THIS Easter Strabane is calling on everyone to relax and enjoy a complete taste of idyllic rural life with a visit to the Glenelly, Derg and Mourne Valleys.

Hidden away in the heart of Ulster, this tranquil heartland features picturesque walking and cycling routes, peaceful picnic sites, excellent angling and an opportunity to taste a tradition rich in myth and legend.

At the Sperrin Heritage Centre, near the pretty village of Plumbridge can be found the impressive Treasure Of The Sperrins Exhibition. While there keep a watchful eye out for Murphy the resident ghost!

Visitors to the centre can also try panning for gold or enjoy foot-tapping music, and a bit of craic at one of the many traditional music sessions held throughout the season.

For walkers the Sperrin Heritage centre is an excellent gateway to the Sperrin Mountain Range providing car parking, as well as being the place to pick up a few provisions, walking route guides and maps.

At Donemana, rural heritage is further explored at the Silverbrook Mill complex while Barrontop Fun Farm provides a taster of present day farming life. For the experienced angler, Moyagh Trout Fishery offers relaxation combined with the thrill of hooking rewarding catches.

Finally for those interested in tales of mystery, nobility and romance, there are also the ruins of Lough Ash Wedge Tomb, Earlsgift and Altnacree castles.

To the west, at Castlederg, visitors can learn of the legend of the lost piper at the local visitor centre or meet one of the district's oldest residents whose remains were unearthed during excavations at the old castle. Also to be discovered is Castlederg's associations with Battle of the Alamo, Irish Coffee and famous hymn writer Cecil Frances Alexander. For those who fancy an opportunity to explore the delights of the local landscape the Derg Valley Walks Series or the National Cycle Network will provide ample inspiration.

Convenient to Castlederg can be found the town of Newtownstewart. Its location is just as perfect as one could wish. Two picturesque hills, Bessy Bell and Mary Gray, overlook the town while three miles to the west lies Baronscourt forest and the country seat of the Duke of Abercorn. Newtownstewart also affords an excellent opportunity to take A Journey In Time, providing the setting for the majestic ruins of the Gaelic stronghold of Harry Avery O'Neill as well as those of the plantation castle of the Stewart family..

In the village of Sion Mills a plentiful water resource, which once sustained a thriving linen industry, now hosts an idyllic riverside walk. Moreover, Sion Mills is particularly rich in architectural heritage, with significant features including Zion House, the Church of The Good Shepherd, the contemporary St Theresa's Church, the old flax mill, and, collectively, the simple single and two-storey cottages built originally to house the mill workers.

Finally a tour of Strabane District would be incomplete without a visit to its civic and economic heart Strabane Town.

The ancestral home of President Woodrow Wilson is conveniently located nearby giving an insight into the history behind our rich Ulster-American connections and how the fate of the 28th Presidency of the United States was to lie in the hands of local man James Wilson.

On Strabane's Main Street, nestling behind a unique Georgian facade, can be found another notable historical gem, Gray Printers Museum. This facility aims to explore local history through such themes as the railways, famous connections and the canal while also operating a gallery with rotating exhibitions and providing a venue for touring exhibitions, and displays of local crafts and art works. From April to September the National Trust also opens its Press room, which contains a fascinating collection of 19th Century presses.

So this Easter, if you are planning a day out or short trip away, why not hop into the car, pull on your hiking boots, or climb onto your bicycle and enjoy a memorable visit to Strabane District - a place where stories are to be told, secrets are to be unlocked and where friends are to be found. Wherever you begin is optional but whatever your pleasure Strabane District welcomes you….