Sustainable Ways to Experience Belfast

As the much acclaimed film, Belfast, written and directed by the city’s own Kenneth Brannagh, hits the screens and red carpets, take a look at the 21st century capital city which has come a long way since the sixties. Not simply in terms of peace and reconciliation, but also by laying out its own green carpet of sustainable tourism products, accompanied by a growing sense of pride over what a contemporary, responsible Belfast can offer to visitors. Here are our top ten sustainable tourism tips for visiting Northern Ireland’s capital. 

1. Belfast’s industrial heritage has always had a natural backdrop, with hills enveloping the city at almost all viewpoints. One of the most famous is Cave Hill where a 7.2km (4.5 miles) circular route takes you across moorland and meadows to some of the best views of the city. This is a challenging walk, so come prepared, and bring a map. 

2. Belfast’s main natural artery is the River Lagan and, with nearly 18km (11 miles) of its towpath accessible to walkers and cyclists, it’s an excellent way to explore the city’s natural heart. One way to enjoy it is by taking the train from Belfast Gt. Victoria Street station to Lisburn and walk back into Belfast from there. 

3. Belfast is a hub for train travel with its three main stations at Gt. Victoria Street, Yorkgate and Lanyon Place. Explore the city and its suburbs slowly and sustainability, heading to the likes of Helen’s Bay and Crawfordsburn Country Park or, just an hour from the capital by train, out to the striking Norman site of Carrickfergus Castle on Belfast Lough’s Northern Shore. Both trains and buses can be booked on Northern Ireland’s public transport portal and app, Translink. 

4. Get a backpack full of locally sourced picnic goodies for one of your walking trips at the Saturday St. George’s Market in an elegant, traditional Victorian marketplace in the heart of the city centre. Open from 9am to 3pm, as well as buying a few Belfast bites, you can drink coffee and enjoy music by local artists.

5. Divis and Black Mountain is the city’s other main viewpoint and, thanks to its biodiverse landscapes of heather-covered bog and heathland, with important resident birdlife, it is protected by National Trust. There are two main walking trails of Black Mountain Ridge and Divis Mountain Summit. 

6. Explore Belfast by bike using its Belfast Bikes shared rental scheme, with 47 docking stations and over 300 bikes around the city. You can also rent a bike or tandem at Belfast Tandems. One of the most interesting routes, mostly off-road, is the Lagan and Lough Cycle Trail, part of the UK’s National Cycle Network, out along the shores of Belfast Lough to Jordanstown. We recommend this Belfast, Down and Armagh Cycle Map for exploring further. 

7. In the shadow of Belfast’s historic harbour area is a haven of birdlife, protected by the RSPB. Aptly called Belfast’s Window on Wildlife, or WOW, you can take in the wonders of migrant flocks of black-tailed godwits in spring, breeding terns in summer, migrant oystercatchers, redshanks and curlews in autumn and wildfowl in winter, either by strolling around or from one of its two hides. The reserve is just under 5km walk or cycle (2.9 miles) from Titanic Quarter train station. 

8. Northern Irish designers and craftmakers are showcased at the Craft NI Gallery on Royal Avenue in the heart of the city, with artistry in textiles, wood, glass, ceramics and jewellery. Another artsy emporium is the UNIQUE Art and Design Shop, promoting a panoply of prettiness from Ulster University art students, in their campus shop in the city’s Cathedral Quarter, which sells arts and crafts designed and handcrafted by students and graduates of Ulster University.

9. You can escape the industrial and commercial hub of Belfast very quickly on the 11.2km (6.9 miles) Comber Greenway in Belfast, which takes you out to County Down’s small town of Comber. Starting in the shadow of Belfast’s iconic Harland and Wolf’s giant yellow cranes, cycle out through the city’s suburbs and extend your trip by cycling on road to and walking around Island Hill and North Strangford Nature Reserve, Castle Espie Woodland Trail.  The Comber Greenway is just under 1km from Titanic Quarter and eponymous railway station. 

10. Although it is 32km (20 miles) west of Belfast, Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles and worthy of a visit. The Oxford Island Discovery Centre and Nature Reserve is its hub, however one of the best ways to explore sustainably is by taking a food road trip of the area, binging on bakers and brewers or feasting at farms between Belfast and the Lough. 

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