Wow. Great walk. Never knew this was here…read more Lovely views and sculptures. Nice to have a bit of elevation to walk up and down. Lovely wee pizza /cafe van in the car park to help a person replenish.

This little oasis of calm is a real treat for the senses and offers some great views and lovely…read morewalks. I regularly take my dogs here at the weekends and now there's a handy coffee truck to top up on caffeine! You can either walk a stretch of the tow path towards Shaws Bridge or go towards Edenderry village. Its very pretty and a bonus is that its not quite as busy as the lower tow path near Stranmillis. National Trust which manages the area have done lots of work here in recent years including building a terrace walk up to the Rose Garden which offers some great views over the Lagan Valley. You can really appreciate why the area used to be known as the Lagan Ridge as you achieve quite a height and can see right over to Cavehill. There's the option of walking on to Giant's Ring but as it's partly on the road its not the best option for dogs or prams. There are some interesting and quirky wooden sculptures (?) all carved out of tree stumps including a totem pole thing up at the Rose garden. Lots to see and do and definitely worth the slight detour from the more popular Shaws Bridge or New Forge lane parts of the tow path

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.

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.

The price is 5 pound it's good you get to walk up to the top went a hour ago just to look inside it…read morewas fun haven't been in while that's why I went today

Snaefell (snow mountain) is the only mountain on the Isle of Man. Standing at 621 metres, it…read moreaffords fantastic views of the six kingdoms - Mann, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England and Heaven! There are many walking routes that will allow you to summit Snaefell. The easiest is to drive to Bungalow and walk from there - it's quite an easy path and should take between 20 and 30 minutes depending on fitness. It's steep in parts and can be marshy so good walking boots are required. For a longer walk, the mountain can be accessed from various areas such as Laxey, Kirk Michael, Carraghyn, and West Baldwin. For those of you of a less energetic nature, there is also the Snaefell mountain railway which will take you all the way to the top. There is a cafe at the top which will provide you with food and drinks, but this is only open in high season. I have climbed this mountain twice now - once at the end of a long walk from Laxey, and once from the easier access point of Bungalow. Unfortunately, on the first occasion there was so much fog at the summit I was unable to see my hand at the end of my arm, the second time the winds were so strong I had to hold on to the summit marker to prevent myself being blown away. Hence, I have not yet been able to enjoy the fantastic views I have heard so much about! That said, its a great walk. I have a thing about reaching high points so I will continue to climb it on my visits to the Isle of Man. One day I will be rewarded with that view!

Ballyholme Beach and Park's grounds stretch al the way along Ballyholme Bay. The coastal walk from…read moreKingsland (Ballyholme) to Orlock Point (Groomsport) is one of the most scenic in Ireland in my opinion, whether it's the views of Belfast Lough right across to Whitehead and Carrickfergus or the bramble laden paths that snake all the way to Groomsport you'll find something that will take your breath away. Ballyholme beach itself comes equipped with public toilets (only open 9-5), a large car park and 1.3km of sand. On a hot summers day in North Down this place is absolutely jam packed - you even get local ice cream vans taking up spots in the car park to cool down sun worshipers. One thing to note is that Dogs ARE allowed at this beach off their leads. So if you have small kids who may be afraid of bounding labradors then keep them close and if you are a dog owner bring your pooch down for a dip in the Ballyholme swell. Personally I have great affection for Ballyhome Beach, it is the site of some of the greatest sandcastles ever built (by me) and it offers a beautiful summers walk along the gold coast of North Down.

One of the seven wonders of North Down and situated in glorious ballyholme, this beach and park is…read morethe go to place for dog walkers and playing children for miles around, even if the far end of the beach does smell quite badly these days...! There are two mini play parks at either end of the beach perfect for occupying smaller adults and loads of car parking spaces too... Ballyholme shops being very close also make it perfect place for a summer bbq with a few relaxing beverages with friends and the walk round the coastal path to Groomsport is a great walk with some off track paths and turns into a kind of mini-hike at times... I have amassed around 1 million hours of football playing time on these green grasses and it's good to still see kids playing tol all hours of the night here as the summer approaches...!

