Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough in County Down is the largest sea lough in the British Isles, a complex inlet of approximately 150 square kilometres connected to the Irish Sea through the Narrows, a tidal strait only about 500 metres wide at its narrowest point through which 350 million tonnes of water pour with each tidal cycle, creating some of the most powerful tidal currents in Northern Ireland. This dynamic tidal energy, combined with the sheltered waters of the lough itself, has created an environment of extraordinary ecological richness that has been recognised with multiple designations at national and international level. The lough contains over 100 islands and hosts one of the largest populations of common seals in Ireland, with grey seals also present in smaller numbers. The tidal mudflats and saltmarsh habitats support enormous numbers of wintering and migrating wading birds, including internationally significant populations of brent geese that arrive from the Arctic each autumn and spend the winter grazing on the eel-grass beds within the lough. The clear, clean waters of the lough support exceptional marine biodiversity including species more usually associated with offshore reef habitats. In 2008 the world's first commercial tidal energy turbine began generating electricity from the tidal currents in the Narrows, a demonstration project that reflected both the exceptional power available here and the growing interest in renewable energy from tidal currents. The turbine operated for several years before being decommissioned, but the project established Strangford Lough as a location of international significance for marine renewable energy research. The shoreline of the lough is richly layered with history. Castle Ward, a National Trust property near Strangford village with its extraordinary schizophrenic architecture reflecting the disagreement of its 18th-century owners between Gothic and Classical styles, is one of the most visited historic houses in Northern Ireland and has gained additional fame as a filming location for Game of Thrones. Nendrum Monastery on Mahee Island preserves the remains of an important early Christian monastic site that was established here in the fifth century.