The Mall in Armagh is a centrally located green park. It has a lovely tree lined walkway and is…read morefrequently used for cricket and local events. There was a brilliant Viking battle played out last year on the Mall for the Brian Boru 2014 Festival and a Viking village pitched their tents for a few days. Other events occur throughout the year. It's not the largest of parks but very pleasant none the less. Also has some interesting public art sculptures. In addition it's surrounded by some beautiful listed Georgian houses and buildings.

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.

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 an excellent park. It suits all age groups from youngest of the young to the elder folk!!!…read morePlenty of well kept flower beds, the place is spotless and lots to see and do. Love the lake but didn't get to see the inside of the Pavillion. Great toddlers play area and there are tennis courts and bowling green. There are also tables on which one can Bbq. The colours of the flowers and kiddies play area are wonderful and this is a wonderful gift left by Sir Frederick Adair in 1909.

Great place to camp! Beautiful scenery, a lake and a castle…read moreon the grounds. Big field where you can pick where to pitch your tent. Friendly wardens. A small cafe on the grounds. Absolutely lovely!

The sun doesn't even have to be shining to put the massive grounds of Castlewellan to good use…read more There is quite a bit of natural shelter from wind and rain. When it is sunny however this place gets very busy, especially by the lake where people don't just picnic - and indeed BBQ - but kayak, fish, walk, cycle, and bring their dogs for a swim. There are plenty of amenities on site or very nearby, such as plenty of parking, clean public bathrooms, a small cafe, and a large shop within easy walking distance. There is also a huge maze for you to try and find your way out of and that alone could take up a good hour. Entrance fee per car is £4.50 - a bargain for a full day's outing. Tip: there are some rubbish bins but not a lot; people tend to take their rubbish with them. The grounds are kept exceptionally clean.

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.

A long walk through the atmospheric Peatlands Park is a refreshing way to blow away winter cobwebs…read more There's nowhere else like this park that I know of in Northern Ireland. It's a vast, flat, beautiful, haunting wilderness filled with an array of plants and wildlife. I love the wooden walkways which go right over the bog itself. Visiting Peatlands feels like an adventure and it's perfect to visit at any time of the year. There's free parking and entry, however this is a massive stretch of land which can be quite deserted in wintertime so for safety always make sure you're with someone.

This is one of my favourite places in Northern Ireland, the forest is well maintained and cared for…read moreby the workers. Recently whole sections of the forest had to be cut down but I've been told new trees will be planted. Situated in Newcastle the views from the top of the hills are magnificent....you can see right down to the town and the sea. It costs £5 entrance fee for a car, however we have a yearly pass which is £50, this allows unlimited visits to Tollymore and also Castlewellan and Gosford country parks if I remember correctly. There are several toilet blocks, lots of car parking and usually a chip van and Ice cream van (more so at weekends and holidays). There is also a caravan/camping site which is reasonably priced and who wouldnt enjoy waking up to a view of the Mournes. Definitely worth a visit if you fancy a change from busy shops and towns.

We recently took an impromptu drive from Bangor to Tollymore Forest Park. It took us about 1hour…read more30mins to get there, however I'm not convinced we took the quickest route. We went through Belfast, but later were told we should have gone through Comber & Downpatrick. Anyhoo.....when we arrived it was definitely worth the drive! It cost us £5 per car, paid on arrival to the car park attendant. We packed a picnic and as we had 2 dogs with us tried to find a more secluded place away from the crowds so set down our blanket. This was easily done due to the vast scale of the place. You aren't required to stick to the path so we ventured off and found some lovely grassy areas where our dogs could play and we didn't have to worry about them approaching other walkers. I didn't see any signs saying to keep dogs on a lead, so we didn't. We came across other walkers that did, and we seemed to get some funny looks. However we also saw other dogs off the lead so as far as we were concerned we were doing nothing wrong. I would recommend to keep your dog on the lead in the busier picnic areas if they aren't well trained. The scenery in Tollymore is simply stunning. There is a real medieval feel to the place. Big stone castle like walls with turrets.....wide rivers, bridges, lakes, gardens....you name it! The backdrop of the Mourne Mountains just makes it even more perfect. You can normally find a little ice cream van in the car park, selling crisps etc aswell. But from what I saw you can't get any sort of substantial meal so definitely bring a picnic if you are planning on spending some time here. However there is always the option to take the short 5min drive into the centre of Newcastle town for a sit down meal if that's what you are after. There is also a large public toilet block in the carpark. Not much to say about them.....they are public afterall, you shouldn't expect anything gleaming. I will definitely be visiting Tollymore alot more over the coming summer months. It's a treat!

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.