My Top Rambles of 2023

A belated happy new year to you – it’s still January so I think I can get away with it!  I’ve made a resolution to blog more frequently in 2024 as well as to continue rambling. 

I finished my 200 rambles challenge of 2023 on 31^st December 2023 at Helen’s Bay on the shores of Belfast Lough – nothing like cutting it fine, is there?  But I did it and I’m very grateful to everyone who walked with me in 2023 and supported me on Facebook by liking and commenting on my photos. 

So what were my five most popular rambles of 2023? 

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Located off the A1 dual carriageway, this is a favourite spot of mine.  I pay the annual membership of £55 which gives me free entry to the gardens (and castle) throughout the year.  Last year, I visited 17 times which works out at about £3 per visit plus I get 10% discount in the coffee shop.  By the way, the coffee there is very good! 

The gardens are well signposted but there isn’t a recommended route so you are free to wander as you please.  The starting point is the walled garden and then I wander around the grounds through the Lost Garden, past the Castle, around the lake and back to the walled garden.  This usually takes me about 45 minutes.

Newcastle Promenade

Every month, I travel to Newcastle (Co Down) for my seaweed bath at Soak Seaweed Baths.  After I have relaxed in the bath and sang along to Abba for an hour, it’s time for my ramble.  Starting at the car park opposite Soak Seaweed Baths on the South Promenade, I walk towards the Slieve Donard Hotel with the sea to my right.  Sometimes the tide is in and the waves are crashing against the promenade wall while other times, the sea is far away and children are playing on the sand. 

Once I reach the end of the promenade, I usually pop into the Railway Street Brew Bar for a Flat White and to read my book before meandering down the Main Street for a little retail therapy before heading back to the South Promenade with a backdrop of the mountains of Mourne sweeping down to the sea. 

The walking part of this ramble usually takes 35 minutes – the coffee and the retail therapy take much longer!

Lurgan Park

Closer to home is Lurgan Park, the second largest park in Ireland – the largest park is Dublin’s Phoenix Park.  Dominated by a huge lake, the park has a series of paths including the Grand Avenue which is Lurgan’s answer to the Dark Hedges.  There is no designated route so you can explore the park as you wish.  I usually follow the outer perimeter which brings me through a wide variety of deciduous woodland as well as close to the lake when approaching Lurgan Golf Club.  There are lots of swans and other wild birds in the lake too.

Walking around the outer perimeter is usually a 40 minute ramble.  After the walk is completed, there are a few coffee shops nearby including New Haven (Windsor Avenue) and the tea rooms at the impressive Brownlow House.

Hillsborough Forest

Hillsborough Forest is another favourite haunt and I usually meet up with a few friends to ramble around the forest.  There is a lake, a fort, a playpark and “interesting” sculptures (I’m being polite!) as well as a blend of coniferous and deciduous trees.  This is a circular walk and you can walk in an anti-clockwise or clockwise direction from the car park.  I usually prefer to walk clockwise ie keeping the lake to my right.  Again I follow the outer circumference of the forest as I prefer a longer walk of about 40 minutes.  If you’re feeling energetic, you can always do a second shorter loop which hugs the lake shore.

The village of Hillsborough is blessed with many coffee shops including the Owl and the Pussy Cat beside the primary school and Karibu Coffee facing the courthouse at the top of the hill. 

Cultra

Finally, my top weekend walk is at Cultra, along part of the North Down Coastal Way.  This is a flat walk but it can sometimes be mucky if the sea has deposited lots of seaweed on the path especially after a storm.  The starting point is the North Down Yacht Club (near the Culloden Hotel) and then follow the footpath towards Bangor keeping the sea to your left.  It’s a great way to get some fresh sea air as well as gazing across Belfast Lough to the coastal town of Carrickfergus.  You can walk as far as you wish – even to Bangor – but I usually stop at the railings of the Royal Belfast Golf Club before returning to the car.  That makes it a good 35/40 minute ramble.

After a brisk walk at the seashore, a cup of coffee is definitely needed to warm you up!  The nearby town of Holywood is a good place to stop off with Homebird and Caffe Nero being my preferred spots.

That’s my top five rambles of 2023 for you. Hopefully I have inspired you to get out and about to do some rambling in 2024.  Please let me know in the comments below where is your favourite place to ramble.