Days Out NI
Play Park Royal Hillsborough

Hillsborough Forest Play Park

A free woodland play park by the lake, built so every child can join in.

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SeasonalForest open 9am to 9pm Apr to Sep, 9am…
FreeNo charge
Royal HillsboroughPlay Park
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Half a dayHow long
Toddlers to around 10Best for
FreeEntry
FreeParking
OutdoorsSetting

Hillsborough Forest Play Park — A free woodland play park by the lake, built so every child can join in.

  • What's there: Woodland play area with swings, slides, balance beams, play panels, ride-on tractor and aeroplane.
  • Best for: Toddlers to around 10, with role-play kit aimed at the little ones.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Parking: Free, 145-space car park.
  • Toilets: Public toilets on site at the forest.
  • Dogs: Welcome on leads, the lake is a wildlife sanctuary so keep them close.
Plan your visit

A playground built for every child

The woodland play area has swings, slides, balance beams and play panels, plus a ride-on tractor and aeroplane that send the under-fives into a world of their own. It is a Destination Play facility, which is council speak for one of the bigger and better parks, not a token swing set. What makes it different is the thought behind it. Pupils and teachers from Beechlawn Special School helped design the layout, so children of different ages and abilities can all find something to do. Wide, upgraded paths run right up to it, so a buggy or wheelchair gets you to the gate without a fight.

Free entry and parking Tractor and aeroplane play Built for all abilities Lakeside walks Toilets on site Picnic benches
Good to know before you go:

Hillsborough Forest and the wider village host seasonal events through the year, from summer activity days to autumn and Christmas happenings. It is worth checking what is on before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🧥LayersOutdoor play — a coat or spare jumper covers every kind of weather.
  • 💧Water & snacksKeeps the energy up between climbs and runs about.
  • 🧻Wipes & hand gelFor sandy, muddy, ice-cream-covered hands.
  • 🛴Scooter or ballLots of flat path and green space to burn off more energy.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free.
Opening
Forest open 9am to 9pm Apr to Sep, 9am to 5pm Oct to Mar.
Best for ages
Toddlers to around 10, with role-play kit aimed at the little ones.
What's there
Woodland play area with swings, slides, balance beams, play panels, ride-on tractor and aeroplane.
Toilets
Public toilets on site at the forest.
Parking
Free, 145-space car park.
Dogs
Welcome on leads, the lake is a wildlife sanctuary so keep them close.
Accessibility
Built for all abilities with input from a special school, wide upgraded paths to the play area.
How long to allow
Half a day with the walks and lake.
Address
Hillsborough Forest, Royal Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26.
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Free.
Is there parking?
Free, 145-space car park.
Are there toilets?
Public toilets on site at the forest.
What ages is it best for?
Toddlers to around 10, with role-play kit aimed at the little ones.
Can we bring the dog?
Welcome on leads, the lake is a wildlife sanctuary so keep them close.
Getting there

Hillsborough Forest Play Park is at Hillsborough Forest, Royal Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26.. Free, 145-space car park. Tap below for turn-by-turn directions.

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The story

About the park

Hillsborough Forest covers almost 200 acres beside the Georgian village of Royal Hillsborough, a short walk from Hillsborough Castle and next to the old Hillsborough Fort. The lake and surrounding woodland are a wildlife sanctuary, home to resident and over-wintering swans, ducks and other waterfowl.

The play park opened on 17 August 2020 as part of a £1.5 million first phase of works by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, with £999,000 from DAERA. That phase added the woodland playground, doubled the car park to 145 spaces, and brought new bridges, six lakeside viewing decks, picnic areas and public toilets. The tractor and aeroplane in the play area nod to Harry Ferguson, the engineering inventor with local roots.