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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

Brought my daughter here on Sunday for the first time and I have to say I was shocked, it's so…read morebig!!!!! The place was completely packed out with people (which put me of abit) but my daughter loved every minute of it. They have a good range of food on offer from burgers to sandwiches to cakes, also a good kids range and lovely teas and coffee's. The place is double the size of places like funky monkeys and it's staff are a lot better with kids in my opinion. They also have party packages and 4 individual party rooms which are a good size. I'll definitely be back even though it's abit of a drive for me but it's worth it. My daughter hasn't shut up about it since lol. The only thing I will say is stay away from it Saturday and Sunday and go during the week if you can because it's less busy.

I Visited here this morning with the nursery school I work for. It's been our third visit here as…read moreour end of term treat. Each visit we as a team have been very impressed by the professionalism shown by Noel and his staff. Friendly and extremely efficient. All the Children all had a ball, many thanks. Looking forward to returning.

Mookie world now known as the famous "Funky Monkeys" is superb for kids and of course adults who…read morelike to act like kids!! It is adult supervision at all times so its great if you love slides and climbing if not its too bad! There are two areas which include a baby area and a bigger play area from ages 2+. The baby area is brilliant for tiny toes who are not yet completely on their feet yet as it gives them room to explore without being flung to side by a wrecking ball (older child). This area has a tinier climbing frame, 2 slides, soft blocks and musical instruments...Let's face it who doesn't love the sound of drums :/ Funky monkeys has its own cafe so its strictly no outside food and drink and they are quite strict with these rules. This isn't suitable if you have a child with special dietary requirements i.e lactose intolerant as majority of the staff are reluctant to allow you to feed your child with your own food. Some of the staff are brilliant and completely understand and in most circumstances allow this to happen so thumbs up to them! The cafe is also quite expensive for example a tiny carton of apple/orange juice is £1! They have great facilities including a disabled toilet and a lift down to the main toilets. The staff are always on hand to make sure that child play is safe and secure which is great if you are the panic mum or dad. Overall Funky Monkeys is a great family outing! The kids all appear to love it as they run about beetroot red with tons of energy. Also don't forget that if you would like to join your kids make sure to bring an extra pair of clean socks :)

Mookie World has only recently opened its technicolour doors and so is still fresh, clean and…read morebright. Everything is in tip top condition and I think this place is completely brilliant. It has none of that hell factor that some indoor play areas have - it is as much a pleasure for the adults as it is for the over excited kids. Just one caveat - Mookie World describes itself as being suitable for kids up to age 11. I would have to disagree with that - my nine year old wouldn't choose to go as the equipment is too young for him. I think 7 or 8 is a more realistic cut off age. Having said that, the nine year old was delighted with the free internet access and a huge chocolate brownie from the cafe. Mookie World has the usual slides, ball pits and swings etc but it is really beautifully done - the theme seems to be Mookie the Cow who appears everywhere. For adults there are comfy seats and a really good cafe - Yum Yums. Actually it is yum yum. The tray bakes, brownies, muffins and scones are excellent and resaonably priced. For the kids there's plenty of sweets, crisps, drinks and fruit. They also do organic baby food and hot meals made with local ingredients. Another big tick for the fact that Mookie World opens at 10am on Sundays and we have been a couple of times for playtime for the kids and breakfast bagels and the papers for us. Result. There is plently of parking and the cinema and another couple of restaurants next door, so could be a good choice for a birthday day out. It's £4.95 per child and this is good value for money given the excellent facilities. I will keep going to Mookie World until even the 5 year old outgrows it.

Our tour guide for the North Belfast walk bought us by this lovely park and told us some cool…read morethings about it: - Stephen Rhea (Oscar winning actor of the Crying Game movie) grew up in the house opposite the park. Look for a bright yellow door near shop called 'War on want" and that's his house. - in the early part of the century, if you are rich enough, you could buy an annual key to get into the park - glad it's free now! - this area was supposed to have been ''mistakenly" bombed instead of the ship building harbour during the first blitz but recent archives from Germany revealed that it was deliberate as they didn't want locals to have access to water for fire fighting the next round of blitz attacks. I loved the two lakes - reminded me a wee bit of the Serpentine in London's Hyde Park. It's a gorgeous bit of greenery, very calming and beautiful with the mini-waterfalls. Go visit and commune with Nature! Note: #235 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016

The Waterworks is a great place for an evening walk. It has great facilities for kids with a…read moreplayground floored with bark to avoid cuts and bruises. Living so close by I often walk around the grounds of The Waterworks - it's especially nice on summers evenings.

Cairnburn park is my second fav park - see Stormont Park review for my number one!…read more This one comes in at a very respectable number two for several reaons: - it is fully enclosed, making it harder for the rugrats to go AWOL. Although not impossible I as found out the hard way. - the ground is completely covered in those safe wood bark chipping thingies. No, I'm not that outdoorsy. - it has a wide range of stuff to jump on, swing off, climb up, slide down and bounce on which saves my furniture from all of the above. There is plenty to keep my 4 and 9 year olds amused and some benches for me to park myself on. No public toilets though but I have boys and there are plenty of trees. But be warned. Another tick in the 'convenient' box is the large car park right beside the park. The only negative? The sheer amount of dog poop on the short walk between the park and the car. Dog owners of Belmont be ashamed.

Belmont gets 5 stars from me. Such a peaceful and natural place for a dander. Half an hour will…read moretake you around the main park, although you will probably want to stay for longer. It has been voted the best small park for the past couple of years. I used to take my dog here at least once per week and he knew the way around. There are lots of other dog walkers and areas to play fetch. I have seen people jogging around and the occasional cyclist possibly cutting through from Parkway to the Old Holywood road. Starting from the car park on Massey ave/ Upper Belmont road you can follow the path accross the carriageway bridge follow this around to the right will bring you to the kids play area. The play area is enclosed and dogs are not permitted. It has baby swings, a flying saucer swing, slides, rockers and cool climbing frames. The paths are always clear and the grounds are well kept. Summer events take place in Belmont park occasionally.