Days Out NI
Castle & ruin Limavady

Limavady Motte

A steep grassy motte above the Roe gorge, free to reach inside a country park.

3 photos
OpenPark car parks and toilets open daily, ro…
FreeNo ticket needed
LimavadyCastle & ruin
Get directionsOfficial website
20-30 minutesHow long
FreeEntry
View outsideAccess
FreeParking
WelcomeDogs

Limavady Motte — A steep grassy motte above the Roe gorge, free to reach inside a country park.

  • Getting in: Free. Open access on foot within Roe Valley Country Park, no ticket needed.
  • Opening: Park car parks and toilets open daily, roughly 8am-4pm in winter and up to 9am-9pm in high summer (Apr-Aug). Café usually 10am-5pm. Times subject to review, so check before you go.
  • Inside: No building to enter. The motte is a grassy earthwork; very little of the castle survives above ground.
  • Dogs: Dogs welcome, kept under control and cleaned up after.
  • Parking: Free parking at four points: main car park (Dogleap Road), O'Cahan's (Roemill Road), Carrick Mills (Ballyquin Road) and Carrick Rocks (Drumrane Road).
  • Food: Café at the visitor centre, plus AL's Coffee beside the main Dogleap Road car park. Picnic spots throughout the park.
Plan your visit

Climb the mound that named the town

The motte is a steep grassy earthwork on a bluff above the River Roe, occupying the same defensive position used by the O'Cahan lords. Very little of the later castle survives, so the appeal is the climb and the commanding view it gives over the gorge below. A Thomas Raven map of 1622 shows a tower-house here that Sir Thomas Phillips later adapted with an artillery fort, with a three-part walled garden behind it. Stand on top and you can read why it was built where it was.

Free Open access Climb the motte Roe gorge views Inside a country park Dog-friendly
Good to know before you go:

Roe Valley Country Park runs seasonal walks, ranger activities and heritage events through the year, especially in summer. Check the park's listings before you travel for anything on during your visit.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 👟Sturdy shoesRuins mean uneven ground, worn steps and the odd spiral stair.
  • 🧥A coatMost of it is open to the sky, so dress for the day and enjoy the fresh air.
  • 📷A cameraThe old stonework and the views are the whole point — you will want photos.
  • 💧Water and a snackFew ruins have a café right on site, so bring a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
Free. Open access on foot within Roe Valley Country Park, no ticket needed.
Opening
Park car parks and toilets open daily, roughly 8am-4pm in winter and up to 9am-9pm in high summer (Apr-Aug). Café usually 10am-5pm. Times subject to review, so check before you go.
Can you go inside
No building to enter. The motte is a grassy earthwork; very little of the castle survives above ground.
Food
Café at the visitor centre, plus AL's Coffee beside the main Dogleap Road car park. Picnic spots throughout the park.
Dogs
Dogs welcome, kept under control and cleaned up after.
Parking
Free parking at four points: main car park (Dogleap Road), O'Cahan's (Roemill Road), Carrick Mills (Ballyquin Road) and Carrick Rocks (Drumrane Road).
Accessibility
Surfaced paths run through much of the park with seating and a sensory trail, and the café is wheelchair accessible. The motte itself is a steep grassy climb and is not accessible.
How long to allow
20-30 minutes for the motte alone, or half a day with the riverside walks and café.
Address
O'Cahan's Fort, Dogleap Road, Limavady, BT49 9NN
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to visit?
Free. Open access on foot within Roe Valley Country Park, no ticket needed.
Can you go inside?
No building to enter. The motte is a grassy earthwork; very little of the castle survives above ground.
When is it open?
Park car parks and toilets open daily, roughly 8am-4pm in winter and up to 9am-9pm in high summer (Apr-Aug). Café usually 10am-5pm. Times subject to review, so check before you go.
Can I bring the dog?
Dogs welcome, kept under control and cleaned up after.
Where do I park?
Free parking at four points: main car park (Dogleap Road), O'Cahan's (Roemill Road), Carrick Mills (Ballyquin Road) and Carrick Rocks (Drumrane Road).
Getting there

Limavady Motte is at O'Cahan's Fort, Dogleap Road, Limavady, BT49 9NN. Free parking at four points: main car park (Dogleap Road), O'Cahan's (Roemill Road), Carrick Mills (Ballyquin Road) and Carrick Rocks (Drumrane Road). Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around LimavadySee what else is close by More castles & ruins across NITowers, keeps and abbeys to explore
The story

The story of Limavady Motte

The high bluff above the Roe gorge has been a stronghold for centuries. The O'Cahans ruled this area from the 14th century, and the motte marks the traditional site of their castle, set in a position that controlled the river crossing and the valley below.

Limavady takes its name from this place. 'Léim an Mhadaidh', the leap of the dog, recalls the O'Cahan wolfhound said to have leapt the gorge at the nearby Dogleap to carry warning to its master. The town grew from the settlement around the castle.

O'Cahan power ended in the early 17th century. The last chieftain, Donal Ballagh O'Cahan, surrendered to Sir Henry Docwra in 1602 and later died a prisoner in the Tower of London in 1628. In 1610 Sir Thomas Phillips was granted land at Limavady that included an O'Cahan castle; a Thomas Raven map of 1622 records a tower-house here, which Phillips adapted with an artillery fort and a three-part walled garden behind it.

Little of that castle survives today. What remains is a small grassy mound on its defensive position high above the River Roe, now part of Roe Valley Country Park and in the care of the Department for Communities.