Cave Hill Walk
Visit this wonderful country park and enjoy fabulous views over Northern Ireland on this circular walk in Belfast. On a clear day you can see as far as the Isle of Man and Scotland from the high points.
This walk starts at the Belfast Castle car park. The fine 19th century Scottish baronial castle sits in an elevated position at 400 feet (120 m) above sea level with fine views over the city below. The grounds of the castle are very attractive with wide lawns and pretty gardens to enjoy before the climb. After heading through the castle estate you start the challenging climb up to the 370 metres (1200 ft) high hill. On the way you will pass the three large man made caves and interesting geological formations including 'Napoleon's Nose'; a basaltic outcrop which resembles the profile of the famous emperor Napoleon. At the summit you will find McArt's Fort and stunning views of the Mourne Mountains, Scrabo Tower and Slieve Croob. You can descend the same way or follow more footpaths across the hill to turn it into a longer circular walk. At the end of your descent you can enjoy refreshments at the Belfast Castle restaurant and learn about the history of the area in the visitor centre.
On the other side of Belfast Harbour you can visit Redburn Country Park for more nice walking trails and another great viewpoint.
You can virtually explore the park's trails using the google street view link below!
Postcode
BT5 5GR - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsCave Hill Country Park Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Cave Hill Country Park Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Explore the Area with Google Street View 
Dog Walking
The park is a popular place for a dog walk with its woodland and parkland trails. Please keep them on a lead as there is livestock in the area.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
A few miles to the north east there's the Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus. Here you'll find miles of good woodland trails and a number of attractive reservoirs.
Also nearby is the Glenoe Waterfall. The picturesque falls are located in the pretty village of Glenoe in County Antrim. It's a fine place for a walk with pleasant trails taking you through peaceful woodland to the 30ft high waterfall.
A few miles to the south there's the Black Mountain to climb. The National Trust owned area includes a series of waymarked trails taking you to a summit and viewpoint to the west of the city. There's excellent views over Belfast to the coast and beyond.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Cave Hill Country Park. A view over the Devil's Punchbowl on Cave Hill; Belfast can be seen in the distance below.
Walking through the wooded lower section of the country park.
The Cave Hill, from Knockagh.
Tracks to cave Hill. Belfast in the background
The Cave Hill
Old boundary post
McArts Fort. The upper sections of Cave Hill Country Park with McArts Fort dominating on the right, 1200 feet above sea level. Belfast is seen in the distance below.
There are a a serieis of noteworthy archaeological sites in the park including the remains of a stone cairn, cashel and crannog. The most spectacular is this fort, an ancient rath is located in an elevated and imposing position almost 368 metres (about 1,200 feet) above sea level.