Belfast Lough is a natural inlet of the North Channel that connects the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. Flanked by hills on its northern and southern shores, the sheltered waters of Belfast Lough are ideal for shipping, conditions which helped Belfast to thrive as a port in the 1600s. The later dredging of the Dargan Channel in 1830s allowed larger ships to enter the port and also facilitated the development of Belfast’s shipbuilding industry.
The shoreline of Belfast Lough is home to a wide range of wildlife. Its mudflats are rich in oysters, cockles, snails and worms, which support internationally important populations of waders and wildfowl, including Brent geese and Redshank. A stroll along the pathways at Jordanstown Loughshore Park will let you enjoy the wildlife and scenery of Belfast Lough.
Facts & Figures:
Surface Area of Lough: 130 km2
Maximum Depth: 22 m
Volume: 1,548 km3
Length: 20 km
Width: 4.8 - 8 km