Days Out NI
Nature & wildlife Portadown

Brackagh Moss National Nature Reserve

Free dragonfly and butterfly walk on an old cut-over bog near Portadown

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OpenOpen all year, daylight hours; best for d…
FreeNo ticket needed
PortadownNature & wildlife
Get directionsOfficial website
5 hoursHow long
FreeEntry
5 and up who ca…Best for
WelcomeDogs
FreeParking

Brackagh Moss National Nature Reserve — Free dragonfly and butterfly walk on an old cut-over bog near Portadown.

  • What you'll see: Dragonflies and the rare Irish damselfly, marsh fritillary and green hairstreak butterflies, herons, robins, sundew, willow and alder woods, fen and bog pools; winter waterfowl.
  • Season: Open all year, daylight hours; best for dragonflies and butterflies in late spring and summer.
  • Dogs: Allowed but must be kept under close control on this wildlife reserve.
  • Parking: Free parking at the lay-bys on Brackagh Moss Road, including one at the main entrance.
  • Food: None on site; head into Portadown.
  • Toilets: None on site.
Plan your visit

A wildlife hunt across an old peat bog

Brackagh is known as one of the top dragonfly sites in the North, so give the kids a job: count the dragonflies and damselflies darting over the dark pools on a warm day. Watch for marsh fritillary and green hairstreak butterflies in early summer, herons stalking the channels, and robins in the willow scrub. Down in the wet bog mosses you can find sundew, a tiny plant that traps and eats insects, which always gets a reaction. Moths, water beetles and pygmy shrews live here too, and in winter ducks drop in. The interpretation panels along the path help you put names to what you find.

Free Free parking Dragonflies and butterflies Open all year Circular wildlife walk Dogs welcome on lead
Good to know before you go:

Brackagh is a quiet, unstaffed nature reserve rather than an events venue, but the seasons do the programming: dragonflies and butterflies peak in summer, and winter brings visiting waterfowl. Local wildlife and moth-recording groups occasionally run survey visits here. For organised family days out and seasonal events across NI, check what's on before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🔭BinocularsHalf the fun is spotting the birds, seals or deer before they spot you.
  • 👟Walking shoes or welliesPaths can be soft, grassy or muddy after rain — comfy waterproof feet win.
  • 🧥A coatOut in the open the weather changes fast; dress for it and enjoy the fresh air.
  • 💧Water and a snackReserves are quiet places — few have a café, so pack a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Opening / season
Open all year, daylight hours; best for dragonflies and butterflies in late spring and summer
Best for ages
5 and up who can handle uneven, muddy paths
What you'll see
Dragonflies and the rare Irish damselfly, marsh fritillary and green hairstreak butterflies, herons, robins, sundew, willow and alder woods, fen and bog pools; winter waterfowl
Food
None on site; head into Portadown
Toilets
None on site
Parking
Free parking at the lay-bys on Brackagh Moss Road, including one at the main entrance
Dogs
Allowed but must be kept under close control on this wildlife reserve
Accessibility
Natural, unsurfaced and often muddy paths with short climbs; not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs. Sturdy footwear needed
How long to allow
About 1 to 1.5 hours for the full loop; less for a shorter wander
Address
Brackagh Moss Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh (just off the A27, about 2 miles south-east of Portadown)
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
What will we see?
Dragonflies and the rare Irish damselfly, marsh fritillary and green hairstreak butterflies, herons, robins, sundew, willow and alder woods, fen and bog pools; winter waterfowl
When is the best time to go?
Open all year, daylight hours; best for dragonflies and butterflies in late spring and summer
Can I bring the dog?
Allowed but must be kept under close control on this wildlife reserve
Where do I park?
Free parking at the lay-bys on Brackagh Moss Road, including one at the main entrance
Getting there

Brackagh Moss National Nature Reserve is at Brackagh Moss Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh (just off the A27, about 2 miles south-east of Portadown). Free parking at the lay-bys on Brackagh Moss Road, including one at the main entrance. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About the place

Brackagh Moss sits on the floodplain of the Upper Bann and started life as a raised bog. More than 300 years of hand turf cutting stripped it back to the old fen layer in places, leaving a patchwork of pools, drainage channels and peat ramparts. That mix of acid bog and lime-rich fen is unusual, and it grows a range of plants and insects you don't find together in many other places.

The reserve is a National Nature Reserve and is also designated as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI). It is managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, part of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

A path system runs north of the road for visitors. The ground south of the road can be hazardous, so access there is only by permission from the site manager (tel. 028 3839 9195).