Days Out NI
Greenway & cycle trail Belfast

Belfast Docks to Loughshore Park Cycle (NCN 93)

A free 12km coastal ride from the Titanic Quarter along Belfast Lough to Loughshore Park.

5 photos
Open accessRide it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
BelfastGreenway & cycle trail
Get directionsOfficial website
12kmDistance
1-3 hoursHow long
FreeCost
TarmacSurface
Buggy okBest for

Belfast Docks to Loughshore Park Cycle (NCN 93) — A free 12km coastal ride from the Titanic Quarter along Belfast Lough to Loughshore Park.

  • Distance: About 12km (7.7 miles) one way.
  • Surface: Mainly tarmac (roughly 95% asphalt), with short cobbled and slabbed sections.
  • Gradient: Flat throughout.
  • Traffic-free: Mostly traffic-free shared path and protected cycle lane; the final stretch into Loughshore Park follows Shore Road on the road.
  • Bike hire: None on the route - bring your own.
  • Buggy / scooter: Yes on the tarmac; chicane gates at Hazelbank Park are awkward for trailers and non-standard cycles.
Plan your visit

Flat tarmac along the Lough shore

The ride covers about 12km (7.7 miles) one way and is flat throughout, with a surface that's roughly 95% asphalt plus a few short cobbled and slabbed bits. From Victoria Park you cross the Sam Thompson Bridge beside the Harland & Wolff shipyard, then follow shared paths and a protected cycle lane out along the coast. You pass the Big Fish sculpture, Sailortown's historic church, the SSE Arena and Hazelbank Park, with Belfast Lough alongside much of the way. The bulk is genuinely traffic-free, but the last push into Loughshore Park runs along Shore Road on the road, so keep children close there. Note that Hazelbank Park has chicane gates that can slow down trailers, tag-alongs and non-standard cycles.

Free Flat Mostly traffic-free Tarmac 12km one way Lough views
Good to know before you go:

Greenways host seasonal sportives, family cycle days and ranger events through the year; check listings for dates.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🚲Bikes (or hire on the day)Check whether you bring your own or can hire at the start.
  • 🪖Helmets for everyoneEspecially the kids — a comfy helmet makes the whole spin better.
  • 💧Water and snacksNot every route has a café on it, so pack a little something.
  • 🧥A light layerYou warm up cycling but cool down at stops — easy to peel on and off.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Start / parking
Victoria Park, Titanic Quarter (Belfast end) or Jordanstown Loughshore Park (northern end); secure cycle parking at Lanyon and York Street stations
Distance
About 12km (7.7 miles) one way
Surface
Mainly tarmac (roughly 95% asphalt), with short cobbled and slabbed sections
Gradient
Flat throughout
Traffic-free?
Mostly traffic-free shared path and protected cycle lane; the final stretch into Loughshore Park follows Shore Road on the road
Bike hire
None on the route - bring your own
Buggy / scooter friendly
Yes on the tarmac; chicane gates at Hazelbank Park are awkward for trailers and non-standard cycles
Toilets / food
Food vans near the Big Fish at lunchtime; facilities at Loughshore Park
How long to allow
Allow 1-3 hours depending on pace; a half-day with stops
Address
Victoria Park, Titanic Quarter, Belfast / Jordanstown Loughshore Park, Newtownabbey
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How long is the route?
About 12km (7.7 miles) one way
Is it traffic-free?
Mostly traffic-free shared path and protected cycle lane; the final stretch into Loughshore Park follows Shore Road on the road
Can I hire a bike?
None on the route - bring your own
Is it buggy and scooter friendly?
Yes on the tarmac; chicane gates at Hazelbank Park are awkward for trailers and non-standard cycles
Getting there

Belfast Docks to Loughshore Park Cycle (NCN 93) starts at Victoria Park, Titanic Quarter (Belfast end) or Jordanstown Loughshore Park (northern end); secure cycle parking at Lanyon and York Street stations. Tap below for directions to the start.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around BelfastSee what else is close by More greenways & trails across NITraffic-free routes to walk and cycle
The story

About this trail

This route is the coastal section of the Lagan and Lough Cycle Way, which runs on National Cycle Network Routes 9 and 93. The full Way is a 21-mile, mostly traffic-free walking and cycling route linking Lisburn, Belfast and Jordanstown, and it's won awards for connecting the city to its waterways and shoreline.

From the docks the path threads through the Belfast Harbour Estate on a shared pathway, then opens into a dedicated greenway built on reclaimed land between the Lough shore and the M2 and M5 motorways. At the Belfast end you ride past the heart of the old shipyard, crossing the Sam Thompson Bridge beneath the Harland & Wolff cranes where the Titanic was built.

At the northern end it ties into the wider network around Newtownabbey, including the Newtownabbey Greenway running inland under the Bleach Green railway viaducts, with Jordanstown Loughshore Park as the seaside finish.