By Bike
Belfast is a
city for cyclists; it has all the advantages of cycling in
Amsterdam but without the swarms of other bicycles. This Victorian
city, steeped in culture and industrial heritage, is just waiting
to be discovered by bike. Also, the city's many parks and green
spaces, such as Ormeau Park provide family-friendly bike rides.
Belfast boasts two mainly traffic-free cycling routes. The Comber
Greenway follows the trail of a disused railway line as far as the
edge of Strangford Lough and the 21 mile Lagan and Lough Cycleway
passes along the River Lagan and Belfast Lough, right into the
heart of the city.
Recreational Cycling in the City
Ormeau Park is Belfast's oldest municipal park with a
fascinating history in its own right. It's bordered by the
Ravenhill and Ormeau Roads. These roads have cycle paths that
access the park and the fantastic Lagan and Lough Cycleway joins
it, just over the Ormeau Bridge. The network of smooth, flat tarmac
paths is perfect for building confidence and giving youngsters a
great sense of achievement and is suitable for stabilised bikes and
indeed for child trailers.
Beginning at the car park beside Ormeau Recreation Centre, take the
leafy path to the right and let the traffic and city din fade away.
The main looping route goes for 1.2 miles from Ormeau Gates, over
to the Ravenhill entrance and back to the car park, but there's so
much more to Ormeau and kids just won't be able to resist exploring
every inch. Make time to check out the walled garden, the Victorian
bandstand, the former Superintendent’s house as well as the
beautiful wildflower meadow. The playground and picnic areas will
round off a great cycle in the park.
Lagan and Lough Cycleway
21 miles of cycle lanes and towpath take you through the heart
of Belfast, on National Cycle Network Route 93 and 9. During the
week commuters use it as a quick, efficient and cost effective way
to travel to work. On weekends it's a 21 mile long leisure centre
as cyclists, walkers, canoeists, skaters and joggers descend on the
towpath and walkways
. Signposted in
either direction, it has a multitude of access points. From the
Loughshore Park at Jordanstown, follow Route 93 signs up Belfast
Lough towards the City. Cavehill sweeps skyward on the right and
yellow cranes on the horizon mark Titanic's birthplace. A broad
cycle lane continues along the Belfast Lough Nature Reserve,
through Belfast's industrial estates to Clarendon Dock, where you
will pick up the Art Trail. The Big Fish, now a famous Belfast
landmark, marks the point where river and lough meet. Cross the
footbridge to the Odyssey or continue around the Waterfront Hall
toward Stranmillis on Route 9.
At Stranmillis traffic disappears, the river narrows and nature
closes in. The river is just at your wheel and tall hawthorn
provides shade and shelter. Further on, at Shaw's Bridge, a quick
detour over the old stone bridge takes you through Minnowburn
Beeches, managed by the National Trust and up a steep climb to the
Giant's Ring, a marvel of ancient engineering. Back down onto the
river the towpath snakes through the Lagan Valley Regional Park
towards Lisburn. The towpath traffic becomes lighter, but the river
is ever present. Lisburn lies a few miles further on. Park the bike
and wander around Xplorart, Lisburn's sculpture trail, before
finishing the route at Union Locks.
Comber Greenway
This fantastic resource has been developed by Sustrans, Roads
Service and local community groups to provide a safe, highly
accessible route from Belfast city centre out to Strangford Lough.
Stretching for 7 traffic-free miles, the Greenway follows Route 99
along the old Belfast to Comber Railway on wide tarmac. Beginning
from the Odyssey in the centre of Belfast, take the cycle path
through the industrial estate on Sydenham Road. The traffic-free
section of the route starts just off Dee Street at Ballymacarrett
Walkway. Following this path, a quick detour can be made to
Victoria Park, a lush green space in the shadow of the shipyard's
gigantic cranes, Samson and Goliath. The walkway will bring you to
the C.S. Lewis statue at the bottom of the Holywood Road. The
writer was born and raised in the area and many local landmarks
feature in his books. Push your bike across the road at the signal
crossing into the Bloomfield area, where the old railway ran. Hop
back in the saddle and you're on your traffic-free way to Comber.
Beyond the North Street Bridge is Orangefield where another of
Belfast's musical sons was raised and influenced - Van
Morrison.
Further along, fantastic new access steps from the bridge have been
built. A cleverly incorporated ramp allows you to glide your bike
up or down with little effort, ideal for a daily commute or a
family. Whizzing through the Knock Nature Reserve and along the
newly surfaced stretch, it's hard to believe that just beyond the
path are densely packed streets and busy traffic. Past East Link
Road the old railway bed sank, transforming it into a wetland
habitat. Rather than fill it in, it has been sympathetically left
in place as the path skirts along the side on raised tarmac. Next
Dundonald, with access to the Ice Bowl and onto Millmount Road,
where Billy Neill's Soccer School is based. From here it's a short
pleasant straight to the edge of Comber by Strangford Lough. Total
journey time… 40 minutes!
Cycle Northern Ireland
For those visitors who delight in the open road and the power of
the pedal there are numerous cycle routes throughout Northern
Ireland and these may be found on http://cycleni.com/tourism/get-around-northern-ireland/