A Guide To Visiting Hillsborough Forest Park, County Down
Interested in visiting Hillsborough Forest Park in Northern Ireland?
One of our favourite spots to frequent for a walk with our dog Luka, is Hillsborough Forest Park in County Down. It’s an extremely picturesque park, with a beautiful lake that is surrounded by forest trails & tree-lined paths.
There are trails you can follow around the park, or you can just explore the forest at your own leisure. It’s located in Hillsborough Village, so there’s plenty to do nearby & places to eat if you’re peckish after!
Here is our quick Hillsborough Forest Park visitor guide, including where to park, how to get there, trails you can walk, things to do nearby & more!
Quick Overview Of Hillsborough Forest Park
Location
Hillsborough Forest Park is located in the quaint village of Royal Hillsborough, in County Down, Northern Ireland.
It’s around 13 miles away from Belfast City Centre, which equates to about a 20 minute drive. You’ll find the forest park nestled at the top of the town, at the end of Park Street.
Hillsborough Forest Park’s Address is: Park Street, Hillsborough BT26 6DP
Parking
There are two car parks as you enter into Hillsborough Park. They are both free of charge all year round.
Since this park is popular with visitors & locals alike, it can get busy in the car park – especially at the weekends & during the summer months. This can depend on the time of day you visit as well.
If the car park is full or spaces are limited, you can also find some parking along the main road beside the park (called Dromore Street) or in Hillsborough Village itself, if you don’t mind a short walk.
Opening Times & Hours
One of the best things about Hillsborough Forest Park is that it’s open all year-round, so you’ll be able to visit at your leisure either during the week, or of a weekend!
Opening hours vary with the seasons, but it’s usually open from dawn until dusk.
As we mentioned before, the park does get pretty busy on the weekends (especially warmer ones!), so if you are visiting do try & arrive as early as you can.
Terrain
The park is mainly concrete walkways & woodland trails. It’s mostly flat all the way around, we don’t find that there are any very steep hills per say, but some areas are maybe *slightly* sloped as you get into some of the wooded areas.
Percy’s Coffee Cart
If you are coffee lovers like us you will be excited to hear that there is a coffee cart located in Hillsborough Park! Percy’s Coffee is open 7 days a week from about 11am. They are usually located in the car park, but the last time we went they were set up just beside the lake. Lots of tasty traybakes & refreshments available too to take on your walk or to enjoy after 🙂
Facilities & Amenities
If you are bringing a picnic with you, there are plenty of picnic benches & seats dotted around the trails & overlooking the lake. Toilets are located near the playpark, or in the fort.
How To Get To Hillsborough Forest Park
By Car
The best way to visit Hillsborough Forest Park is by car. If you are staying in Belfast City Centre, it will take just around 20 minutes to get there!
You will simply follow the M1 road from Belfast, then take the A1 exit to Sprucefield. At the Sprucefield roundabout, you will take the 2nd exit to stay on the A1 towards Hillsborough. Then you simply follow the A1, turning off at Dromore Road & into Park Street.
If you are visiting Northern Ireland & want to book a car for your stay – check out rates & availability at Discover Cars!
By Bus
Alternatively you can get the bus from Belfast to Hillsborough from the Europa Buscentre. We recommend the 238 bus which takes around 25 minutes – but do check the bus timetable on the Translink website as there may be other options! They seem to all stop at the Hillsborough War Memorial, so you may have around a 10-min walk to the park itself.
Is Hillsborough Forest Park Dog-Friendly?
YES, Hillsborough Forest Park is dog-friendly. As dog owners ourselves, finding dog friendly parks & trails is very important to us! 🐕🦺
Hillsborough Park is super popular with dog walkers, & there are plenty of areas to explore & nature-esque things to sniff! 🌲
Do you need to keep your dog on a leash in the park? Our dog Luka is quite a reactive dog & if we’re honest has terrible recall lol, so we personally keep him on a leash at all times for safety.
It is recommended to keep your dog under control & on a leash here, but as with a lot of places many people do let their dogs run about off-leash. It’s good to be aware of this before you visit if you do have a nervous or anxious dog.
