Lurgan Park (Lurgan) — Days Out NI

A lake, long avenues and room to breathe

The park runs uphill from the town to Brownlow House, with a man-made lake at its heart that draws coarse anglers and a resident cast of swans and ducks. Around it, mature tree-lined avenues and open grassland give you roughly 5 km of pathways to wander — enough to make a proper morning of it before lunch. The enclosed children's play park keeps the youngest ones busy, and there are football pitches, a bowling green, tennis courts and a cricket wicket for the sporty. On rainy days the still, silver water and the cover of the old trees make the whole place feel calm and cosy; on a bright day it is a picnic and a slow lap of the lake.

Free Coarse-fishing lake Play park ~5 km of paths Parkrun each week Room to roam

Good to know before you go:

Opening hours are seasonal — the gates open around 7am but close earlier in winter than in summer. Check the council's current times before you travel so you are not turned away at the gate.

What to wear & bring

🥾Comfy shoesAround 5 km of paths and grass — good footwear turns a walk into a pleasure.

🧥LayersOpen parkland and a lake breeze — a coat or jumper keeps everyone happy in any weather.

🧺A picnicPlenty of grass and benches, and no café on site, so bring the flask and sandwiches.

🥖Bread for the swansThe lake's swans and ducks are the highlight for little ones — a hat and water round out the day.

Events at the park

Lurgan Park hosts the free weekly parkrun — a 5 km run every Saturday morning — along with a Junior parkrun, both open to all. The wide avenues and open grass make it a regular venue for community and council events through the year.

The park was long famous for the Lurgan Park Rally, said to have been the largest single rally venue on the island of Ireland. It ran from 1980, but the last event was held in 2016 and it has not returned since — so treat it as part of the park's story rather than a fixture to plan around. Always check what is on with the council before you travel.

Everything before you go

Cost

Free

Opening

Open daily; hours are seasonal (gates open around 7am, closing earlier in winter than summer) — check current times

Best for ages

All ages — play park for younger children, lake and long walks for everyone

What's there

Coarse-fishing lake, tree-lined avenues, children's play park, football pitches, bowling green, tennis courts, cricket wicket, parkrun; Brownlow House overlooks the grounds

Toilets

Toilets off the main avenue at the Cush Pavilion; bring what you need for younger children

Parking

Free on-street parking at Windsor Avenue and Robert Street, and just outside the town off the A3

Dogs

Welcome — dogs should be kept under close control at all times

Accessibility

Mostly tarmac avenues, buggy-friendly across the main paths; the ground rises toward Brownlow House. Mobility scooters can be borrowed free of charge (book ahead)

How long to allow

A full day with a picnic, the lake and a walk

Food

No café on site; Lurgan town centre's cafés and restaurants are a few minutes away

Address

Lurgan Park, Windsor Avenue, Lurgan BT67 9BJ

Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?

Yes — entry to Lurgan Park is free.

What are the opening hours?

Open daily, but the hours are seasonal — gates open around 7am and close earlier in winter than in summer. Check the council's current times before you go.

Is there parking?

Free on-street parking is available at Windsor Avenue and Robert Street, and just outside the town off the A3.

Are there toilets?

Toilets are off the main avenue at the Cush Pavilion. Bring what you need for younger children.

Can I fish in the lake?

The lake is a known coarse-fishing spot. Check current permit and season rules with the council before you cast.

Can we bring the dog?

Yes — dogs are welcome, kept under close control at all times.

Getting there

Lurgan Park is at Windsor Avenue, Lurgan BT67 9BJ, a few minutes from the town centre. Free on-street parking at Windsor Avenue and Robert Street, and just outside the town off the A3. Tap below for the official council page or turn-by-turn directions.

Official website Directions on Google Maps See it on our map

Nearby

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The story

About the park

The park grew out of the old Lurgan estate of the Brownlow family, who shaped the town over centuries. Looking down over the grounds is Brownlow House, built in 1833 for Charles Brownlow, 1st Baron Lurgan, to a design by the Scottish architect William Henry Playfair. Its Elizabethan-style towers and clustered chimneys still give the park its landmark skyline.

The estate is said to have run to around 259 acres and included a large man-made lake — the same lake that anglers fish today. As the family's fortunes changed, the house and grounds passed out of Brownlow hands; the mansion is now owned by the local Orange Order, while the parkland became the public park you can walk through freely.

Through the twentieth century the park became a fixture of Lurgan life. For decades it was best known well beyond the town as the home of the Lurgan Park Rally, thought to be the largest single rally venue on the island of Ireland — a roar of engines every year until 2016. Quieter now, the avenues and the lake still draw runners, families and anglers, day in and day out.