Well worth a visit…read more On 19 May 1928, the Governor of Northern Ireland the Duke of Abercorn laid the Foundation Stone for Parliament Buildings ( Front Pillars), The building was offically opened for business with a grand opening, On 16 November 1932, The Prince of Wales, Edward Windsor, opened Parliament Buildings. Architect Sir Arnold Thornely of Liverpool designed Parliament Buildings to be 365ft wide, representing one foot for every day of the year. Representing the number of counties in Northern Ireland, Parliament Buildings has six floors and there are six pillars at the entrance to the building. To camouflage Parliament Buildings during World War II, the building's Portland stone was painted with a mixture of cow manure and bitumen. Removing the paint after the war was a huge challenge with the mixture having stained the stonework. The paint mixture took seven years to remove and the exterior façade never regained its original white colour. It is one mile from the gates at the bottom of Prince of Wales Avenue to the front steps of Parliament Buildings. The avenue leading up to Parliament Buildings is lined with 305 red-twigged lime trees which have survived since they were first planted in the 1920s. Parliament Buildings is a Grade-B listed building, designed in Greek Classical tradition.

You know you're getting old when you're scouring Belfast looking for new dog walking destinations!…read more After suggesting Stormont Park would be a nice walk with the dog for the last few weeks we finally paid it a visit. It was a mild Saturday afternoon and there wasn't a cloud in the sky and to be fair the weather plays a big part in how you view this park. In the rain the trails would be muddy and the view over Belfast would be unclear but yesterday it was just perfect. The main features of the estate are; - Carson's mile - even if you don't like what goes on in parliament building you can't deny it's a pretty spectacular building and view from the gates. - the country trails through wooded land - the random excersise points - these are installed for joggers to break up their cardio with pull ups, press ups and various other activities. - the grounds are really well kept, cut grass, maintained flower beds and bins every 100 yards! There were also loads of other dogs and kids playing in the grounds and park making it a really nice atmosphere. All in all a really nice walk, could maybe do with a designated car park but apart from that it's top notch!

From downtown Belfast you can't really tell what awaits you. The mountain is bigger than you might…read morethink from a distance. There's at least one cave on the northern route that you can scramble up to (need to be comfortable with exposure and basic climbing). Great views of the city and surrounding countryside, even Scotland if it's not raining. There are also lots of (steep) mountain biking trails.

If you are coming from Belfast city centre, you can take most pink metro buses for Antrim Road…read more (1d, 1e, 1c etc) and get off at Strathmore. There is a huge brown sign for Belfast Castle . Take Innisfayle Park and you cant miss the CaveHill park gates. I think there are three trails. Castle (1.3km), Estate (3.9km), CaveHill (4.5km). I have been around the different trails many times. From sunny strolls with a picnic on the Estate route to running the Cavehill trail in the lashing rain, its a park that offers much to its visitors. Cavehill trail starts at Castle with a gentle hill and dips into a forest lined with flora pathways and wooded areas covered with bluebells, streams and wildlife. You can stay on main trail or wander around to explore the many trees and vegetation. Just be on the look out for mountain bikers as they take many winding, smaller routes and appear out of nowhere. The trail had a few look out points with resting stones. McArt's Fort and Napoleons nose are some of the more well known features. There are a few ways to get to top. If you dont fancy the longer track to right after cave you can go left and run up either two small paths. Much harder on the quads but quicker and a lot more rewarding. Once at the top there are wonderful panoramic views over Belfast & beyond. Some additional points: Free parking and free access to trails O2 network has coverage at top (for selfie glory) Watch out at wooden steps as many visitors have worn down the ground revealing metal stakes that were put in to secure the land. When you are on a quick sprint down its easy to catch your toe and fall (as my friend did) Bring water! Family friendly but expect to carry smaller kids on steeper parts.

Not to be confused with Ward Park (my sister couldn't comprehend that the two were separate),…read moreCastle Park is essentially the grounds of Bangor Castle, hence the name. Bet you didn't see that one coming... Unlike Ward Park, it lacks a playground, ducks and tennis courts, but it is mainly focused on a couple of pretty walks through the grounds. These were a fond favourite of mine when it came to conker season, as not only were there plenty of horse chestnuts about, but the two different available walks had two different colours, depending on whether you wanted to do the short or long one. My favourite part was running onto the next post to see what colour it was, in order to make sure we were on the right path (literally). It's been a few years since I've been up to the gardens for a proper walk, but it is still as stunning as ever, with beautiful views over Bangor and out towards the sea. The large variety of trees make for a pleasant woodland stroll, and there are also pretty flower beds dotted around the park, as well as a large amount of open space to sit and watch the world go by. Definitely one of my favourite parks in and around Belfast. I was thinking of excuses to return, but it's nearly Autumn, and therefore conker fetching season...yippeeeee!

This is a place that I have a whole heap of affection for, I would go as far to say that I am a…read moreCastle Park Tree hugger. Although it also evokes a mix of emotions, let me explain: The park firstly takes me back to my primary school days, searching for acorns and as Lynne said conkers. Walking the different trials and visiting the Heritage Centre. There is even a tree in Castle park where King Billy tied his famous white horse. I am sure that it is fenced off with a plaque, but I can not think where...I will let you discover it. But then I also remember Castle park for more unsavoury reasons, the top end of Castle park near Bangor Abbey is often littered with drunken teenagers and not a very safe place after about 9pm. Overall Castle park by day is one of the best public parks and wooded areas around but I would avoid it at night.

