Published on Financial Times website The Walk File
http://tinyurl.com/42uxbvf

My favourite walk 

Green and varied land
Lagan Meadows & Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast

Maps

http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/laganmeadows.pdf

http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/belvoirpark.pdf

In the heart of Belfast, a city associated with bullets and bombs, lies a green gem, a nature reserve straddling the river Lagan.  On one side of the river is Lagan Meadows and on the other lies Belvoir Forest which together cover an area of 300 acres.  There are many trails through this terrain, paved and unpaved, flat and sloping, some steeply, so it is possible to choose walks of varied lengths and difficulty and to suit all ages and abilities.  The walk described here takes in both sides of this verdant landscape and, at a moderate pace, lasts approximately an hour and a half.  In a short distance it takes in pond and river, open meadows, woodland and forest.  Start at the entrance to Lagan Meadows at the wooden gate at Knightsbridge Park, follow the path to the right then, when it forks, turn left.  This takes you past Lester’s dam and pond, an old reservoir which once served the city.  The path is bordered by gorse bushes, known here as the whin, magnificent when in flower, which Michael Longley, the local poet, refers to as gorse fires.  The path leads down to the river where there is a surfaced towpath, along which horses once pulled barges, today frequented by joggers, cyclists and walkers, young and old.  On the river live ducks, coots, moorhen and swans.  Turn right along the river and, shortly afterwards, cross a wooden bridge to your left over the canal, which was cut to provide a shortcut for the horses.  Walk along the grass path that follows the curve of the river, past a boggy meadow on which cattle sometimes graze.  At the end of the path go across another wooden bridge which takes you into Belvoir Forest.  Follow the path, walking now on the Belvoir Forest side of the river, past a large grass meadow known as wildflower meadow.  The path veers left then climbs sharply into the forest of mature pine, beech and oak trees.  On the right, through the tree trunks, the river can be glimpsed glinting below.  The whole reserve is a haven for birds – wood pigeons, blackbirds, robins, wrens, song-thrushes and the trees are loud with birdsong in spring and summer. Keep going to the right along the path which descends and rejoins the river.  Here an old lock-keeper’s cottage has been restored, there is a cafe and work is underway to rebuild the lock.  Turn right and cross a red metal bridge which brings you back to the towpath.  After a few hundred yards, on the left, two sets of steep steps lead back into Lagan Meadows.  At the top of the climb an open field provides views over the city and of the giant cranes, known locally as Samson and Goliath, of the old H&W shipyard, where the ill-fated Titanic was built.  The path, now undulating, becomes more of a gentle climb and leads one back to the gate at Knightsbridge Park, the start of the walk.

Vidya Borooah

Lagan Meadows



 

 
 

The towpath



Belvoir Park Forest