North Down Coastal Path
The North Down Coastal Path takes the walker along the south shore of Belfast Lough, past many of the scenic, historical and ecological attractions of North Down. For the most part the path follows the grassy flats just above the shoreline and is well surfaced for almost all of its 12 mile length. Good public transport links mean this walk is extremely accessible and can either be completed in a single day, or broken into shorter sections to suit families and casual walkers.
| County | Distance | OS Map | Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down | 12 miles (19.2 km) | Sheet 15 | The route crosses a variety of surfaces including smooth concrete path to beach and a narrow rocky shoreline section. |
| Start Town / Village | Finish Town / Village | Grid References | Points of Interest |
| Holywood | Groomsport | Starts at J397793 Ends at J539833 | Holywood, Cultra, Helen’s Bay, Crawfordsburn Country Park, Bangor, Ballyholme, Groomsport |
Route Description
At the start of the walk you’ll notice how close you still are to Belfast. You’ll see many ferries and freighters ploughing up and down Belfast Lough, and the final approach to the George Best Belfast City Airport lies overhead. Despite the urban surroundings, the shoreline is home to seals and many species of shore birds and wildflowers. Oystercatchers, cormorants, lapwings, redshank, eider duck and curlew are all common either seasonally or year round. The birds seem to have become quite accustomed to people walking the path and this will allow you to see some normally shy species up close.
A quick note here about the name Holywood, which is pre-Christian in origin. It has one less ‘ L’ than it’s famous American namesake but is also home to the wealthy and influential. Grey Point Fort was built in 1907 and was manned throughout both world wars until its closure in 1957. During that time it had two six-inch artillery guns in a commanding position above the Lough. In conjunction with a similar emplacement across the Lough at Kilroot, it provided a formidable barrier to unwanted vessels reaching Belfast.
The Fort is now within the boundary of Crawfordsburn Country Park. This is a beautiful area that also boasts two beaches, large areas of rich woodland and a waterfall at the southern end. The most famous of the beaches is at Helen’s Bay, and is a popular bathing spot. The bay and the nearby tower are named after the mother of the first Marquis of Dufferin and Ava. The Marquis was himself famous as an arctic explorer and Helen’s Tower, which he built in 1861, inspired a poem by Tennyson.
Bangor was originally a monastic settlement, and dates from 558 AD. In more recent times it enjoyed prosperity as a Victorian holiday resort, before falling into decline; apparently Charles Dickens once bathed here. The marina and seafront have been regenerated over the past few years and the town is once again attracting visitors.
