North Down Coastal Path

FreeoutdoorNorth Down Coast, Bangor-ni

A 10-mile coastal path along the south shore of Belfast Lough from Bangor to Holywood, passing through County Down countryside with Lough and Scottish hills visible across the water.

Free entry

The path runs from Bangor Marina westward through Crawfordsburn Country Park to Holywood, with Belfast Lough on one side and the North Down countryside on the other. The full route takes 3 to 4 hours at a comfortable walking pace. You can pick it up at multiple points along the way and shorten or extend depending on what you want from the day.

Crawfordsburn Glen is the highlight of the route: a wooded valley that drops sharply to the shore, with the country park's facilities at the top and a quiet beach at the bottom. The stretch through the glen is the most dramatic section of the path. The rest is pleasant rather than spectacular, open farmland, hedgerows, the Lough always visible. Starting at Bangor Marina and finishing at Holywood station makes sense as a linear route, with the train back to Belfast from Holywood taking 10 minutes.

Address

Bangor to Holywood, County Down

Weather

Best on dry days