This is a lovely vibrant buzzing area of Belfast with great pubs with live music, I would recommend…read morethe thirsty goat and I hear the dirty onion is good but we couldn't get in with children after a certain time and restaurants I would recommend granny Annie's , there's lovely outdoor seating areas with overhanging umbrellas and benches to enjoy a Guinness in the sunshine.

History and modern clash here in the Cathedral Quarter which is in the shadow of Belfast's Saint…read moreAnne's Cathedral. I spent most of my time along Hill Street but there's more. The narrow cobblestone alleyways are lined with classic pubs, fashionable bars and a spectrum of restaurants for different tastes and budgets. Many of the walls here are covered with street art, either sanctioned or unsanctioned. This makes for a colorful (colourful?) tour as you stumble from one drinking establishment to the next. Thankfully, my hotel was not too far away from Hill Street so I didn't have to stumble too far after enjoying drinks in the Dirty Onion and the Dark Horse the Garrick bar and the Duke of York. Lots of traditional Irish music, some whiskey, some Guinness and more. Don't miss the Yardbird which smelled amazing with their rotisserie chicken cooking. [Review 1994 of 2024 - 896 in United Kingdom - 23016 overall]

This aptly named 'Writer's Square' area of the magnificent St Anne's church courtyard was…read moretransformed for one night only in to a Mecca of arts and culture where various stalls, tents and stands were set up and all displayed their various wares, arts, skills and events all in relation to Culture Night. There were a number of interesting, fun stalls where you could get henna tattoos or get your face painted or pick up information about the various charities and events relating to Culture Night around Cathedral Quarter. There was live music playing throughout the night as well as a miniature stage show from 'Leon and the place Between' which will be debuted at the Belfast Festival at Queens. Any one who missed this night should be well prepared for next year as it seems to be growing and flourishing in to a fantastic event on the Belfast calendar. It was here I discovered the publication 'Belfast Flags of Hope' which is a fascinating and great publication by The Thomas Devlin Fund. This group was set up to commemorate the young school boy (Devlin) who was viciously murdered on his way home from the shop, one summer night, five years ago. The fund provides financial support for teens involved in creative and musical ventures. The 'Flags of Hope' idea was thought up by local artist Raymond Watson who wanted to represent the aspirations of school children in the fight for the hope of a day where sectarianism no longer exists. This scheme touched my heart as I was at school with Dev and I think it's great to see even a glimmer of good coming out of his death.

I am so lucky to live beside this part of the National Cycle Network and use it frequently…read more Running from the city centre to Comber along an old disused railway line the Greenway is always a hive of activity with commuting and leisure cyclists, dog walkers and just those wanting to 'take the air'. This traffic-free route also has some stunning views of the famous cranes of Harland and Wolff and also of the fields towards Comber. My favourite stretch has to be when the hedges open up near the Comber end, with rolling hills and Scrabo Tower in the distance, which is the quieter end of the route. Be careful cycling up here though, as at certain times of the year there are loads of rabbits playing about in this area, my biggest count was 23 on one morning!

This is right next to where I work and I've been meaning to check it out properly for the last year…read moreor so and just never really got around to it. As of this week I've started doing alternate days of power walking at lunchtime as I've not been exercising for far too long, and I'm so lucky to have Comber Greenway on my doorstep! This is a 7 mile section through East Belfast on what used to be a railway line. It is absolutely stunning, so peaceful, you forget you are still in Belfast!

I have been going for walks at Island Hill for many more years than I care to remember and I have…read morenow reached the stage in life when I take my own nippers there for some fresh sea air and a little bit of old fashioned exercise. The most exciting thing for children is that there is an actual island which is cut off at high tide, with a concrete walk way linking it to the land. So depending on when you visit, you may have a clearly exposed path to the island, a path just above the water or no path at all! When you can cross the walkway, you can get onto the island, which while tiny, still seems very exciting for children. There's a car park, toilets and a few picnic tables so if we ever get a nice warm sunny day you could happily spend a few hours at Island Hill. The views across Strangford are stunning, so it's a good little spot to take visitors to Belfast and let them see some great scenery.

