Best places to run in Northern Ireland

• Altnaheglish Reservoir

  lake

  A peaceful reservoir at the head of Banagher Glen reached by a forest road climb, a quiet turnaround point with views over the Sperrins.

• An Creagán

  nature reserve

  Visitor centre with the 3.4-mile Forest and River Trail and a biodiversity trail crossing rare raised bog rich in wildlife.

• Antrim Castle Gardens

  gardens

  A 400-year-old garden with the Italian Tower and Yew Tree Pond beside the Six Mile Water, a gentle starting point for the Lough Neagh loughshore loop.

• Antrim Lough Shore Park

  country park

  A lakeside park on the shore of Lough Neagh, Ireland's largest lake, with easy level paths for a relaxed waterside walk or jog.

• Ballintoy Harbour

  harbour

  A picturesque little harbour amid sea stacks and rocky pools reached by a steep winding road, the gateway to wild clifftop and beach walking.

• Ballyronan Wood

  nature reserve

  A small wet woodland on the western shore of Lough Neagh with a yellow-waymarked loop past the loughshore and marina rich in waterbirds.

• Banagher Glen

  glen

  A steep ancient oak-wooded glen with a surfaced road climbing past waterfalls and bridges to Altnaheglish Reservoir and Banagher Dam, home to red squirrels.

• Barnes Gap

  viewpoint

  A dramatic ice-carved mountain pass with panoramic views over West Tyrone, on the steep Craignamaddy Circuit walk.

• Barnett Demesne

  park

  The wooded estate grounds of Georgian Malone House, with meadow and woodland trails linking to the Lagan Towpath and Mary Peters Track.

• Bay Road Park

  park

  A riverside wetland park on the west bank of the Foyle whose flat paths link the city centre to the Foyle Bridge for an easy loop.

• Beaghmore Stone Circles

  landmark

  A complex of seven Bronze Age stone circles, rows and cairns set on heather moorland, reached by a quiet 5km Sperrins road loop.

• Belfast Castle

  landmark

  A baronial sandstone castle and estate at the foot of Cave Hill, a popular starting point for walkers with terraced gardens and wooded paths.

• Belfast's Window on Wildlife

  nature reserve

  An RSPB lagoon reserve on the harbour edge with grazing konik ponies and bird hides, a flat birdwatching stop near the lough shore.

• Belvoir Park Forest

  forest park

  A mature woodland and arboretum with redwoods and a 12th-century Norman motte, threaded by forest paths down to the banks of the Lagan.

• Ben Crom Reservoir

  reservoir

  A wild upper reservoir reached by a roughly 10km track walk past the Binnian Tunnel, ringed by some of the most dramatic Mourne scenery.

• Benbradagh

  mountain

  A distinctive flat-topped Roe Valley mountain climbed via the old American Road, a steady upland ascent with wide views over Dungiven and the Sperrins.

• Big Dog Forest

  forest

  A 1,000-hectare upland conifer forest of tracks that opens out around the upland lake Lough Nabrickboy, with red deer and herons.

• Binevenagh

  mountain

  A flat-topped basalt mountain with dramatic cliffs and a steep forest climb rewarding runners with panoramic views over Lough Foyle, the Magilligan Peninsula and across to Scotland.

• Blackhead Path

  coastal path

  A delightful circular cliff path from Whitehead around to the Blackhead lighthouse at County Antrim's most easterly point.

• Bloody Bridge

  landmark

  A historic coastal site where the Mourne Coastal Footpath meets the Brandy Pad, with a short rugged river-valley path up from the sea.

• Blue Lough

  lake

  A small mountain lough on gentle tracks below Slieve Lamagan and Annalong Wood, an easy introduction to the high Mournes atmosphere.

• Bog Meadows Nature Reserve

  nature reserve

  An urban wetland oasis of meadows, reedbeds and ponds beside the M1, with 2.5 miles of easy flat paths rich in butterflies and birdlife.

• Brackfield Wood

  wood

  An ancient Woodland Trust wood beside the River Faughan with riverside paths, part of the Faughan Valley trail network.

• Brandy Pad

  trail

  An old smugglers' path traversing the central Mournes between Hare's Gap and the coast, one of Ireland's finest ridge-level walks with little climbing.

