Parks & Gardens
Relax and unwind in the great outdoors; pack a picnic and visit one of North Down's forest parks or explore the newly opened Bangor Castle Walled Garden. You can get around the borough by bus, train or car - it's your choice!
Balloo Nature Reserve
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Access via Innotec Drive, off Balloo Road, next to Signal Centre of Business Excellence.
Bangor
Facilities: DA,P,F
A new attraction made up of two reserves- woodland and a wetland. Balloo Wetland consists of two large ponds that will provide a home to a variety of wildlife including plants, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, newts, frogs and much more. It has a circular boardwalk path that is pram and wheelchair friendly, a bird hide and a picnic area. Balloo Woodland is full of mature native trees and woodland plant life, with a small pond to provide a home to some watery wildlife too. Some of the species to look out for include oak, speckled wood butterfly, goldfinch and foxglove.
Ballymenoch Park
Use Bangor Road or Croft Park, Holywood.
Facilities: WC,P,F
Wander among the twenty acres of woodland and lush parkland which boasts beautiful chestnut trees. Great fun can be had at the children’s playground, and collecting conkers amongst the leafy wood. Open all year.
Bangor Castle Walled Garden
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Valentine Road, Castle Park, Bangor
Facilities: DA,P,F
The Ward family designed the Castle Park Walled Garden in the 1840s. It was never open to the public and was considered by many as a secret garden! Council restored the Garden and opened it as a visitor attraction in April 2009. The 1.5 acre site has four distinct sections—the kitchen garden, the herb and topiary garden, the swamp garden and the flower garden. It boasts two unique pieces of sculpture inspired by North Down’s maritime history. Seating throughout the garden make it the perfect place to relax and enjoy a few moments peace and quiet.
Open seasonally. Call Bangor Tourist Information for times.
Cairnwood
Ballysallagh Road, Craigantlet.
Holywood
Facilities: P,F
Get away from it all or go orienteering in the hilly hinterland of Holywood among the conifers of this elevated forest overlooking Ballysallagh trout-fishing reservoirs with views of Clandeboye, Bangor, the coast of Antrim and even Scotland.
Opening Hours: Accessible all year.
Castle Park
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Castle Park Avenue, Bangor
Facilities: DA,R,WC,P,F,S
A walk through this wooded wonderland is an exhilarating experience throughout the seasons. Obtain the ‘Castle Park Nature Trail’ Guide from North Down Museum and follow the arrowed pathways. Stroll along the tree-lined avenue to explore the formal gardens of the Town Hall. Examine the sundial in the forecourt, believed to be of 8th century monastic origin. Explore the Arboretum on the south side of the Town Hall, which contains a fine collection of mature conifers and deciduous trees. Both the Town Hall and North Down Museum are located within Castle Park grounds.
Crawfordsburn Country Park
Tel: 028 9185 3621
Entrance at Bridge Road South, Helen’s Bay,3 miles west of Bangor.
Facilities: DA,R,WC,P,F,S
Head for Ulster’s most popular country park to relish its 3.5 km of lovely beaches and riverside rambles. One of the waymarked nature trails takes walkers through a deep wooded glen to the waterfall near The Old Inn (Ireland’s oldest, established 1614) in lovely Crawfordsburn village via a towering railway viaduct. The excellent Visitor Centre has exhibitions on the park’s wildlife and provides free Waymarked Trail maps. The panoramic café is famed for home-style cooking. This park is a great natural treasure. Admission to the Park is free.
Opening times and general information for the Park and the Visitor Centre
Glen Lyon Park
Church Road, near Demesne Road, Holywood
Facilities: P, F
Watch wildlife in eleven acres of woodland set along the steep banks of the quaintly named Twistle Burn, including a picnic area.
Opening Hours: Accessible all year.
Redburn Country Park
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T: 028
9185 2439
Entrances on Old Holywood Road, 1 mile from Holywood centre.
Facilities: P,F
Be prepared for an energetic climb up the waymarked trails of this steep park to enjoy great views of Belfast Lough from the Holywood escarpment. The dense canopy of beech wood is particularly spectacular in spring. Red squirrels now scamper around the disused Bear Pit of the former private zoo kept by the original owners, the Dunville whiskey-distilling family.
Opening Hours: Accessible all year.
Ward Park
T: 028 9145 8773 (bowls/putting) T: 028 9145 7177 (tennis)
Between Hamilton Road and Castle Street car park at Park Drive, Bangor.
Facilities: DA,WC,P,F
Feed the waterfowl and exotic birds in one of Ireland’s most delightful town parks. Waterside walks, ten tennis courts, famous bowling greens, a tricky putting green and an excellent activity playground for children make this an all-age attraction. Park accessible all year.
Opening Hours: Sports: Easter-Sept, 7 days. Charge for games.