National Trust asked to open facility on Strangford Lough

National Trust asked to open facility on Strangford Lough

31 August 2022

THE National Trust has been urged to re-open a visitor facility on an island on Strangford Lough.

The bothy on Salt Island has been closed for the past three years owing to the Covid pandemic.

Previously, it had also been closed for five years owing to vandalism.

Local councillor Cadogan Enright says that if the National Trust is no longer willing to operate the bothy, then it should be handed over to another organisation that will put it to good use.

Cllr Enright says he has written to the Trust in order to “place on record his formal complaint” about the ongoing unavailability of the bothy.

The Alliance councillor represents Newry Mourne and Down Council on the Strangford Lough and Lecale Coast Management Advisory Committee. He is also chairman of Loch Cuan Canoe Club.

“I have always been a strong supporter of the National Trust and have so far to date limited myself to friendly encouragement of the staff at Mount Stewart,” he said.

“But my youngest child has grown up during the period the bothy has not been available. This is not acceptable, and the situation needs to be fixed now.

“The bothy on Salt Island made an excellent base for lough visitors. I made several polite requests to the National Trust when it was closed for five years over some minor vandalism. I also had volunteer groups seeking to repair the bothy at no charge to the National Trust, but we were turned down.

“We had a brief period of months where it was opened before it was once again closed due to Covid-19. We are now entering the third years of closure over Covid. 

This means that next year we will be looking at a situation where the bothy has not been available for eight of the last 10 years. This is not acceptable.”

Cllr Enright says he will be raising this issue at the Strangford and Lecale Coast Committee in order to bring pressure on the Trust.

“I know the Trust sees itself as a charitable trust that operates like an old-fashioned landlord, but with an environmental and conservation ethos. But they are also dependent on ongoing support of the population here in Co Down. 

“They need to manage their assents and provide access to the public by way of walks like the Dundrum Coastal Path or on water like the bothy.

He added: “Their facilities and public access offerings need to evolve to adapt to the increasing need to see our local population both active and healthy in the natural environment in a manner sensitive to nature that surrounds them.”