• Camlough Lake

  lake

  A long reservoir below Camlough Mountain with a lochside footpath giving flat, easy running and fine views across the water within the Ring of Gullion.

• Camlough Mountain

  mountain

  A 423m peak with a steep, uneven climb from the village rewarded by uninterrupted views over Newry, Carlingford Lough and Slieve Gullion.

• Camowen River

  river

  A river curving through Omagh with the riverside Camowen path forming part of the town's Highway to Health walking route.

• Carnlough Harbour

  harbour

  A pretty 19th-century limestone harbour with its old railway bridge, a charming waterside pause on the coastal route through the Glens.

• Carntogher

  mountain

  A historic mountain above the Glenshane Pass with the waymarked Carntogher Way climbing heathery, sometimes boggy slopes to a summit with views to Donegal and the Mournes.

• Carr's Glen Linear Park

  glen

  A wooded glen following the Milewater Stream on the lower slopes of Cave Hill, a quiet leafy route linking into the country park.

• Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

  bridge

  A swaying rope bridge to a tiny island reached by a bracing 1.4-mile clifftop path with spectacular off-the-beaten-track sea views.

• Carrigatuke

  viewpoint

  A 365m hilltop viewpoint with a trig pillar giving one of the area's most photographed panoramas, from the Mournes to the Sperrins and over the Ring of Gullion.

• Castle Caldwell Forest

  forest

  Lakeshore forest trails past the eerie ruins of Castle Caldwell and an old lime-kiln, on a wooded peninsula into Lower Lough Erne.

• Castle Coole

  park

  700 acres of historic parkland with a gentle lake walk around Lough Coole and a beech-wood trail past the neoclassical mansion.

• Castle Espie

  nature_reserve

  A Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve on Strangford Lough with woodland walks, tidal lagoons and reed beds rich in water-birds.

• Castlewellan Forest Park

  forest_park

  Home to a Victorian castle, an arboretum and a lakeside circuit past the Moorish Tower, plus the famous yew-tree Peace Maze.

• Castlewellan Lake

  lake

  A scenic lake with a flat 2.4-mile lakeside loop through the forest park, perfect for an easy run with Mourne backdrops.

• Causeway Coast Way

  waymarked trail

  A 33-mile waymarked coastal route from Portstewart Strand to Ballycastle linking the Giant's Causeway, beaches and clifftops, regarded as one of the finest long walks in Ireland.

• Cave Hill

  hill

  A 368m basalt hill above Belfast with a steep, unsurfaced circular climb to McArt's Fort and panoramic views, a tough but rewarding ascent.

• Cave Hill Country Park

  country park

  Belfast's signature basalt hill rising to 368m, with a forested, steadily climbing 5km loop from Belfast Castle up to moorland and panoramic city views.

• Cladagh Glen

  glen

  A waymarked riverside path threads a limestone river gorge past cascading waterfalls and cliffs from the Cladagh River up to the Marble Arch itself.

• Clare Glen

  glen

  A wooded river glen between Tandragee and Markethill with a 2.2-mile circular trail following the river past a waterfall, some upper paths steep, beautiful with bluebells and wild garlic in spring.

• Colin Glen Forest Park

  forest park

  A 200-acre wooded river glen known as Belfast's 'green lung', with colour-coded trails mixing flat ground and lung-busting climbs.

• Comber Greenway

  trail

  A flat 11km traffic-free path along the old Belfast-to-Comber railway, an easy straight run or walk with green surroundings.

• Correl Glen Nature Reserve

  nature reserve

  A nature trail through damp wooded riverine glen along the Sillees River, climbing onto heath with views down to Carrick Lough.

• Craigavon Bridge

  bridge

  A distinctive double-deck bridge over the River Foyle with walkable footways that tie the west-bank and Waterside riverside paths into a loop.

• Craigavon Lakes

  lake

  Two large balancing lakes ringed by a flat, surfaced 3-mile path on National Cycle Route 9, with extra wooded trails for longer runs.

• Craigmore Viaduct

  bridge

  The tallest viaduct in Ireland, an 18-arch granite railway bridge over the Camlough River valley with a short walk running beneath its arches.

