With almost 200 acres and signposted walking trails, Hillsborough Forest is a distinctive natural destination in Lisburn and Castlereagh. You’ll also find woodland and meadow trails, historic gardens and water-based activities. When looking for a hotel, you can first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay. This lets you tailor your choice to the experiences you actually plan to enjoy.
Forest Trails, Countryside and Water
At Hillsborough Forest, three permanent orienteering courses, established in 2022, complement the walking trails. The lake is also part of the character of the forest: it is a wildlife sanctuary and home to resident and wintering waterbirds. Here, opportunities for exercise and nature watching sit side by side, although they need not be part of the same outing.
The Lagan Towpath offers a different kind of route: this continuous, level, traffic-free path runs between Belfast and Lisburn. It is also a high-quality section of the Ulster Way. The Lagan Valley Regional Park also has woodland and meadow trails recognised as high-quality short walks. So, for planning purposes, you can choose between a route connecting two cities and shorter walks through woodland and meadows.
Slievenacloy Nature Reserve offers something different: its grassland, meadows, marsh and heath are particularly important for orchids, birds and fungi. Those who don’t associate nature solely with forest trails will find other habitats and species to explore here.
Gardens and Local History
Castle Gardens is located on the grounds of Lisburn Castle, a fortified 17th-century manor house built by the Conway family. Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is a different place: it is Northern Ireland’s royal residence and includes 100 acres of picturesque gardens. Both places combine gardens with history, but their historical connections are distinct.
Moat Park also combines a walk with a historic site: paths lead around the motte. Its wildlife garden creates microhabitats for plants and animals and supports learning about biodiversity. The Church of St Elizabeth, dating from 1306, is close to the park. At Moira Demesne, parkland covers more than 40 acres, with paths, picnic areas, biodiversity areas and old horse chestnut, oak and beech trees that benefit a variety of wildlife.
The history of Moira Demesne also includes Sir Arthur Rawdon (1662–1695), who landscaped the grounds with trees and exotic plants from Jamaica and built Ireland’s first greenhouse there. Details like these offer a different perspective on a park visit than the paths and green spaces alone.
Culture and Discoveries Along the Way
The Hillsborough Forest Digital Sculpture Trail takes you past ten sculptures using an augmented reality app. The same app also offers the Royal Hillsborough Village Trail, exploring the village’s history. Exhibitions at Lisburn Museum, covering the history of Lisburn, its people and the surrounding area, change regularly; they are displayed in the historic gallery of the 17th-century Market House.
For another cultural highlight, the Ulster Aviation Society displays more than 54 aircraft and vehicles from its collection in two authentic Second World War hangars near Maze Long Kesh. The ISLAND Arts Centre offers a broad programme of events and art, including drama, music, dance, visual and applied arts, film, new media and community arts. So which place you choose depends not only on the landscape, but also on whether you’re more interested in history, art or collections.
Water Activities and Practical Planning
Moira Lakes offers beginner-friendly stand-up paddleboarding on calm water, as well as supervised open-water cold-water swimming. At Let’s Go Hydro, activities include wakeboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding; there is also a large inflatable water park with opportunities to jump, climb and slide. The range of activities can help you choose the focus of your stay more precisely, rather than treating all water-based offerings as a single experience.
If you’d like to visit Ballance House, factor in its seasonal opening: the restored 19th-century historic house in Glenavy, birthplace of John Ballance, the 14th Prime Minister of New Zealand, is open to the public on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 5 pm, April to September. A visit includes the restored parlour, the “Half a World Away From Here” exhibition on New Zealand’s history, and an exhibition of 19th-century agricultural machinery. Check opening times before you travel. For information about accommodation, visitor attractions, tours and events in Lisburn and Castlereagh and across Northern Ireland, contact the Lisburn Visitor Information Centre.
Discover more destinations: Castlereagh, Antrim, Ballymoney, Ards, Cookstown, Moyle, Coleraine, Limavady.
For the main travel overview: Northern Ireland.
