Adventure More – Mid Ulster

With things looking a little brighter around the corner, it’s time to start looking forward. With many occasions, birthdays, meet ups and days trips missed in 2020, now we can all start to resume our lives again and make new memories and celebrate important occasions together. It might take a little while longer, but it’s coming and we CANNOT WAIT!

With this renewed sense of optimism, we at The Jungle are spearheading a new campaign to boost our local hometown and the surrounding areas. Our aim is to attract more people to the Mid Ulster district to enjoy everything it has to offer and help establish the area as a hub of adventure in the beating heart of Northern Ireland. If anything the past year has taught us, it is just how crucial the outdoor environment, socialising and physical activity is for our physical and mental wellbeing. It’s only when they get taken away that we realise just how critical these aspects of our lives really are. 

Therefore, it’s time to get back to basics and make new plans to enjoy those essential aspects of our lives which provide us with greater meaning, purpose and enjoyment. 

We feel there has never been a better time to ADVENTURE MORE.

Being conveniently located slap bang in the middle of the country, we are in a great position to offer some awesome retreats, filled with hair raising excitement, wholesome natural beauty and a relaxed and tranquil environment to unwind in and make your home, if only for a little while.

Covering areas within a 10 mile radius of Moneymore, such as Magherafelt, Cookstown, Maghera, Draperstown, Davagh and more, we hope to unearth some hidden gems to show you what’s you can discover in the middle of NI.

Summer is only around the corner and with international travel seemingly not an option for everyone, this year we can make it the year of STAYCATIONS. Spring and Summer doesn’t have to be a write off! It doesn’t really have to be much to outdo last year, however we’ve all had enough of looking back, let’s look forward and take advantage of all that we have at our fingertips. What better place to plan a family holiday, stag or hen do, group outing, birthday bash or day out than in the middle of our wee country.

These 4 things are exactly why you should make Mid Ulster your destination of choice. Boasting the rolling Sperrin mountains, more green than a St Paddy’s Day festival, a friendly bunch of down to earth locals, an array of cafes and restaurants all energised, diversified, refocused and ready to share with you their goods. Add to that some quirky and alternative overnight accommodation options, as well as numerous adventure stop offs and you have yourself the ultimate holiday in the beating heart of Northern Ireland. Come and steep yourself in the local culture and revel at the natural beauty that is on offer.

No early morning flights, airport queues, airplane food, jet lag or flight delays.

Instead, have a lay in, a hearty Irish breakfast, a walk in the forest, late night star gazing or random excursions.

PLAY AT HOME. SAVE YOUR SUMMER.

With adventure running through the veins of Mid Ulster, check out some of the best we have to offer:

With over 15 years of experience delivering exciting escapes and adrenaline spiking adventure, The Jungle nests on a beautiful rural farmland, with acres of open space, surrounded by untouched forest woodland and rivers, ponds and more nature than you can shake a big stick at. It makes the perfect overnight getaway, with Glamping Pods, luxury A Frame and Log Cabins offering a comfortable and different kind of overnight stay, nestled in the great outdoors. You can even bring your tent or caravan and pitch up for the night in the campsite, with electrical hook ups, kitchen and bathroom facilities on your doorstep.

With your accommodation sorted you are free to take part in a range of exciting and thrilling outdoor activities. Picture swinging your way around the custom built, daring Tree Top Adventure Course, battling it out with mates in the Paintball Zones, taking a leisurely stroll around the forest with a gentle and entertaining llama by your side, racking up points in the Archery range, or letting the kids, big and small, try a little bit of everything at one of the action packed Family Fun Days. With hearty food options available, lots more activities and even a brand new kids play park, it’s the ideal base to kick off your STAYCATION. 

This expansive hidden lagoon in the outskirts of Moneymore was recently reimagined and converted into nature’s ultimate playground, on water! With a mammoth inflatable Aquapark sitting proudly on the natural spring fed water of this huge lake, Mid Ulster now has it’s very own WaterPark. 

Fill your afternoon bouncing, sliding, jumping and navigating around the top of the range, custom built inflatable AquaPark loaded with a range of exciting obstacles and take a plunge into the deep refreshing water below. Get to grips on the obstacle course and make your way through, over and down the obstacles, such as slides, action towers, bridges, domes, hurdles, monkey bars and swings. If this doesn’t deserve a spot on your summer day trip list, you’re doing it wrong! 

Adventure JUST GOT WETTER!

VISIT: www.splashni.com

Sitting just off the A29 leaving Moneymore, this high octane Karting facility boasts the fastest karts in Ireland. You can don your helmet and overalls, rev your engine and take them off for a spin around the sweeps and bends of the top of the range racing track, touted as one of the best in the country. Take part in a momentous Grand Prix with your mates, or for the ultimate stag or hen do competition, or even get a taste in a shorter session with friends or family. 

VISIT: railwaykarting.com

Mountains, trees, lakes, rivers, hills, valleys and everything in between. Northern Ireland is world famous for it’s lush green isles and Mid Ulster contains some of the very best! The giants of the Sperrin Mountain range overlook the region and provide a stunning landscape to fill your soul with awe and appreciation of the many forms of Mother Nature.

With numerous walking trails, walled gardens and forests located in Mid Ulster, it’s the perfect place for a slice of tranquility and embarking on some country rambles.

AREAS OF INTEREST

• Springhill House – Monyemore – deemed one of the ‘prettiest houses in Ulster’, Lissan House offers a look back in time to as far as the late 1600’s, with family portraits, constumes, furniture and decorative arts. Stop in at the second hand bookshop for a bargain and let the kids blow off some steam in the play park and see the beautiful walled gardens.
• Drum Manor Forest Park – Cookstown – open all year round, this idyllic park includes three different walking trails, arboretum, ponds, mixed woodlands, toilet facilities, children’s play park and Japanese and Butterfly Gardens which are unique to Mid Ulster. Famed for it’s scenic walking trails, it is well worth a trip to see all it’s stunning natural scenes.
• Buchanan’s Garden – Magherafelt – visits by appointment only so you’ll need to book ahead to come and witness the wonderful range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that were displayed on the BBC’s ‘Secret Garden’ series.
• Beaghmore Stone Circles – Cookstown – lay your eyes on some ancient history, by taking an excursions to Beaghmore, where there sits a complex of early Bronze Age megalithic features, stone circles and cairns, discovered during peat cutting in the 1940s – the site at Beaghmore consists of 7 stone circles.
• OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory – Davagh – archeology meets astronomy is this new facility, purposely built to offer an unimpeded view of the stars and constellations above us. 

Check out some of our recommended restaurants, cafes, bakeries and other tasty little eateries feeding the bellies of the local residents:

Restaurants:

• District 45
• Church Street
• Slim’s Healthy Kitchen
• TIME Bar and Grill
• Villa Vinci
• Seed
• Walsh’s Hotel

Cafes and Bakeries:

• Dittys (Magherafelt)
• Vintage Tea Rooms (Moneymore)
• Nosh Cafe (Magherafelt)

The above is just a taste of what’s on offer in Mid Ulster and a sample of what we will be uncovered by the Adventure More campaign. There is a brand new Adventure More website COMING SOON, where you will be able to browse all the best hotspots to make your next trip to Mid Ulster an awesome one!

If anyone has any hidden gems or noteworthy mentions that you feel need to be shared, get in touch at the Adventure More Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/AdventureMoreNI