• Crawfordsburn Country Park

  country_park

  A coastal park with two sandy beaches, a waterfall and woodland glen trails overlooking Belfast Lough.

• Creggan Country Park

  country_park

  A 100-acre site of three freshwater lakes, woodland and wildflower meadows just minutes from the city centre, with lakeside walking and angling paths.

• Crom Estate

  park

  A National Trust nature reserve on Upper Lough Erne with quiet trails through ancient oak woodland and lake shore, home to red squirrels and pine martens.

• Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail

  trail

  The famous "Stairway to Heaven" boardwalk and steep steps climb across blanket bog to the 665m Cuilcagh summit ridge, Fermanagh's highest, with six-county views.

• Cuilcagh Mountain

  mountain

  At 665m the county's highest peak, a tough rugged moorland climb above the boardwalk rewarding walkers with vast views over the Lakelands.

• Cushendun Caves

  coastal path

  Red sandstone sea caves reached by a short shoreline walk, a quirky landmark on the coastal route between Cushendall and Cushendun.

• Dart Mountain

  mountain

  A rugged 619m Sperrin summit often linked with neighbouring Sawel on a demanding ridge loop over wild open moorland.

• Davagh Forest

  forest park

  Forest with riverside and trail networks plus the 3.4km Solar Walk linking the dark-sky observatory to Bronze Age stone circles.

• Delamont Country Park

  country_park

  A parkland estate above Strangford Lough with grassland and woodland loops and shoreline views, suited to easy runs and family walks.

• Derrymore House

  estate

  A National Trust demesne of over 100 acres of parkland and woodland around a thatched cottage orne, with tracks giving easy walks and panoramic views of the Mournes and Ring of Gullion.

• Devenish Island

  landmark

  A monastic island reached by summer ferry, walkable around a 12th-century round tower, ruined abbey and high cross set on green lough-side turf.

• Downhill Demesne

  landmark

  A National Trust estate of ruined mansion, walled gardens and clifftop paths climbing from the Black Glen past the Belvedere, offering rugged coastal scenery to explore on foot.

• Downhill Strand

  beach

  A long sandy Atlantic beach beneath the Mussenden cliffs, firm sand giving an open, exposed run with the temple silhouetted above.

• Drum Manor Forest Park

  forest park

  Around 300 hectares of mixed woodland, ornamental gardens and ponds on the southern foothills of the Sperrins with easy waymarked circular trails.

• Dungiven Priory

  landmark

  The atmospheric ruins of an Augustinian priory founded by the O'Cahan clan, sited above the River Roe and a fine focal point for a short heritage walk.

• Dunluce Castle

  castle

  A dramatic ruined castle perched on jagged cliffs, a striking landmark on the Causeway Coast Way between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway.

• Dunseverick Castle

  castle

  Ancient castle ruins on a basalt promontory marking a fine clifftop stretch of the Causeway Coast Way near White Park Bay.

• Ebrington Square

  landmark

  A vast open public square in a redeveloped former army barracks beside the Peace Bridge, a landmark gathering point on the Waterside riverside circuit.

• Enniskillen Castle

  landmark

  A 15th-century waterside fortress on the River Erne with a riverside walkway running alongside the water past moored boats.

• Ess-na-Larach

  waterfall

  A graceful tiered waterfall on the Glenariff gorge waterfall trail, the scenic highlight of the boardwalk loop.

• Fair Head

  cliff

  Northern Ireland's tallest cliff face, a wild clifftop circuit past Lough na Cranagh with dramatic views to Rathlin Island and Scotland.

• Florence Court Forest Park

  forest

  National Trust parkland and forest trails wind through woodland beneath Cuilcagh past the grand 18th-century house, with easy red and blue waymarked loops.

• Forthill Park

  park

  A hilltop town park with paths up to the Cole Monument, offering an easy climb and views out over Enniskillen and the loughs.

• Foyle Bridge

  bridge

  The high northern crossing of the Foyle with a footway, used to close the longer 9km city riverside loop via Bay Road Park.