We walked through the Botanical Gardens which are located adjacent to the university. As like…read moreeverything else in Ireland, the whole grounds were bright green and full of different plant species and lots and lots of flowers. I particularly liked their greenhouse. The beautiful white medal perfectly balanced the contrast between nature and industrial features while complementing the space and giving these particular plants a specific place to grow, such as succulents. The rose gardens reminded me of something from Alice in Wind with how the grass paths were weaved between the rose bushes and some of the flowers looked fake because they were so healthy and vibrant.  There are two newer greenhouses that were built specifically for tropical plants. Inside of each of these greenhouses, the temperature and humidity was set to stay at the perfect settings for these tropical plants to thrive. They were multiple stories so that the trees could grow tall and the vines could grow long and even go all the way up to the rafters. A great place to see and spend time on a sunny or partly cloudy day!!

Beautiful grounds near Queen's College in Belfast. So peaceful and sprawling. The grounds…read moremeticulously kept. The grounds included some magnificently lush green lawn for taking in the nice weather being experienced during our stay. The Ferris Wheel was well worth the nominal expense. The rose garden was beautifully laid out.

The tower itself is closed to the public but the grounds are accessible at any time,I'm not a hippy…read moreor anything but I really want to get up early some morning in the summer and walk up to scrabo tower and have a bowl of cornflakes as the sun rises. The views on a sunny day are fantastic over Belfast,comber and the Irish sea. The walks through the quarries and through killyneither woods are long and challenging in places, great for a bit of exercise and peace and quiet , bring food and a disposable bbq there's lots of picnic tables throughout the park. Great place to bring your kids or walk your dog. Would benefit from a shop here for drinks and snacks. You can have dinner in the golf club though.

My beloved Scrabo has been part of my life since I was dragged up to it on a school trip, I…read moreremember being able to actually run up the hill to the tower in my youth, but years of kebabs mean I take a slower pace these days, the view from the hill and the Tower itself is pretty spectacular, if you can avoid looking down at West Winds, mind you, you can always pretend you're looking down from the Enola Gay. The forest park is pretty spectacular, a nature lovers dream, certainly a nature minded friend was in his element describing all that he saw with great gusto. The only downside, is that the car park at the top of the hill can be full on busy days, and crossing the road can be dangerous as you get ignorant twats from the golf club trying to run you over.

One of my favourite spots for a walk. Seapark is great as it offers a lovely park in and of itself…read morewith play facilities for kids as well as parking (limited when it gets really busy) and can also be used as the starting point for long costal walks. it also offers one of the best seaside views of Belfast Loch and it is good to see the big ships coming and going from the Harbour. On warmer days there is often a decent ice-cream van there too.

Seapark is a hidden jewel in the North Down crown. The North Down coast is not lacking beauty spots…read morebut Seapark is right up there with the best. On a sunny the day the views over Belfast Lough are unbeatable. The park itself is a 5 minute walk from Holywood High Street and local amenities but you'd think it was a million miles away due to its tranquility. The park facilities include a huge grassy area ideal for summer BBQ's and walking dogs. There's also a refurbished play park, which is always a hit with kids. On a summers day an ice cream van will park up in Seapark and you'll be able to grab yourself a snack in between playing. Seapark is also the beginning of the National Trust North Down Coastal Path that snakes along the coast all the way to Groomsport. If you fancy a walk or cycle on a nice day then look no further than the coastal path. At every corner you'll be hit with stunning beauty and culture (Grey Point Lookout). This is a popular route for dog walkers and you'll often see friendly pooches off their leads, so if you have little ones with you keep them close especially if they are a little bit sheepish around dogs.

The grounds have a lot of statues and benches to sit and relax. We saw many people reading and…read morefeeding the squirrels. The statue of Queen Victoria was amazing. There was a special display to show the number of men killed during the Battle of Somme's during WWI. The display was incredible! Very thought provoking. The visuals really showed the numbers of men who died. It is a great area for the people to see and spend time exploring the city.

For the majority of the year the benches outside city hall are infested with punks/emos/general…read moredrug users and alcos though they are unlikely to cause you any bother. During the summer though it can be a really nice place to just lie on the grass and watch the world go by. There is the big wheel for those who are ok with heights though it costs £6 a go which i think is a bit much, especially cause the views of Belfast really aren't all that great.

We took our toddler here today for a day in victoria park and I'm impressed by how it has changed,…read moreit looks a lot tidier and there's a lot of work has been put into the park making it great park to go to. Theres a automatic toilet unit which is 20p to get in, it self cleans as I waiting on the door to open it said wait self cleaning, pretty cool for a toilet. The toilet has a baby changing table and automatic soap dispenser, water and air and automatic flush. Also the voice inside reminds you to lock the door and to bring all your belongings with you. Handy toilet. I think you have a 15 minute time allowance in the toilet as I saw a timer display for 15 minutes. The children's park has been changed and its way better theres a massive climbing frame, baby swings, slides and spinning seats. Really good park most of the ground around the slides etc have rubber flooring which is handy if baby falls. Theres also a picnic table in the play area. This park is great for a walk or a run theres also outdoor gym equipment for adults placed around the park in different areas.

I love this park. Must be the best if not one of the best around…read more The work they have done on it over the last few years is awesome. Great wide flat path that is easy walking /cycling/wheeling for all. There is also a more sort of nature trail on the outside bank and on the inside islands. Views of Harland and Wolff are great. Also the airport to see the planes. The inside island has has outdoor gym equipment and grass pitches. They have a great kids park and also a basketball court beside it. There is a bmx track next to it. There's plenty of ducks etc to see. The parking is good also. My face thing about the park is that there is no way you can get lost as it's an easy loop to follow. There's also a gate with walking access at 2 points to the Sydenham bypass. There's another entrance via the new Sam Thompson bridge over by the docks.