portstewart strand blue flag beach

The Strand is two miles long and is best known as a mecca for holiday makers but it is also an important nature conservation area. The dune system which was formed about 5,000 years ago has several dunes which reach a height of more than 30 metres and there are also relics of a Neolithic settlement. The combination of open sand, dune and damp hollows provide a mosaic of habitats rich in plants and insects. Amongst abundant plants such as kidney vetch, wild thyme and red fescue are much rarer species such as bee orchid and seaside centaury. The interesting insect community includes the uncommon rove beetle, dark green fritillary butterfly and extremely rare species of pyralid moth which is found at only two other localities in the British Isles.