• Free Derry Corner

  landmark

  An iconic free-standing gable wall in the Bogside surrounded by the People's Gallery murals, a powerful heritage stop on a city walk.

• Giant's Causeway

  coastal landmark

  A World Heritage site of interlocking basalt columns reached by clifftop and shoreline trails, the iconic turnaround point for any north-coast run or walk.

• Giant's Ring

  landmark

  A huge Neolithic earthwork henge on a sandy plateau in a loop of the Lagan, a striking historic waypoint on the Minnowburn circular walk.

• Glen River

  river

  A fast-flowing river with small waterfalls and deep pools that the Slieve Donard path climbs alongside from Donard Park.

• Glenariff Forest Park

  forest park

  The 'Queen of the Glens' with circular waymarked trails through gorge woodland to a string of waterfalls, ideal for a leg-stretching loop.

• Glenarm Forest

  forest

  Peaceful woodland trails in the former demesne of Glenarm Castle, an easy loop alive with red squirrels and birdsong.

• Goles Forest

  forest

  A circular forest walk climbing the hillside above the Glenelly River with intermittent views across the valley, a good moderate woodland loop.

• Gortin Glen Forest Park

  forest park

  Western gateway to the Sperrins with over 10km of colour-coded waymarked trails through conifer woodland, part of the route also following the Ulster Way.

• Gortmore Viewpoint

  viewpoint

  A roadside viewpoint on the Bishop's Road home to the Manannan Mac Lir sea-god sculpture, with sweeping views to Donegal and the start of the short Hell's Hole upland walk.

• Gosford Forest Park

  forest park

  A 240-hectare estate with 16km of multi-use trails winding past the vast 19th-century Gosford Castle, the Drumlack River and an arboretum, with herds of deer and red squirrels.

• Guildhall

  landmark

  An ornate neo-Gothic civic hall beside the Foyle and the city walls, a classic start and finish point for walled-city walking routes.

• Hanging Rock

  viewpoint

  A dramatic overhanging limestone cliff above damp ash woodland on the Marlbank Scenic Loop, a striking landmark to walk beneath.

• Hare's Gap

  mountain_pass

  A dramatic notch in the Mourne Wall reached via the Trassey Track, the gateway to Bearnagh and the central peaks and a classic photo stop.

• Hazelwood

  woods

  A woodland and nature reserve on the lower flanks of Cave Hill beside Belfast Zoo, with shaded paths feeding into the wider hill trails.

• Kearney

  coastal_path

  A National Trust coastal walk past whitewashed cottages at a fishing village on the Ards Peninsula tip, with rocky shore and seabirds.

• Kinbane Castle

  castle

  A windswept ruin on a narrow limestone headland reached by a steep 140-step descent, a rewarding short detour off the Causeway Coast Way.

• Knockagh Monument

  viewpoint

  The County Antrim war memorial on a high escarpment edge, a steep climb rewarded with sweeping views over Belfast Lough.

• Knockmany Forest

  forest park

  A hilltop forest above the Clogher Valley climbing to the Neolithic Knockmany passage tomb with panoramic views across south Tyrone.

• Lagan Meadows

  nature reserve

  A riverside local nature reserve of meadows and ponds beside the Lagan, with easy grassy trails good for a gentle off-road loop.

• Lagan Towpath

  towpath

  A flat, traffic-free riverside towpath along the River Lagan and part of the Ulster Way, perfect for easy fast running between Belfast and Lisburn.

• Lagan Weir Footbridge

  bridge

  A modern pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Lagan beside the Big Fish, linking the city centre to the Titanic Quarter on the Maritime Mile.

• Layd Church

  coastal path

  A 13th-century ruined church reached by a clifftop coastal path from Cushendall past Salmon Rock, with fine views over the Glens coast.

• Lough Fea

  lough

  A 180-acre upland lake in the Sperrins AONB with a flat, well-surfaced 4.15km shoreline loop, ideal for an easy run.

• Lough Navar Forest

  forest

  A vast west-Fermanagh conifer forest of tracks and trails leading to escarpment viewpoints high above Lower Lough Erne.

• Loughgall Country Park

  country park

  An orchard-county estate of farmland, woodland and a 37-acre lough with a flat two-mile Orchard Walk past Bramley apple orchards, ideal for an easy run.

