12. Landscape and Visual

12.3 Existing Environment

General Character of the Constraints Study Area

Aalen et al., in the 'Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape' sets the N9 northern study area at the south-eastern corner of the Central Lowland Area, within a sub-classification known as the 'Southern Hill and Vale Area'. Being close to the upland 'Caledonian Province of the south-east', the overall landscape falls westward and southward and is interrupted by a number of detached hill and mountain blocks. These upland areas tend to appear more as hills in Kildare and Carlow gradually becoming more isolated and mountainous towards Laois and Kilkenny, e.g. Castlecomer Plateau and Slieve Ardagh Hills. The study area includes the lowland Barrow River Valley together with the lower slopes of both the east Wicklow Hills and the central Castlecomer Plateau. As such, the study area falls into one principal character area with a small upland valley area along of the River Dinin along the N78 around Castlecomer:

Landscape Character Areas

Barrow River Valley

The landscape associated with the river valleys is typically low lying being generally under 100m. The Barrow Valley in particular, is broad and well drained, with a limestone substrata, which is characteristically fertile and well suited to a range of agricultural uses. The influence of the river as a major transport waterway in the past has contributed to the quality of associated architecture of the riverside properties providing the base for numerous country houses, demesnes and estates. North and east of Athy, there are extensive areas of bog/peatland where much of the area is under coniferous plantation. South of Athy, the rich soil and sheltered nature of the valley contributed to the establishment of the large farms and the landscape is characterised by large fields with strongly tree - lined hedgerows and deciduous woodland belts and copses particularly along various stretches of the Barrow and Nore Rivers. While arable and pastoral farming dominate the area, stud farming is also important. The valleys are increasingly the setting for amenity use, not only water based (boating, fishing etc) but also including golf courses, equestrian centres, walking routes etc.

Due to the ease of passage and construction, the valleys are also the main transport and communication corridors with most main roads and the railways paralleling the linear waterway features. The Barrow was also previously an important river for commercial transport now equally important for tourist cruising.

The Castlecomer Plateau

The Castlecomer Plateau is a large area of upland lying between the river valleys of the Barrow and Nore. The area is almost circular, except where to the south-west where the plateau is cut away to form the Dinin River Valley.

The plateau rises steeply from the River Barrow and Nore valleys giving an escarpment type edge to the upland which lies generally at 200m. The surface of the plateau rises to several low peaks generally of 250-300m in height (337m highest) and much of the area is under pastoral agricultural use though extensive areas are under coniferous plantation. Historically, coal was extracted sporadically at dispersed locations but especially in the vicinity of Castlecomer and as a result, Colliery is a common place-name in the upland. Indeed coal extraction was once so important that at Moneenroe, north-east of Castlecomer, the Wandesforde family created a planned mining/small farming community on their estate. However, coal is no longer mined commercially on the plateau. Due to the suitability of local clays, there is an important brick manufacturing industry based in Castlecomer and limestone is quarried at various locations especially on the eastern escarpment face in the vicinity of Paulstown. The elevated nature of the area provides significant views over the adjoining lowland river valley landscape and the escarpment sides are a strong visually defining edge to the lowland valleys.

The study area excludes the uppermost plateau leaving only the sharply rising slopes to the east and south and the Upper Dinin river valley around Castlecomer.