Quality Walk

Stormont Woodland Walks & Fitness Trail

A walk through attractive woodland and parkland with many interesting features including Parliament Buildings. Only five miles out of the city, Stormont Woodland Walk and Fitness Trail, is a great place to walk, run and relax.

County

Down

Distance

2.5 miles

OS Map

Sheet 15 + Belfast Street Finder

Nearest Town

Dundonald, Belfast

Route Shape

Circular

Route Type

Parkland & Grassland

Terrain

Surfaced and unsurfaced paths

Grid Reference (Start)

J397739

Grid Reference (End)

J397739

Point of Interest

Parliament Buildings, Prince of Wales Avenue

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Other Area

Route Description

This route follows the waymarked “Long Woodland Walk” through the grounds of the estate. Follow the orange coloured arrows around the grounds.

Follow the gravel path from the car park past the playground, keeping left. Cross the Prince of Wales Avenue and continue through the woodland, skirting the Stormont Estate boundary.

Turn left up the hill, then left again and cross the bridge. Follow the path until it reaches open parkland. Go round the base of the bank and cross Massey Avenue. At the Gleaner sculpture turn right and follow this path up through the glen. Before turning right to return down the glen, you may wish to make a short diversion to the top to admire the views down into the steep ravine.

Follow the path round to the Reconciliation sculpture then across the grass to Massey Avenue. After pausing to admire the Carson statue and Parliament Buildings walk about half way down the Prince of Wales Avenue before turning left. Follow the path around the wildlife refuge and sports pitches back to the car park.

A shorter 2km option is also available as well as a 1.6km fitness trail with outdoor gym equipment at various parts of the trail.

Around the estate, you will also find beautiful formal gardens, the historic Parliament Buildings, statues, memorials and some interesting WW2 sites, including the original barrage balloon anchors that held the balloons protecting the government buildings from bombings during the war.

Bench seating, picnic tables and facilities for barbeques are dotted throughout the walks, so you will always have somewhere to relax and enjoy the views.

Getting to the Start (by Public Transport)

Translink - journeyplanner.translink.co.uk

Getting to the Start (by Car)

The Stormont Estate is in the east of Belfast, on the Upper Newtownards Road (A20). When travelling along the Upper Newtownards Road, the large entrance to the estate is visible on the left, about five miles from the city centre. A second entrance for the public on foot is available at Massey Avenue, Belfast BT4.
Parking is available in front of the main gates on the Upper Newtownards Road and at the Massey Avenue entrance.

Facilities

Toilets on site, refreshments available locally

Walk Location
Map of Northern Ireland
 
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