Island 294 - Gibbs Island, Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland

Gibbs Island is connected to the south west shore of Strangford Lough by a pedestrian causeway and is accessible at all states of the tide.  It is owned by the National Trust and there is public access to it.  There is a small car park at the end of Island Road, which comes off the A22 Killyleagh Road a couple of miles south of Killyleagh.  It is a popular place for local dog walkers and there were several other people out for a walk on it when I visited on a Sunday afternoon in September.  It is a lovely spot but I suspect that its popularity might also be due to the lack of public access to many other areas in the vicinity.

There is one house at the northern end of the island.  The centre of the island is covered in mature trees: e.g. pines, oak, sycamore, hawthorn, elder and ash.  There is a perimeter path and also one across the top of the island.  The island is roughly oval in shape and is about 500 metres from north to south and 200 metres from east to west.  When I visited in early September 2015 thistles, buttercups, dandelions, birds foot trefoil and meadowsweet were in flower.  There were also plenty of nettles and brambles.

Causeway leading to Gibbs Island

There is no doubt by whom Gibbs Island is owned!

Looking towards the top of the island

Looking north towards the island's only house

Campfire site at the centre of Gibbs Island

Lone Tree

A place to rest and think at the south end of the island