Ballymenoch Park

Full Description

Ballymenoch Park sits on the north-eastern edge of Holywood, on the Belfast-bound side of the dual carriageway between Belfast and Bangor. It is around 20 acres of woodland and open parkland, left to the people of Holywood in 1953 and looked after by Ards and North Down Borough Council.

For families it does the simple things well. The paths are hard surfaced and the slopes are gentle, so you can walk the whole park in ten to fifteen minutes without anyone losing heart, and there is plenty of open grass for a run around or a picnic. The playground is enclosed and aimed at younger children, which makes it easy to let them play while you settle on a bench nearby. Older children tend to head for the grass and the trees rather than the play equipment.

The trees are the park's real character. Many are mature specimen trees from the old Ballymenoch demesne, and autumn is when they earn their keep, with the whole park turning colour. In summer the woodland gives you shade to fall back on when the sun is high.

It is about a ten minute walk from Holywood town centre, so it works well as part of a bigger morning out: park first, then a wander into town for a coffee. There are no toilets on site, so plan that stop elsewhere.

Wee Ones Will Love...

• ✓Following the woodland paths
• ✓Looking for interesting old trees
• ✓Stopping at the play area
• ✓Having a picnic on the open grass

Before You Visit

The play area is listed by the council, but if you need a step-free route or particular accessible equipment, check directly before travelling.

Top Tips

• ⭐The surfaced paths make this a nice option for a shorter walk
• ⭐Allow a little extra time if children enjoy stopping to explore
• ⭐A handy alternative to a busy playground outing