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Cavehill Walk Belfast Review

Cavehill Walk is a challenging but rewarding hike that offers stunning views of Belfast and the surrounding countryside. The walk starts from the beautiful Belfast Castle, which is worth a visit in itself, and follows a circular route that passes by several caves, a basalt cliff, and a distinctive rock formation known as Napoleon's Nose. The walk is about 4.5 miles long and takes around 2 hours to complete, depending on your pace and fitness level.

What to expect

The walk is well signposted with green arrows, but it can be tricky to follow in some sections, so it's advisable to pick up a map from the castle before you set off. The walk is also steep and uneven in parts, so you'll need good walking boots and suitable clothing for the weather. The walk is not suitable for people with mobility issues or young children.

The walk begins by climbing up a path from the car park and turning right at the first junction. You'll then continue through the woodland and up to a plateau, where you'll get your first glimpse of the city below. You'll then follow the path along the edge of the cliff, passing by several caves that were formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. The caves are fenced off for safety reasons, but you can still admire them from a distance.

The path then curves around to the left and leads you to the highest point of the walk, which is marked by a large stone cairn. From here, you'll have panoramic views of Belfast Lough, the Antrim Plateau, and the Mourne Mountains. You'll also see the distinctive shape of Napoleon's Nose, which is said to have inspired Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

The walk then descends gradually along a grassy slope, passing by some grazing sheep and cattle. You'll then rejoin the woodland path and make your way back to the castle, where you can enjoy a well-deserved refreshment at the cafe or explore the gardens.

Why I recommend it

I recommend Cavehill Walk for anyone who loves nature and history and wants to see Belfast from a different perspective. The walk is challenging but not too difficult, and the views are spectacular. The walk also gives you a chance to learn more about the geology and history of Cavehill Country Park, which has been a site of human activity since ancient times. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, such as foxes, badgers, kestrels, and peregrine falcons.

If you're looking for a fun and scenic outdoor activity in Belfast, Cavehill Walk is a great option that will leave you feeling refreshed...

Beautiful scenery both from below (especially at morning during sunrise) and from above. Don't reccomend using google maps if you go from east side, as there is a land of bushes you will have to go through, climb fences and get through couple of dead ends, especially if you are climbing up. First time I've even skipped the pathway up, google were showing me to climb over the concrete wall and go up the path that were visibly rarely used, then climb the spiked fence to the field of cows and afterwards go through dead-end of trees and bushes I got through somehow only to later ram my way through narrow path full of bushes taller than human. Some of theese bushes has thorns and the path is slippery and narrow even most avid hikers and mountaineers, so be ready if you will get there by google accident. I reccomend you go through the right side of the zoo, that google just won't direct you through if you go throughout the east side. But overall, I went up, and left satisfied as a mountaineer and photographer. And keep in mind that right below the cliff from the east side there are a small cave that can be easily missed if you choose the same questionable path I've mentioned at the start. Northern Ireland may be small in size, but people here are nice and friendly and the land itself are full of rare gems you can see only in few places in the world, for example, Giant's Causeway I highly recommend everyone who reads that to visit, and see this rare wonder just about an hour north from the Cavehill by car. (Adding few fast unedited photos from the phone, pro photos will come up later...

The cave hill is the only and nearest option for hiking in Belfast. The hike starts from Belfast castle which also is a great place to visit. You can past your cars or bikes here before starting the hike. It passes through dense patch at the beginning and then the hike starts. Meanwhile, you start getting the view of the sea on the right side. There is a cave mid way divides the hike into two ways leading I to the top moist patch called Napoleon's Nose. The left side route directly takes you to the top making it a bit of steep climbing. The other way around is a circular path making a hike a bit simpler but you get nice views along. After reaching the top you can get a complete view of Belfast. During descending, you can either come along same route or there is other way around exactly opposite to the main round. Descending from other way around goes to the upper cave hill road. Either way descending leads to the Belfast castle taking...