• Lurgan Park

  park

  Ireland's second-largest urban park, with around 5km of paths looping a large lake through mature woodland and parkland below Brownlow House, a 3-mile easy circuit.

• Maghery Country Park

  country park

  A lakeshore park on the south-western corner of Lough Neagh with five kilometres of easy woodland and waterside walks rich in birdlife.

• Magho Viewpoint

  viewpoint

  A clifftop on the Cliffs of Magho escarpment nearly 1,000ft above the valley, with one of Ireland's finest panoramas over Lough Erne to the Donegal mountains.

• Magilligan Point

  coastal point

  The sandy tip of the Magilligan Peninsula where the Atlantic meets Lough Foyle, with dune boardwalks and a Martello tower at the end of a flat coastal walk.

• Marble Arch Caves

  landmark

  A UNESCO Global Geopark showcave whose surface woodland walks pass the natural Marble Arch and the Cladagh river rising.

• Marlbank Nature Reserve

  nature reserve

  A scenic-loop reserve taking in Hanging Rock cliff, Crossmurrin and Killykeeghan limestone grassland in the heart of cave country.

• McArt's Fort

  viewpoint

  The ancient promontory fort at Cave Hill's summit, perched above the 'Napoleon's Nose' cliff with sweeping views over the city and lough.

• Minnowburn

  woods

  Meadows and woodland rolling down to the Lagan on Belfast's southern edge, with gentle wooded climbs linking the river to Terrace Hill and the Giant's Ring.

• Mourne Wall

  landmark

  A 22-mile dry-stone wall linking fifteen summits, providing a striking man-made guide and a brutal challenge route for hill runners.

• Moydamlaght Forest

  forest

  A conifer forest with waymarked trails including the Eagle's Rock route climbing the slopes of Mullaghmore to the dramatic basalt cliff of Craig-na-shoke.

• Moyry Castle

  landmark

  A ruined 1601 square tower on a rocky knoll guarding the historic Gap of the North, reached by a short grassy track and a quick detour off the Ring of Gullion Way.

• Mullaghcarn

  mountain

  A 542m peak on the edge of Gortin Glen with a tarmac climb to the summit cairn and wide Sperrin views, the focus of the ancient Cairn Sunday hike.

• Mullaghclogha

  mountain

  A 635m Sperrin peak often combined with Sawel for a long, rugged ridge walk across heather and bog.

• Murlough Bay

  coastal path

  A secluded, steeply descending bay below Fair Head with shoreline and clifftop paths through some of the Glens' most remote scenery.

• Murlough National Nature Reserve

  nature_reserve

  Ireland's first nature reserve, a 6,000-year-old dune system with boardwalks leading to a long sandy beach at Dundrum Bay beneath the Mournes.

• Mussenden Temple

  landmark

  An iconic domed temple perched on a 120ft cliff edge above Downhill Strand, reached by a dramatic clifftop walk skirting the Downhill Demesne.

• Ness Country Park

  country_park

  55 hectares of woodland and riverside trails along the Burntollet River with a network of looped routes through ancient oak woods.

• Ness Waterfall

  waterfall

  Northern Ireland's highest waterfall, dropping through a wooded gorge into a plunge pool, the dramatic centrepiece of a run through Ness Wood.

• North Down Coastal Path

  trail

  A scenic shore path from Holywood to Crawfordsburn passing Grey Point Fort, Helen's Bay and Bangor's beaches with views to Belfast Lough.

• Oaks Wood

  wood

  A regenerating native woodland connected into the wider Faughan Valley path network for easy off-road wandering.

• Ormeau Park

  park

  Belfast's oldest municipal park, a large leafy space with flat looping paths and a popular Saturday parkrun ideal for an easy city run.

• Oxford Island National Nature Reserve

  nature reserve

  A peninsula on the shore of Lough Neagh with around four miles of easy waterside trails through reedbeds, woodland and wildflower meadows, with bird hides along the way.

• Palace Demesne Public Park

  park

  A 300-acre former archbishop's parkland on the edge of Armagh city with varied walks through meadows and formal gardens, a few minutes' walk from the centre.

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