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Date: Various dates and times from 25 April to 26 September 2026
| Event | Date and time | Description | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geology Walk | Saturday 25 April, 10am to 1pm | The rocks of Cave Hill. Kirstin Lemon is an enthusiast for her geology profession, and she will delight in explaining the origins of Cave Hill on this walk over the hill. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade M. | Kirstin Lemon |
| Dawn Chorus | Saturday 2 May, 5am to 7am | Aaron Kelly will lead a dander around the Park to hear and identify birds. Specially designed for early risers. Meet at the gates to the Park at Innsfayle Park. Grade E. | Aaron Kelly |
| Bird Misting | Saturday 23 May, 10am to 1pm | Get up close to some of our native birds. Licensed bird ringer Aidan Crean will catch, ring and release them and allow us to see them in beautiful detail. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade E. | Aidan Crean |
| Solstice Walk | Saturday 20 June, 3.30am to 5.30am | Greet the sun at dawn on a summer solstice morning before most of Belfast has stirred. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade M. | Cormac Hamill |
| Botany Walk | Saturday 27 June, 10am to 1pm | Ballyaghagan, at the back of Cave Hill is a nature reserve full of wildflowers. Judy Meharg will walk us through the variety. Meet at the Cave Hill Country Park entrance at the Upper Hightown Road car park Grade M. | Judy Meharg |
| Forage Walk | Saturday 4 July, 10am to 1pm | Phil Simpson has a fund of practical knowledge and plant lore. We’ll walk in his company and see what useful plants we can find. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade M. | Phil Simpson |
| Bug Walk | Saturday 25 July, 10am to 1pm | Debbie Nelson runs a wildlife rescue centre and has a phenomenal knowledge of nature in all its variety. She will lead us on a walk, looking for and talking about some of the many varieties of bugs found in the Park. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade E. | Debbie Nelson |
| Archaeology Walk | Saturday 29 August, 10am to 1pm | Local archaeologist Cormac McSparron will lead a trip to the various remains on the hill from the Neolithic period to the early Christian period. Meet at the Cave Hill Country Park entrance at the Upper Hightown Road car park. Grade M. | Cormac McSparron |
| Bat Walk | Friday 4 September, 8pm to 10pm | Aidan Crean will introduce us to these enchanting nocturnal animals during an evening dander. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade E. | Aidan Crean |
| Fungi Walk | Saturday 26 September, 10am to 1pm | Debbe Nelson will lead us on a snuffle through the Cave Hill woods to see what fungi we can find and identify. Meet at Belfast Castle. Grade E. | Debbie Nelson |
What you need to know
Please be prepared for bad weather and bring footwear suitable for rough terrain. Some of the walks will be moderately strenuous and some people may find them challenging. Easy walks are graded E, and more challenging ones are graded M.
Young people under the ages of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. The activities may be changed on the day, depending on weather or other adverse circumstances.
If you have any worries about fitness or have medical conditions which might affect your ability to walk, please talk to the leader at the start of the walk. If the leader assesses you as no being fit for the walk, you will not be able to take part.
It is very important for your own safety and that of the group that you obey the instructions of the walk leader or any of the assistant leaders. It is of particular importance that the group always stays together.
Dogs are welcome but for the sake of all participants, must be kept on a lead at all times.
All these walks are free.
For further details:
