Colin Glen runs for a couple of hundred acres of steep, green woodland down the western edge of Belfast, with the Colin River tumbling white over the rocks below Black Mountain and Divis. Six miles of colour-coded paths thread the glen, past the weirs and the little footbridges, and the whole woodland is yours to walk for nothing — the reason locals have come here for generations.
Follow the river with small children and you'll find the Gruffalo. This is Ireland's only official Gruffalo Trail: a walk through the deep dark wood with the mouse, the fox, the owl, the snake and the big monster himself carved and waiting round the bends, the surest way to get a reluctant toddler happily marching a mile through the trees.
Then there's the other Colin Glen — the Adventure Centre the Colin Glen Trust has built into the hillside. This is where the older ones light up: the Black Bull Run, billed as Ireland's first alpine coaster, twisting 565 metres down through the trees; zip lines flying out over the glen; high ropes, a climbing wall and a free-fall descender. The walking is free and open to all; the big-ticket rides are booked and paid separately, most with a height or age limit, so pick your day around whoever you're bringing.
Plan your visit
Free to wander, or book a day of thrills
Come just for the glen and you pay nothing — turn up, park free at the River Entrance and walk the trails, the river and the woodland whenever the gates are open. The Gruffalo sculptures can be enjoyed on a free walk too; the guided Gruffalo storytelling experience (with a book and certificate to take home) is a separate booked ticket. The Adventure Centre rides — the alpine coaster, the zip lines, high ropes, climbing wall and free fall — are each ticketed and run in timed sessions, so book those ahead online, especially in the holidays.
Café on siteToiletsSome pram & wheelchair-friendly trailsFree parkingDogs welcome on the trails
Worth knowing:
Some Adventure Centre rides open only on certain days and can pause for weather or maintenance. A few visitors have arrived to find a ride shut, so confirm the exact activity you want is running that day before you set off — and check which entrance you need, as the coaster and zip lines sit at the Mountain Entrance.
Before you set off
What to bring
👟Sturdy shoes or welliesThe glen is a natural woodland — paths can be steep and muddy after rain, and a walk in the rain here is a gorgeous, green one.
🧥A coat and layersYou're down among the trees by the river, so it's cool and lovely even on a warm day.
🎟️Your bookingIf you're doing the coaster, zip lines or ropes, have the timed ticket ready and arrive early for your slot.
📏Check the height rulesThe thrill rides carry minimum heights and ages, so it saves tears to know who can go on what before you arrive.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to walk the woodland, river and trails. The Adventure Centre activities are ticketed and priced individually or in multi-activity passes, booked online or on site — prices vary by activity, so check the current rates when you book. The guided Gruffalo storytelling experience is a separate ticket that includes a book, sticker and certificate.
Hours
The River Entrance is open daily, roughly 9am–5pm in autumn and winter and 9am–6pm in spring and summer. The Mountain Entrance (coaster and zip lines) keeps shorter, more seasonal hours. Activity sessions are booked to set times — confirm on the day.
What's free vs paid
Free: the six-plus miles of colour-coded woodland walks, the river, weirs and footbridges, and walking the Gruffalo trail sculptures yourself. Paid and booked: the alpine coaster, zip lines, high ropes, climbing wall, free fall, archery, laser tag and the guided Gruffalo experience.
Age & height
The alpine coaster suits ages 3+, with 3–7s riding with an adult and a minimum height of about 1.3m to ride. High ropes are for older children (roughly age 10+ and around 1.4m). Under-18s must be with a participating adult. Rules can change, so verify when booking.
Food
There's a café on site for coffee, snacks and lunch. Picnic spots along the trails too, if you'd rather bring your own.
Toilets
Toilets are available at the River Entrance visitor building.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on the woodland trails — keep them on a lead near the river, the play areas and other walkers. Confirm on the day, as the activity zones may differ.
Getting around
The Englishtown Walk is noted as pram and wheelchair friendly, and there are step-free stretches — but the glen is a steep, natural river valley in places, with some hilly and rougher paths. Pick the flatter trails for a buggy.
How long
An hour or two for a good woodland walk; a half-day or more if you're pairing it with the Gruffalo trail and a couple of the adventure rides.
Questions
Before you go
Is Colin Glen free?
The woodland, the river and the trails are completely free to walk, with free parking at the River Entrance. The adventure rides — coaster, zip lines, ropes — and the guided Gruffalo experience are ticketed and booked separately.
Can we just walk the Gruffalo trail for free?
Yes — the Gruffalo sculptures sit along a woodland path you can walk free of charge. The paid version is the guided storytelling experience, which adds a guide and a book, sticker and certificate to take home.
Do I need to book the rides?
Yes — the alpine coaster, zip lines and high ropes run in timed sessions, so book online ahead, especially in the holidays. The woodland walks need no booking at all.
What ages is it for?
The glen and Gruffalo trail suit all ages, right down to toddlers in a buggy on the flatter paths. The thrill rides are for older children — the coaster from around age 3 (and 1.3m to ride), high ropes from about age 10 — so it works for a mixed-age family.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes — dogs are welcome on the woodland trails. Keep them on a lead by the river, the play areas and around other walkers, and confirm on the day for the activity zones.
Is it good in the rain?
The glen is at its greenest and freshest after rain, with the river running full — just wear boots for the muddy stretches. The indoor and covered adventure activities give you a plan B if it's really pouring.
Getting there
163 Stewartstown Road, Dunmurry, Belfast, BT17 0HW — the River Entrance, with free parking on site. The Mountain Entrance for the coaster and zip lines is a short drive away on Colin Glen Road.
Colin Glen is a deep river valley on the western edge of Belfast, running down off the Black Mountain and Divis slopes with the Colin River cutting through the middle of it. For generations it was simply the local glen — a couple of hundred acres of woodland, weirs and walkways that people came to for a free walk in the trees.
The Colin Glen Trust, the charity that looks after the park, turned that same hillside into one of Ireland's leading adventure destinations — adding Ireland's first alpine coaster, zip lines out over the valley, high ropes and Ireland's only official Gruffalo Trail. It's a rare thing: a free public woodland and a full-on activity centre sharing the same green glen, so the whole family finds their day in it.