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 one of Belfast's lesser known spots for a walk. Lady Dixon as its fondly known is awash…read morewith trees and flower gardens, it's especially scenic in autumn when the trees begin to change colour. The park itself is located on the Upper Malone Road and is well sign posted from the city's main highways. There's great parking and our four legged friends are more than welcome in the park. You could see the whole park in about 30 minutes but likewise you could spend all day navigating the different gardens. Gardening enthusiasts will find the perfectly pruned flower gardens particularly interesting. There's a coffee house at the far side of the garden but unfortunately we didn't make it that far. It really is s lovely spot for an afternoon walk. Who needs to pay in to a National Trust park when you've got Lady Dixon on your doorstep!

Lady Dixon Park is the perfect place for Saturday afternoon picnics, Sunday strolls and great place…read moreto walk the dog. The park itself is very well kept with cut grass and perfectly maintained rose gardens. There is lots of different sections to this park and many picnic tables so you will have no problem finding the perfect spot for your picnic. If you have come unprepared there is a coffee shop on the grounds somewhere (I'm not sure where though) so you should be able to grab a coffee for your walk. Great park especially on the rare occasion when the sun is shinning!

I have been wanting to get a good look around this park for years, as I have driven past Musgrave…read morepark many times. Finally had the chance today, but I only managed half an hour around the sensory garden. There were quirky carved table and chairs for picnics. Herb garden/allotments and a play area with a whispering wall. Good sized car park too. I will definitely go back to walk around the perimeter.

Musgrave Park is somewhere I've visited since I've been old enough to ride a bicycle. I remember…read moregoing down here with my mates from when I was about 10 years old, with a football in a plastic bag swinging from my bikes handlebars and everyone cycling like mad with the knowledge that 'last to the park does nets first'! With vast open spaces, beautiful gardens, bowling greens, tennis courts, football pitches and 'big high trees' this place was the perfect place for me to enjoy my youth until my dinner was ready, and sometimes after if I had my homework done! It is the perfect space for everyone of all ages to enjoy, and can be anything you want it to be, from somewhere for kids to play and run around, for a quiet, tranquil place to collect your thoughts, for a relaxing game of bowls, Musgrave is very well looked after and is a treasure in an area of Belfast surrounded by motorways, busy roads and densely populated neighbourhoods. A special mention must go to the stunning gardens in the park, well worth a walk around in the sunny weather and a great place to get away from the bustle and bustle of city life.

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.

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.

Mesmerisingly beautiful forest park located in South Belfast which is less cultivated and more…read morenatural in style. Really comes into its own during autumn when leaves turn golden. There are numerous trails to follow whether your walking, running or just aimlessly wandering. The air is filled with birdsong and sounds of running water from the Lagan River; I never listen to music or podcasts when walking through Belvoir as the sounds of nature are so relaxing. This is fast becoming one of my favourite locations in Belfast.

Let me start by clarifying the name of this forest park. Despite the spelling, its name is…read morepronounced 'Beaver'. Yes, it's odd I know. So, anyhoo, it's got an odd name, what else can I tell you about Belvoir? Well, it's a beautiful green space close to the centre of Belfast and in my experience, one that not that many people know about. Obviously, there is plenty of space taken over by lush green trees and shrubs which is ideal for kids and dogs. I think dogs are meant to be kept on leads but not everyone sticks to that and as long as the dogs behave, no-one gets too bent out of shape. There's also a river running through the forest park which dogs can splash about in although I don't let the kids go in it as I have a little bit of a rat phobia. Squirrels are everywhere, so take some nuts and they will come quite close to you to eat them. Cultured types will also be interested in the historical aspects of the forest like the 12th century motte. More simple types like me will just enjoy the fresh air, the greenery and the squirrels.

Falls Road is very personal to some of us. Please do not call the war that occurred in Ireland,…read more"the Troubles." Some find it quite insulting, especially when there are still family members alive, on both sides, who lost family, brothers, husbands, to the barrel of a gun. That was a civil war, make no mistake. Also, many just call it Falls Road, not the Garden of Remembrance. To others it is a tourist stop to look at the murals that the traveler may or may not understand and my get wrong information concerning the area depending on who is telling you about it. The divide between the oppressed Catholic in the area and the Protestant side is still alive and these wounds run deep, for both sides. There was a war that occurred in Ireland, not " troubles." Trouble is not being able to get your car started, it is not looking down at the barrel of a gun, being detained because you look like one of "Catholic trouble makers" or one of those "Ulster trouble makers." When people die by the thousands over years of conflict that is not "trouble." So, please stop watering it down for all concerned. The murals are amazing. Some are of more recent political events, but most celebrate the life of IRA men and women and other Nationalists who attempted to unite Ireland--remove it from UK control. Regardless of what you may think of the people depicted on the murals they are an amazing thing to see. For me they are a very emotional thing to see, to others they are a wonderful way to take a look at history and recent political events that led someone to paint a mural about it. Falls Road continues to Milltown Cemetery where 3 of the hunger strikers died in 1981. These men gave their lives for their beliefs. Whether you agree with their decisions is something you can ponder as you look at their graves. Men like Bobby Sands, a hunger striker, is still talked about today as a man of great Irish pride. He authored a book while in prison and died "on the blanket" (hunger strike) while at the prison. There is a peace agreement today as has been since the IRA called "end to war" and the Good Friday Agreement was executed. None the less, tension sometimes run high and you can feel it in the air. The people that want The North for the UK and those that want the North for Ireland. If I were you I would read a little bit about this before you go so you have an idea of what you are seeing and please don't buy a book that mentions "The Troubles", that will tell you straight away that it has a slant, a position, a pro UK position. Try to find something more neutral. Please be respectful while there.

Just because I'm giving the Garden of Remembrance 5 stars in Belfast doesn't mean I'm a supporter…read moreof the IRA or terrorists. I give it 5 stars to encourage you to visit it: it's not prominently advertised as an "attraction" on Falls Road, but I found it to be one of the most moving monuments on my journey down into this deeply troubled part of the city: it made me think carefully about what separates a "freedom fighter" from a "terrorist." Modern day media paints terrorists as evil doers who care very little about harming innocent people. As you stare blindly into the painted faces and photographs on this mural wall, a chill will go down your back. These lovely faces and their families and businesses and lives inextricably bound to this gridded portion of Belfast....are these freedom fighters who stood up for inequities or are they brutal terrorists using fear tactics to get their own way? And then the thought: they're one and the same. Very little separates the two. History repeats itself time and time again. Take some time to walk around this little garden off Falls Road near the Conway Mills. It will shake you.

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.

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.

CS Lewis Square is not much more than a small park. However, it is free to enter and roam as well…read moreas filled with a handful of statues which bring figures of his Chronicles of Narnia to life. I came in the morning and was effectively the only person around. I spent about 15-20 minutes in total walking around, attempting to take the perfect pictures, and otherwise admiring the work. If I knew folks heading to Belfast, I would recommend they try to work in a visit, especially if they were already in the area. I would not advise drastically changing your schedule to incorporate nor spending heavy for transit to get there if it were significantly out of the way. Hopefully that guidance helps in planning if you should or should not plan a visit!

We stopped by CS Lewis Square during our vacation. It is a nice dedication to CS Lewis. There are a…read morefew unique art/statue pieces dedicated to his different stories. There isn't a lot here but it's cool to get some really nice pictures. It doesn't cost anything and takes no more than 15 minutes to see each of the statues. Well worth getting off the bus walking over to it taking a look and waiting for the next bus. Especially if you are a CS Lewis fan.