isle of Man if Portavogie keeps its strong Scots visitors – the Community Centre on New McCammon Rocks The harbour is an important commercial hub you turn south-east. On particularly 4 identity and fishing is still at its core. Harbour Road and the Anchor Car Park on 1 Puddle Dyke, Stablehole of the fishing industry, and the village’s fine days, even the Scottish fields Shellfish is the main catch of local boats, Springfield Road. Both have children’s play The McCammon Rocks lie just out & The Cove name is well-known as the home of the are visible. Notice the dip in the Isle particularly prawns and scallops. The fleet areas and the Anchor has public toilets. to sea from beach here, and you can famous Portavogie prawn. of Man coastline - this is the site of 2 The Prom (or East Shore) currently stands at around 50 boats. walk to them at low tide. Years ago, Peel harbour. fishermen anchored their boats on Springfield Rd 3 The Old Pump Many of these vessels are small, inshore 4 From The Prom looking north the rocks and punted into the shore Portavogie back in time potting boats, targeting crab and lobster 4 McCammon Rocks Puddle Dyke, Stablehole towards , you’ll also with their catch, where horses and around the coast. Others provide work for The village became an important maritime & The Cove spot Ireland’s most easterly point. carts waited to receive them. Keep 5 Anchor Car Park up to five fishermen each. Strong family centre because of its location and the rich 1 This is called , and Burial your eyes open for seals around the connections in Portavogie mean that 6 Palmer’s Boatbuilding supply of superb seafood in local waters. At the northern end of Portavogie, Isle lies near it, not far from the rocks – they’re very common here. many crews have ties that go back for yard & old slipway Stablehole was Portavogie’s original you’ll find a sign for Puddle Dyke, shore. Rumours of ancient treasure Play Park generations. It’s not unusual to see groups Notice also the old fishermen’s 5 & Car Park settlement, and marks the start of this at the junction with Warnocks Road. on Burial Isle have never been 7 Portavogie Harbour of fishermen stretching out their nets cottages along the shore. Many have heritage trail. Scottish settlers arrived in Walk down the narrow Puddle Dyke confirmed. been renovated over the years. Lawson Park along the quay and in the car park for a 8 Colourful Murals the area in the late 16th and early 17th and find Stablehole close to the sea. mending session. centuries. They favoured Portavogie for its Farmers once brought their horses

Main Rd A2 9 New Harbour Road here, collecting seaweed to fertilise sheltered shore where they could beach From port to plate ... The Old Pump Anchor Car Park 10 Skippers’ Row their boats. As well as the influential their fields. The Cove is also visible 3 5 from Stablehole. This horseshoe- Along The Prom, you’ll find the last 11 South Shore, Green Isle Hamiltons and Montgomerys, settling Once the catch is landed at the harbour, Heading along The Prom towards the families included those named Cully, it’s either processed locally by one shaped inlet has a sheltered beach remaining water pump in Portavogie. harbour, you’ll find the Anchor Park. 2 & Bird Isle where fishermen used to beach their Lawson Park Palmer, Orr and Donnan, to mention just a of several Portavogie businesses, or Notice the inscription showing it This car park has plenty of room for New Ct 12 Fishermen’s Paths few. A map of Portavogie drawn for James transported for processing further afield. boats, long before using McCammon was made in nearby Portaferry. The visitors’ vehicles, as well as public Hamilton’s estate in 1625 shows no houses Rocks closer to the present harbour. village pumps were once a real 13 Ratallagh & Ringbuoy Point Fishing supports many different onshore toilets, a fantastic children’s play New Rd or buildings, and simply features eight centre of social life, and locals got jobs, including boat repairs, painters, Further northwards out of the village, park and picnic area. You can access 14 Kirkistown Castle & rabbits! This area still has strong links to all their water from them. Portavogie plant hire and chandlers, which in turn at the foot of Lemons Road, lies a the Anchor Car Park on foot from The Ulster Scots heritage and language. Culture and Heritage Society recently Plantation boosts retailing and business in the small cluster of houses. These are Prom, or via Springfield Road. restored this pump. 15 Kirkistown & the Bog Road village. Boatbuilding is a strong tradition, close to the rock known as Butterlump 6 Stone. Many years ago, another small 16 its strength drawn from decades of local Cloughey expertise. harbour stood here. Stones from it Palmer’s boatbuilding were used to build a sea-defence wall, yard & old slipway Seafood is one of ’s most still visible at the edge of the gardens. 6 highly-prized exports. The celebrated The site of this former yard is beside Princess Anne Rd Portavogie prawn features on many the old slipway, which stretches out restaurant menus, locally and globally. into the water from the shore. This family-run business was once a hub of boatbuilding activity in Portavogie. Villagers also celebrate Eileen Harbour Rd Main Rd A2 Palmer, who set up the Fishermen’s Community Centre Choir, which still thrives today. The

Harbour Rd Harbour founding fishermen in the choir all Portavogie wore black sweaters, knitted by Harbour 7 New Harbour Rd relatives. Poignantly, each garment Please note that this map had a unique pattern, ensuring that 15 9 8 is not to scale and is for the wearer could be identified if they The reference only were lost at sea. Quays 16 14 13 10 12 11