Walk Northern Ireland - Mountaineering Ireland

Colin Glen Forest
Park
The Colin Glen area of southwest
Belfast was a wasteland for many
years before being rescued in 1989
and developed into an awardwinning
park and amenity area.
Today it contains beautiful
broadleaf woodland, two wildlife
ponds and four walking trails, all
centred around the tumbling waters
of the Colin River.
The interpretative centre at the
base of the glen makes a good place
to start your walk. You must then
decide which trail you want to take
around the 200-acre site. Most of
the paths are well surfaced, and all
begin by following the river away
from the visitor centre. The mixed
woodland is rich in ferns and in
early summer bluebells and wood
anenomae grow in profusion.
There are no less than five
bridges in the park, allowing
circuits of different lengths. The
Gamekeeper’s Bridge has its
Colin Glen can
also be used
as a starting
point for Divis
and Black
Mountain, now
in the
ownership of
the National
Trust
Right: The Big Fish sculpture by John Kindness,
celebrating the return of salmon to the River
Lagan, Lagan Lookout, Belfast
foundations in volcanic rock to
help combat erosion. In days gone
by you would have had to pay a
toll to cross the river at this point.
Weir Bridge marks the spot where
the river was once dammed to
power an adjacent linen mill. And
at Cantilever Bridge, on the park’s
upper boundary, the path runs
beneath the arch suspended on a
metal walkway.
The glen is situated on the lower
slopes of the Belfast Hills, and the
views improve as you progress up
the valley. The very upper end of
the park makes a fine vantage point
for Belfast city, Stormont and the
Mourne Mountains. But keen
walkers don’t have to turn round
here. The trail continues out of
Colin Glen Forest Park and heads
into mature woodland owned by
the National Trust. It’s now
possible to continue right up Colin
Glen as far as the Hannahstown
Road.
Since the National Trust secured
ownership of Divis and Black
Mountain in 2005, Colin Glen can
walk… Belfast
also be used as a starting point to
access these. From the top of Colin
Glen, follow the paths through
Glenside Woodland. Cross the
Upper Springfield Road and walk
up the Divis Road until you reach
the entrance to the National Trust
property. Follow the tarmac path
in through its open heathland, bog
pools and upland pastures. From
here you can reach the northern
summit of Black Mountain (390m)
and up to the high point of the
walk at Divis (478m). The reward
is magnificent views west to Lough
Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains
and east across the entire city of
Belfast, Belfast Lough and the Irish
Sea. If the weather is clear, you will
see Scotland, the Lake District and
the Isle of Man.
Colin Glen F3
Starting Point: Car Park at Colin Glen
Trust Centre
Distance: 4.8km
Maps & Books: ‘A Walk in the Park’
OSNI sheet: 15
Facilities: Parking/toilets: Colin Glen
Forest Park Centre, Woodland Café
discovernorthernireland.com
15