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 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.

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!

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.

Love the atmosphere, and you can see they are trying hard. Staff very attentive. Food is just a…read morelittle short of the mark that the previous owners set. Keep working at it... Menu could be a little better

We recently joined the National Trust in order to get in to some of the country's best parks and…read moregardens but after a walk at Crawfordsburn and down the North Down coast we began to question why, especially with scenery like this on our doorstep. Around 15 minutes from central Belfast and the same from Bangor Town Centre Crawfordsburn really is as convenient as they come! Dog walkers, day trippers and joggers come here in their droves and I don't blame them because there's something for everyone. There's lovely woodland walks through the park itself, a beautiful beach with a large grassy area for picnics and a walk along the coast with views over to Carrickfergus and beyond on a clear day. Yesterday was one of those majestic days at Crawfordsburn where the spring sunshine shimmered on Belfast lough reflecting a warm glow of happiness throughout the whole park! We decided on the coastal walk as we had Ted (our dog) with us. We walked all the way from the park itself to past Carnalea Golf Course, this walk winds all the way up the coast. There's plenty of benches to to stop at and plenty of places for you to get a photo of Belfast Lough in all it's glory (as you've probably seen from my uploads). The park itself has seen a good bit of investment recently with new picnic tables being installed and the welcome addition of a play area that doubles as a nature reserve. There's toilet facilities and plenty of parking (at least 3 car parks). Yesterday there was an ice cream van parked on the grassy area by the beach but he only comes out when the sun is shining. All in all this is a fantastic place for a walk on a sunny day, beware of summer bank holidays as it's known for drinking but otherwise it's a wholesome day out for everyone with loads to see and do!

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.

I have known about this place for a long time but this is the first time that I have visited here…read moreand I have to say that I realise that I have been missing out . It is one of the most tranquil parks that I have ever visited there is an air of peace about it which is obvious by the number of people who were sitting reading the paper or just enjoying the peace and quiet..it is also dog friendly and the cafe not only provides refreshments for two legged folk but there are also bowls of water for our four legged friends . The nice thing about this place is that it will be forever changing so that it is impossible to get bored with the scenery. I would certainly recommend a walk round this place as it will truly lift your spirt and even transport you back to a victorian era.

Oh wow. Bangor's Walled Garden is incredibly stunning on a beautiful summer's day. I should know. I…read morevisited it on possibly the best day in August , and was struck by the hard work that had gone into recreating the original Victorian Walled Garden that stood there 170 years. Located, just beside Castle Park, you'll notice the various signs pointing you in the right direction. Should that fail, head up to Castle Park, get onto a path and look and see if there's a yellow spray painted line on the tarmac. We noticed that if you follow it, you'll end up at the Walled Garden...it's almost a case of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", eh? Once you arrive, you'll be extravagantly greeted by the a carpet of various types of plants and flowers. There's an arched walkway cutting right through the garden, highlighted by an avenue of lime trees. The focal point is a pretty fountain which has a series of benches dotted around it, so you can sit and watch the world go by. Ahhh... There are four separate areas of the garden, the first being a beautifully landscaped flower patch with a variety of colourful blooms laid out in different shapes. The second area is a vegetable garden, with the likes of pumpkins, courgettes, carrots and onions planted in this section. The third and fourth areas are not quite so easy to distinguish (but then I'm not exactly green-fingered...with the exception of my aqua coloured nail varnish), but the leaflet I picked up from the TIC informed me that there's a swamp garden (which I think is beside the greenhouse), and a herb garden (which is just as you come in, though I thought they were weeds...oops!) An absolutely stunning place to come to on a sunny day, and even more beneficial for those of you who know their begonias from their buttercups...

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.