Newtownabbey: Nature, Coast and Culture

Newtownabbey offers a range of options to help plan your trip: nature reserves and walking trails, places along Belfast Lough, and cultural and leisure activities.

Nature reserves and trails

Carnmoney Hill was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1996. The area includes more than five kilometres of walking trails: the lower slopes have easy paths, while steep climbs offer views across the town and surrounding countryside. The routes therefore differ not only in length, but also in character and the views they offer.

Monkstown Wood has also been designated a Local Nature Reserve, in 2007. A gentle walk leads through the woodland and is described as suitable for people of all abilities. Access is via Monkstown Road from Doagh Road; parking is also available. This offers a different focus for your plans than Carnmoney Hill: a walk described as gentle rather than a choice of easy paths and steep climbs.

Waterfront locations and routes

Hazelbank Park is on Belfast Lough. The National Cycle Way connects the park with Belfast and follows the waterfront to the Lagan Towpath. The park’s Coronation Garden also combines garden design with a musical display: the award-winning gardener Diarmuid Gavin designed the garden, where topiary moves to music as cone-shaped trees rotate. The display takes place every 15 minutes. As operating details can change, check the current display schedule before your visit.

Jordanstown Loughshore Park is also on Belfast Lough, along the Causeway Coastal Route. A coastal path connects it with Hazelbank Park, Belfast and Lisburn. Those interested in birdwatching can do so at Whitehouse Lagoon from Gideon’s Green.

Culture and history

Theatre at The Mill is located in the restored Mossley Mill. The site began as a flax mill in 1834; today, its programme includes musicals, dance, drama, comedy, concerts, family shows and workshops. Individual productions vary, but the range extends from performing arts to family events.

The White House dates from 1569 and is on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. Two interactive exhibitions cover different topics: “A Tale of Three Kings” explores the Williamite and Jacobite Wars from a European perspective, while “Relive the History” traces the building’s history up to the present day. Check whether each exhibition is available when planning your visit.

Sentry Hill is a 19th-century farmhouse in the parish of Carnmoney. The house and its contents offer a rare insight into rural life in Ulster in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visits are guided; take the seasonal closure into account when planning your trip. The Lilian Bland Community Park offers a different form of historical commemoration: a sculpture pays tribute to Lilian Bland (1878–1971), who is believed to have been the first woman to build and fly an aircraft.

Parks and leisure activities

The Lilian Bland Community Park combines this commemoration with active leisure facilities: amenities include bowling, tennis courts, an outdoor fitness area and a playground; there is also space for picnics and ball games. V36 has a different focus. It features a floodlit third-generation pitch for football, rugby and Gaelic sports, as well as a civic linear park with scenic walking trails and public and community art installations.

There are various options for other activities. Glengormley Sportsbowl has 16 ten-pin bowling lanes and, with Kidz Kartz, offers indoor go-karting on a fully enclosed track. Newtownabbey Footgolf combines football and golf; no clubs or lessons are required. Skate 100 features a ten-foot-deep bowl, ledges, stairs, banks and volcano features. The skatepark is suitable for skateboards, scooters, inline skates, parkour and BMX freestyle.

Newtownabbey Way

The Newtownabbey Way runs from Global Point near Corr’s Corner to Belfast Lough and connects to NCN Cycle Route 93. It passes through Mossley Mill, Three Mile Water Park and Monkstown Wood, then continues through Glen Park near Whiteabbey Village. This route links several of the nature and cultural sites mentioned above. Together with the paths along Belfast Lough, it offers a practical option if cycling or walking is one of the main focuses of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Dunadry, Larne, Cushendall, Ballymoney, Antrim, Crumlin, Templepatrick, Carnlough.

Go to the main travel overview: Antrim.