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.

This is probably one of the nicest children's play parks in Carrickfergus, and strangely, a lot of…read morepeople don't know about it, as it is quite secluded! There are two entrances to Legg Park, one along the main Belfast Road, just up from the Model Primary School, and another entrance facing the Windrose. The park is fully fenced off and really well equipped with soft flooring, swings, slides and climbing frames. The park is also really nicely landscaped with lots of benches making it pleasant to sit around on a sunny day.

I think this playground is one of the best playgrounds in the area and it really brightens up this…read morestreet. The equipment is modern, bright and safe - not like the rusty metal excuses for swings and slides I had when I was a child. This park is safe as although it is one the main street it has a gate and high fence around it - a very busy park on a good day. We are reminded of Holywood's best kept town by the plaque on the wall outside and the children are watched over by the sculpture of 'Johny the Jig' who was designed and made by a local artist and now sits proud of punch near the parks entrance. When I see modern parks like this surrounded in blooming flowers and filled with colour and laughter I always wish I was a kid again.

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.

This is a great walk on the outskirts of Belfast. It is well hidden from the Manse road entrance…read morebut don't be put off its worth the view! It takes roughly 30 - 40 mins to ascend depending on fitness level. The path leads from a quaint bridge along a stony lane running behind Lagan college. It has quite a steep incline half way through - really gets the heart pumping. The vista over Belfast and the lough are breath taking. I usually catch a plane or ship coming in. Tip 1. Parking can be tight, i recommend parking in local estate Garland Hill and adding to the dander Tip 2. If you don't fancy the strenuous walk up hill there is another entrance with parking on the Lisnabreeny road itself.

I love finding different places to walk without having to travel too far and this is another such…read moreplace. 10 mins by car from my house in Carryduff and nestled in the Castlereagh hills. There's a small car park off Manse Rd easy to miss as it's not signposted. Entry to the walk is through a wooden gate on the left. You are on a par with Cavehill height- wise and when it's clear you can see right down to the port of Belfast or over to the spectacular Mournes. There's a Rath surrounded by trees which is eerily quiet and the gravelled path leads you down towards Cregagh Glen and waterfalls. You walk past the back of Lagan college and enter the Glen via an underpass. Be careful as the old railway sleeper path ways can be treacherous as I found out to my cost recently! They look dry but can be slippery as I ended upon my ass. Fortunately nothing damaged except ny dignity! You can take a detour to visit the monument to American soldiers who served in NI during WW2 or walk on down the Glen which is beautiful especially after rain when the water is really flowing. It is quite a steep walk back up to the car park but there are a few benches dotted around. Hard to believe you are right in the heart of urban Belfast. This place is well worth a visit with kids (there's a little adventure playground) or its a haven for dog walkers or even just on your own.

Great views from the top, waterfalls. and an old bear pit (A bear was kept by the land owner)…read more This is a great walk if you have dogs or just like forest walks.

IF you are up to it this place is a decent walk, it is hard work to get to the top, but once u get…read morethere the views are amazing, it also has some beautiful features like steps going down the side of a little stream that i like to call the babbling brook, a nice little bridge called emilys bridge and a little waterfall.this place is great in the good weather however i would not recommend it in the winter as the paths back down are very steep and can be treacherous when wet or icy.

I loved this place when I was younger. It was simply the most exciting place in the world as far as…read moreI was concerned and now I am older I see how great it must have been for my parents too. Let your kid run wild for 45 minutes and then watch as he sleeps like an angel for the rest of the day. The playground is an eclectic mix of rope swings and climbing frames, with the big net climber in the centre as the hub for childhood adventuring. I still have memories of racing friends to the top and back down again. Overall this is a great place to bring the under 12's in your life. It is a fun and exciting place for them to run around and tire themselves out.

I used to go here as a younger, more athletic....oh God lets face it, I was never bloody athletic…read more But I did go here with friends and family when I was younger and could run for longer than ten seconds without getting out of puff. I blame the 90s. Anyway, this is a great place for little ones and young people to blow off some steam, get some fresh air, and have fun. It's like a Peter-Pan-Esque playground, with treehouse type structures and slides and climbing frames and even a zip wire, which always scared me - I was never brave enough. It's got handy parking and it's in the environs of the gorgeous Cavehill, so if it's a nice day, and you have sprogs - get them up here for a day of fun.

This is an excellent park. It suits all age groups from youngest of the young to the elder folk!!!…read morePlenty of well kept flower beds, the place is spotless and lots to see and do. Love the lake but didn't get to see the inside of the Pavillion. Great toddlers play area and there are tennis courts and bowling green. There are also tables on which one can Bbq. The colours of the flowers and kiddies play area are wonderful and this is a wonderful gift left by Sir Frederick Adair in 1909.

Great place to camp! Beautiful scenery, a lake and a castle…read moreon the grounds. Big field where you can pick where to pitch your tent. Friendly wardens. A small cafe on the grounds. Absolutely lovely!

The sun doesn't even have to be shining to put the massive grounds of Castlewellan to good use…read more There is quite a bit of natural shelter from wind and rain. When it is sunny however this place gets very busy, especially by the lake where people don't just picnic - and indeed BBQ - but kayak, fish, walk, cycle, and bring their dogs for a swim. There are plenty of amenities on site or very nearby, such as plenty of parking, clean public bathrooms, a small cafe, and a large shop within easy walking distance. There is also a huge maze for you to try and find your way out of and that alone could take up a good hour. Entrance fee per car is £4.50 - a bargain for a full day's outing. Tip: there are some rubbish bins but not a lot; people tend to take their rubbish with them. The grounds are kept exceptionally clean.

If you don't have children you may be baffled by my enthusiasm here, but if you do have children,…read moreyou'll understand. If your kids are anything like mine, there aren't that many places you can go for more than half an hour without the brattish distress call of 'I'm BORED'. I love them dearly really. But Stormont Park is one of those places and then some. It's a massive children's play park with the added advantage of being slap bang in the middle of Stormont grounds which you can also explore. This is a well equipped and well maintained park. The super efficient park wardens see to that. 'Jobsworth' is a very cruel term, they just take their responsibilities seriously. There is something to amuse and tire out every age of child from toddlers right up to teens. Slides, monkey bars, tyre swings, zip line, large and small climbing frames and more. There are also picnic tables and portable BBQ stands so that you can 'make a day of it' as they say in Norn Iron. There are toilets too, not always clean at the busy times in summer, but any port in a storm. Just take your tissues and hand sanitiser and you'll be good. Even if you have to travel a few miles, Stormont Park is well worth a visit.

Gosh, it seems like only yesterday this place was built, and I was a mad, boisterous little thing…read moredesperate to try out the coolest play park in town. How time flies, yet so much remains the same... This was the park of parks. I mean, you really couldn't get much better than Stormont play park. It always reminded me of the really cool park up in Portrush that cost a couple of pounds to get into, except Stormont is free (parents can breathe a sigh of relief at this point...), and superior. The setting is a beautiful one - the park is nestled in amongst the trees at the edge of the estate, yet at the same time it's safely separate from the forest...so no missing little ones! As the two previous reviewers commented, there are a huge variety of different activities to keep the kids entertained for hours, plus a number of benches dotted around the place for mum and dad to chill. My favourite aspect of Stormont play park is the ever popular zip-line, which had a never-ending queue and was always surrounded by those cheeky wee louts who kept stealing everyone else's turn. Once you got on, you didn't want to get off, but unfortunately that had to be the way of it. Climbing ropes, swings, slides, frames and the rest are all there. And they're all so well maintained, which is lovely to see. If I was ten years younger, I'd be back in an instant...