As well as having many sites of historical interest, inland Derry is full of lovely scenery, with forest parks and the fertile valleys of the Sperrin Mountains in the south.

Lying on the River Bann, the port of Coleraine is the second largest town in Derry and is home to the University of Ulster. One of the earliest Mesolithic sites in Ireland was excavated at Mountsandel Fort, an oval mound that lies south of the town. Further west, the area around Binevenagh Mountain is a National Nature Reserve, home to birds of prey and rare species of flora and fauna. To the south is Limavady, a Georgian town that hosts an annual jazz and blues festival in June. Nearby, the scenic Roe Valley Country Park surrounds the River Roe, with nature trails and excellent fishing.

Dungiven is a good base for exploring the Sperrin Mountains in the southwest of Derry, while further south are the plantation towns - such as Moneymore and Magherafelt - created by London companies in the early 17th century. For a history of this strongly Protestant area, head to the Plantation of Ulster Visitor Centre at Draperstown. Near Moneymore is the plantation manor house of Springhill, while the plantation farmhouse of Bellaghy Bawn lies near the shores of Ireland's biggest lake, Lough Neagh, in the southeastern corner of Derry.

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