This knocks the socks off Botanic Gardens any day. It's massive, wilder, nowhere near as crowded…read moreand just lovely. I used to take my spaniel Tiko here every day and he loved it - OK, dogs love anywhere they can run about, but he really did share my love of this park, as there's loads of undergrowth he could and did snuffle into and lots of space to run around. (And if the poor girl whose lunchtime Subway sandwich he scarfed is reading this, I can only apologise yet again.) I haven't been back to Ormeau Park since he died, because, well, I just don't want to at the mo, but some of my happiest memories of him are at this park and it''s probably my favourite outdoor spot in all of Belfast. I love walking past the house in the middle of it and dreaming someday of living there. I'd even give up my Melbourne yearning for that... This is a stellar spot for walking, cycling or skating, and I even saw a mini orchestra happily playing near the bandstand once as well. There are bowling greens, a basketball/netball court and tennis courts, at which I would marvel at healthy types playing vigorously there at 10am on a Sunday, as Tiko and I lurched past. (And if the poor guy whose tennis ball he neatly nipped in and stole is reading this, I can only apologise yet again.) A beautiful park that's a bit bittersweet for me at the moment, but hopefully will become a regular chilling out place for me again. Perfect.

Ormeau Park, the underrated green space of Belfast. I love this place its a little emerald in the…read moregrey concrete of the city. Well cultivated and kept with its grandiose gates and lots of little walks and trails, great for a little peace of mind walk or a wee day out for kids at the pretty awesome play park. My only negative is that I think there could be more done here events wise. It always seems botanic has the monopoly on those. Maybe a winter wonderland like they do at Hyde Park in London and a few Summer events to make use of the bandstand and nice open spaces.

This is a beautiful well kept park with plenty of facilities for all ages. There is a lovely kids…read moreplay park, a large duck pond and an aviary with some very pretty birds. For the sporty type there is an athletics track marked during the better months and pitches for cricket and football. There are also a number of tennis courts and a bowling green. This is also where my local Saturday morning 5k park run is held with about 300 runners attending most weeks. If you just fancy a lovely walk Ward Park is the place to go with numerous paths to choose around the pond and lots to see on the way.

Ward park is a great place for all the family to enjoy . If you want a leisurely stroll with the…read morekids and dog this is the place to go. With an adventure play park for the kids and the ability to feed the ducks and geese as you walk along beside the stream. The setting is very tranquil and you can forget that you are only a stones throw from Bangor town centre. For those who are actively sporty there are tennis courts and a bowling green It is an ideal place to appreciate all the seasons of the year.

We took Ted here yesterday after work, but realised it was more of a children's park than a dog…read morewalking park. I don't think there was any other dogs in the park whilst we were there. The park is quite small, you could do a lap in less than 10 minutes. The park it's self is well maintained, grass cut short and nice flower beds. There is also clean toilets which it always a plus.

Recently we've been dong a voluntary tour of Belfast Parks and last night it was the turn of…read moreDrumglass Park on the Lisburn Road. Unlike other parks that act as shortcuts to get form one place to another, Drumglass is a purpose built facility for fun, sun bathing and general messing. The parks facilities include a path that runs around the perimeter that also acts as a running circuit, a play park with a nice rubber floor and some top notch equipment, a bandstand that could act as a shelter from the blazing summer sun or more likely the sun showers. Worth noting that there's at least 3 ice cream shops within 5 minutes walk of the park so if you fancy a stroll while simultaneously canceling out those burning calories you're in luck. Last night the park was littered with kids, dog walkers, joggers and sun worshipers. There's a really nice vibe t the park, I suppose that's because if you're in the park you're there to enjoy it rather than using it as a convenient walk way from one place to another. The park itself is well maintained and the council will close the gates at 9:30pm sharp in order to make sure it's looking sublime for the next day.

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.

I've been to two weeks of my aerial class. First yhing, its tough. I have used muscles that I…read moredidn't even know existed. I have bruised, burns and calluses. But on this occasions all worth it. I have hung, swung and stood on a trapeze. I have a new respect for circus performers. They make something that is so tough look simple and elogent. Two skills I have yet to achieve. It you want a new level of fitness, I recommend the circus school. The tutors are brilliant and support everyone. Yes I have slid from the trapeze, but you just present and pretend it was part of the routine. Watch this space, I may still run well on hobble away with the circus.

The Circus School is a great organisation based in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and they do some…read morereally good work. I was never actually a pupil, but a few friends of mine were and they loved it, so their classes for kids come very highly recommended. Beyond that, they provide performances for the Belfast Festival of Fools, which is an annual street theatre festival and provides a great atmosphere for the city centre and a break form the monotony of everyday life!

Rowallane is perhaps less formal than some other National Trust gardens but it is interestingly…read morevaried in style with a particularly nice walled garden.

Great National Trust place this. We were going here for ages and it seemed nice as it was, only…read morerecently realising there was a lot more to the grounds than we had originally thought. Situated just outside Saintfield, the entrance is just off the main road and so is easy to find and accessible. The walled garden is beautiful all year round but really comes into its own in summer when the flowers are in full bloom. Christmas sees the gardens host a fair that is much more intimate and nicer to be at than the one at City Hall in Belfast. Feels like something out of a Christmas movie. There is a paved but quite short walk for those who don't want o get their shoes dirty (will only take 10- 14 mins to get round at most). Then in the other direction from the central point of the grounds there are what I suppose you might call 'meadow walks'. These are really nice but as there are no proper paths in this direction, it can all get a bit muddy in winter or after rainfall, still, it's very picturesque. The only part missing from the place that other National Trust places have (Castle Ward, Mount Stewart) is that what was the old manor house is actually used as the National Trust headquarters in Northern Ireland and so the house itself is not an attraction, having been largely converted to offices. It does home a really nice cafe though, serving good coffee and tray bakes. At certain busier times of year the cafe will serve more hot food but this isn't always available on any given weekend. Great place to spend a Sunday afternoon and just misses out on the last star by not having the house itself as a feature like other NT properties.

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 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.