I am so lucky to live beside this part of the National Cycle Network and use it frequently…read more Running from the city centre to Comber along an old disused railway line the Greenway is always a hive of activity with commuting and leisure cyclists, dog walkers and just those wanting to 'take the air'. This traffic-free route also has some stunning views of the famous cranes of Harland and Wolff and also of the fields towards Comber. My favourite stretch has to be when the hedges open up near the Comber end, with rolling hills and Scrabo Tower in the distance, which is the quieter end of the route. Be careful cycling up here though, as at certain times of the year there are loads of rabbits playing about in this area, my biggest count was 23 on one morning!

This is right next to where I work and I've been meaning to check it out properly for the last year…read moreor so and just never really got around to it. As of this week I've started doing alternate days of power walking at lunchtime as I've not been exercising for far too long, and I'm so lucky to have Comber Greenway on my doorstep! This is a 7 mile section through East Belfast on what used to be a railway line. It is absolutely stunning, so peaceful, you forget you are still in Belfast!

Gorgeous weekend destination with lots to do and see in the downtown area and the outskirts. Plan a…read moresummer getaway here and include taking in the lough, beaches, castle and monastery ruins, downtown area, restaurants featuring oysters, and overall natural beauty!

It's a delightful place to stroll/hike/jog and there's enough to keep kids enthralled…read more It has a great play area and there's a cafe hired to a private sector company that also has a cafe in the Kilbroney Park. We get in free at least for this year as we are residents who can choose one of our parks to have free entry. The decision to charge and hike our household rates was made by incompetent folks on a hundred k a year plus who always have free parking where they work enabled by councillors who enjoy generous expenses. We are always the suckers. No doubt we'll be hit for forest park payment next time round.

The Slieve Gullion Park was a wonderful experience. This was a very active stop on our tour. It…read moreincluded a 2 mile hike up a very rocky and unstable hill. The climb was not easy but very fun. There were two level a to the hike. The first part was a bit easier than the second. At the half way point there is an area to stop and rest, beyond that, the path gets much steeper and rockier. At the top we're two stone Stone Age monuments at the top of a rocky hill. There was a small entrance to what I think was a burial chamber which I did not enter. This is an invigorating, medium difficulty hike. It was well worth the climb.

The Commons is anything but common, it is in fact a rarity, to have such public beauty and sports…read morefacilities so close to the sea is special. The Commons is a public park located on the Shore Road between Donaghadee and Millisle. Its facilities include two Astroturf tennis courts and a grass bowling green. These are accompanied by a clubhouse that overlooks the Irish Sea. As mentioned it is unusual to have such facilities on the waters edge. Serving Aces is not easy when the gusts fly in from the ocean. But in the sun the bowling green is packed with eager sports people urging the salt water to preserve their youth and it looks like it is working. The public park has scenic walkways and is suitable for a morning jog or a long stroll with mans best friend. The beach at the commons is a mix of sand and shale's, not really and ideal place to lay a beach towel but perfect for an amble. The Commons is glorious in the summer and equally spectacular when the winter waves thrash against the rocky coast. Beautifully maintained by the local council it really is something to be proud of.

Donaghadee Commons is a fantastic place to stroll and enjoy the beautiful coastline and the…read morepanoramic views across the Irish Sea. On a clear day and weather permitting it is quite easy to distinguish the Scottish Coast line with its rugged mountain range. The area is well maintained with walking areas suitable for all so that it is accessible for families with prams or for wheelchair users. Among its amenities is a play park for the young and Tennis courts and bowling club for enthusiasts. In the summer months it is a popular place for picnicking and all year round it is a pleasant place to take that blow the cobwebs away jaunt! There is access from the Millisle Road for vehicles with parking space and there are also parking bays and facilities for camper vans, which makes it an ideal place for tourists exploring the North Down Coast. This is a place close to my heart and anyone who has an affinity for the sea with it's ever changing moods will love a stroll along the commons.

The park first opened in 1967. Gortin Glen Forest Park is located on the western side of the scenic…read moresperrin mountains. The trees that were planted there were coniferous trees for lumber. The park also has a on site farm. The park has a drive through tour, which is a 5 mile paved road through many breath taking and beautiful views. Thers also many stopping points during the drive through tour, where you ma realx, take photographs and admire the scenery, go for picnics, go for a walk too. There is also a indoor exhibition centre and a souvenir shop too. Its also a great place for children.