Island Hill is a local secret. It's a little island with a circumference of about half a kilometre…read more There is a clear walkway around the island if you want to stay on dry land or you can walk along the shore. The fun part of Island Hill is that it's sometimes closed -there is only one way out to the island and when the tide is in that walk way gets totally submerged. To get out to the island you have to walk, often on a slippery path that is only broad enough for a bicycle or a horse. This can only be reached at particular times during the day as it will flood over and anyone who is on the island will have to either, swim, call the coast guard or wait the tide out. This sounds far fetched but people do get stuck out there. The views around Island Hill on a nice day are beautiful with Scrabo Tower on the hill to your left and Strangford waters all around. The car park has a grand Totum pole and other pieces or art on the cemented flood barriers. There are also picnic tables that are often used by families on sunny days. I walk my dog here at least once a week and so far I have avoided getting stranded on the island but I have had to roll up my trousers and wade back a few times. It's a lovely place to clear your head, look at the birds, and to poke the strange miniscule crabs and the large purple jellyfish that wash up.

Exploris the Portaferry Aquarium is currently closed but that's not all there is to do in…read morePortaferry. On Saturday we took a day trip to Portaferry and we walked the Portaferry Trail along the harbour and past the historic Portaferry Castle. To be perfectly honest I didn't know this trail existed until we actually got to Portaferry (some promotion is needed). the trail is about 1.5 miles in total and it allows you to take in views of the breathtaking Strangford lough whilst also providing cultural and historical insights in to Portaferry town. This is an unmanned trail, you can pick up literature about the trail at the tourist information centre but apart from that you'e on your own. In all fairness the trail is well signposted with brass/bronze signs guiding the way. In terms of parking you can either park behind Exploris or near the ferry. There are no facilities on the tour, you'll have to find somewhere to grab refreshments in Portaferry town it's only a short walk so don't worry. This is a really nice scenic tour - perfect for a day trip. We brought the dog, although there's not much greenery for your four legged pals to enjoy so I suggest keeping them on the lead!

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!

Carnmoney Hill (Named from the Irish - Carn Monaidh, meaning 'cairn of the bog) is a beautiful…read morewoodland area which offers a range of walking routes. In 1996 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve. There are over 57,000 native trees planted here, which mean this one of the largest native woodland creation projects in Northern Ireland. On offer is an array of nature; flowers, birds, insects, wildlife, ponds, there's also a children's play area and an old Victorian well. You can choose to follow one of three paths, the red being the longest and the blue is the shortest. The paths lead you to areas either wooded or clear, hilly or flat, gentle or tough going. Choose between a gentle stroll around the foot of Carnmoney Hill; a lower woodland walk (red - lasting about half an hour: this option is better for the less able) or you can try the hilltop walk (blue - takes one hour plus) go on be a daredevil and climb to the top, take in the gorgeous scenic views on offer covering the whole of Belfast, if you're lucky on a clear day you can see even as far as The Mournes. It's a great walk for taking the dog out, also very popular with mountain bikers. The climb can be steep so watch your footing, wear proper boots. Carnmoney Hill is a hugely recognisable landmark around the area. Once you've been up to the top, when you see it from afar you can think, oh wow, I've been all the way up to the top of that. Go me! For a bit of folklore, it's said the wife of Henry Joy McCracken hid out here after her husband was tried for treason and hanged in Cornmarket in 1798. If you listen carefully on a misty evening you can hear the cries of her ghost!

Took my two daughters on a wee trek here and must say we thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a bit…read moredemanding for an 8 and 4 year old but my girls loved it- we had a picnic and plenty of water!! Some interesting sites and ruins and great views.....and it's free!!!!

A beautiful city in a beautiful land. Belfast is steeped in history. It's a city that's divided…read morebetween Protestants and Catholics. I mistakenly thought the city had moved on from this reality. While the casual visitor might miss this it's still apparent if you scratch the surface. We found all the population to be kind nonetheless.

This City!! It's seen so many troubles!! (Yeah- pun intended!) and yet the spirit of the people…read morewho live here - passionate and wry with that ironic sense of humor- is what also makes this city great! There are so many iconic and interesting places to tour. Plus the food is fantastic! If you are a fan of seafood - the abundance and freshness found here will make both your wallet happy and your stomach sing! My one advice - take a Black Cab tour! There is no better way to get acquainted with this city and then of course you can also use this city as a base to discover the Antrim Coast and all those places Games of Thrones filmed at, and hence made famous. Yelp 134/ 2019