TIP: It can get quite mucky & muddy on the forest trails here if it’s been raining, so we do recommend either purchasing your dog a coat OR bringing plenty of towels for the aftermath! 😆
Walking Trails At Hillsborough Park, Co. Down
If you are someone who likes to follow a trail or you want to walk a certain distance, here are the two main routes you can take around the park:
- Circular Lake Trail – This walk is 1.3 miles & takes you right round the lake in the park. You can take a clockwise or anticlockwise route. Along the way you’ll find tiny docks with benches on them, if you want to take a break overlooking the water.
- Fox Fort Trail – If you fancy a bit of a longer walk, try this route. This is the one we normally prefer. It will take you through a bit deeper into the forest paths & is around 1.9 miles long.
Check out WalkNI for more details on the trails
Digital Sculpture Trail At Hillsborough Park
We had to mention this recent addition to the park – the Digital Sculpture Trail. There are 10 huge sculptures dotted around the forest, created by artists from over the globe. We guess it’s simply to add a bit more fun to the park & attract more visitors! If you download the app & complete the trail you can get discounts for various places in Hillsborough Village such as it’s cafes & restaurants which is pretty cool!
Things To Do Near Hillsborough Forest Park
As mentioned, Hillsborough Park is pretty much right in the centre of Hillsborough Village.
Here are some other interesting things we recommend that you can do very close by:
Check Out Hillsborough Fort
The fort is located adjacent to the park, & you’ll actually see it as you walk round the lake. It’s part of Hillsborough Castle & although you can’t go inside, it makes for a pretty nice background for your next Instagram photo!
Visit Hillsborough Castle & Gardens
The Royal Residence of Northern Ireland is pretty much steps away from Hillsborough Park, a place you can’t miss when you come here. You can explore the rooms inside the castle itself & it’s beautiful gardens. You can book tickets via their official website.
Explore Hillsborough Village
Hillsborough is really one of the nicest villages in Northern Ireland & although small, it’s well worth taking a wander about to enjoy the colourful houses, quaint streets & cute coffee shops!
Best Places To Eat In Hillsborough, Northern Ireland
If you are feeling peckish after your walk, luckily there are some gorgeous places to eat or simply grab a coffee in Hillsborough Village!
Here are some quick recommendations for you:
- Joxer – the coolest spot for breakfast, lunch or brunch & dog-friendly too!
- The Plough Inn – a traditional family owned pub, best for a tasty pub lunch & pint!
- Humble Pie Hillsborough – a quirky café perfect for a coffee or something sweet!
- The Parson’s Nose – a pub & restaurant focusing on local food & pub grub classics!
- Hillside – Hillsborough’s oldest pub, serving up local dishes in a cosy atmosphere!
Other Walks Near Hillsborough Park
If you want to spend more time outdoors, here are a few parks *fairly* close by to Hillsborough Village:
- Wallace Park (6.5 miles away)
- Moira Demesne (11.4 miles away)
- Lady Dixon Park (9.3 miles away)
Where To Stay In & Near Hillsborough Village, Northern Ireland
If you are visiting Northern Ireland, & want to stay in (or close to) Hillsborough so that you can visit the Forest Park, Hillsborough Castle & explore the village, here are some of the best places to stay:
- Arthur’s – Rated 9.5 ⭐
- Lisnacurran B&B – Rated 9.3 ⭐
- Drum Manor B&B – Rated 9.7 ⭐
- No.33 Coach House – Rated 9.7 ⭐
- Homestead Hillsborough Guest Rooms – Rated 9.3 ⭐
Hillsborough Forest Park: FAQS
Do You Have To Pay Into Hillsborough Park?
No, you don’t have to pay anything to enter Hillsborough Forest Park. Entry is completely free.
Is There A Parkrun At Hillsborough Forest Park?
Yes! There is a 5km Parkrun every Saturday here at 9.30am. If you are driving they recommend to arrive a bit earlier as there are limited spaces. For more details on the course check out their website.
Is Parking Free at Hillsborough Forest Park?
Yes parking is free & conveniently located at the park itself.
Here are other posts on Northern Ireland Outdoors you may enjoy:
- The Summit Trail at Divis Mountain
- Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park
- Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast
- Duncan’s Park, Lisburn
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