Days Out NI
Coastal walk Holywood

North Down Coastal Path: Holywood to Bangor

Walk the shoreline of Belfast Lough, train back, and let the kids count the boats.

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
HolywoodCoastal walk
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5 hoursHow long
10 milesDistance
FreeCost
Buggy okBest for
On leadsDogs

North Down Coastal Path: Holywood to Bangor — Walk the shoreline of Belfast Lough, train back, and let the kids count the boats.

  • Distance: Roughly 10 miles Holywood to Bangor end to end; shorter station-to-station sections available.
  • How long: About 4 to 5 hours for the full route, or an hour or two for a shorter section.
  • Terrain: Mostly flat tarmac and promenade, with grass, gravel, sand and rock; steps and a narrow path at Seahill.
  • Dogs: Welcome on a lead; can usually come off just after Wilson's Point.
  • With kids: No cliff drops on the main shoreline, but watch children on slippery rocks, near open water and on the tide-affected beach sections.
  • Parking: Free at the Holywood end (Seapark, off Marine Parade); at the Bangor end free parking is along the front at Eisenhower Pier, while central Bangor and the former marina car parks are pay-and-display or closed for redevelopment; Crawfordsburn Country Park also has parking.
Plan your visit

The route, station to station

From The Esplanade in Holywood the path runs east along the shore for about 10 miles to Bangor marina. Early on you pass Cultra and the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, then the long sandy beach at Helen's Bay. Crawfordsburn Country Park brings woodland, a waterfall and a Victorian railway viaduct, and just beyond it Grey Point Fort still has its two big coastal guns. The surface is mostly flat tarmac and promenade with grass, gravel and a couple of beach crossings, plus two flights of steps and a narrow path at Seahill. Because most of the eight stations sit within 500m of the path, you can walk a short two-mile section or the full thing and take the train back.

Free Free parking Belfast Lough views Grey seals 10 miles point-to-point Train back from either end
Good to know before you go:

This stretch of coast hosts seasonal ranger-led walks, wildlife and rockpooling events and summer festivals around Crawfordsburn Country Park and Bangor. Check what is on before you set off.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 👟Good shoes or bootsShore paths can be rocky, uneven and a little muddy after rain.
  • 🧥A coat or windproofThe coast is breezy — a fresh sea wind is half the fun of it.
  • 💧Water and a snackThere is rarely a shop right on the path, so pack a little something.
  • 🔭Binoculars or a cameraFor the seabirds, the seals and the big views across the water.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Parking
Free at the Holywood end (Seapark, off Marine Parade); at the Bangor end free parking is along the front at Eisenhower Pier, while central Bangor and the former marina car parks are pay-and-display or closed for redevelopment; Crawfordsburn Country Park also has parking
Distance
Roughly 10 miles Holywood to Bangor end to end; shorter station-to-station sections available
How long to allow
About 4 to 5 hours for the full route, or an hour or two for a shorter section
Difficulty
Easy to moderate; mostly flat with a few rough and stepped sections
Terrain
Mostly flat tarmac and promenade, with grass, gravel, sand and rock; steps and a narrow path at Seahill
Safety with kids
No cliff drops on the main shoreline, but watch children on slippery rocks, near open water and on the tide-affected beach sections
Dogs
Welcome on a lead; can usually come off just after Wilson's Point
Buggy-friendly
Mostly yes on the tarmac stretches, but the Seahill steps and beach crossings block buggies and wheelchairs in places
Toilets / food nearby
Toilets, cafes and shops at Holywood, Helen's Bay, Crawfordsburn Country Park and Bangor
Address
The Esplanade, Holywood, Co Down BT18 (Bangor end: Bangor marina, BT20)
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How far is the walk?
Roughly 10 miles Holywood to Bangor end to end; shorter station-to-station sections available
How long should I allow?
About 4 to 5 hours for the full route, or an hour or two for a shorter section
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on a lead; can usually come off just after Wilson's Point
Is it buggy-friendly?
Mostly yes on the tarmac stretches, but the Seahill steps and beach crossings block buggies and wheelchairs in places
Getting there

North Down Coastal Path: Holywood to Bangor is at The Esplanade, Holywood, Co Down BT18 (Bangor end: Bangor marina, BT20). Free at the Holywood end (Seapark, off Marine Parade); at the Bangor end free parking is along the front at Eisenhower Pier, while central Bangor and the former marina car parks are pay-and-display or closed for redevelopment; Crawfordsburn Country Park also has parking. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around HolywoodSee what else is close by More coastal walks across NIBeaches, cliffs, harbours and headlands
The story

About this stretch of coast

The North Down Coastal Path follows the southern shore of Belfast Lough, a busy sea route where ferries and cargo ships pass close to walkers. The full waymarked route runs about 16 miles from Holywood all the way to Orlock, with the Holywood-to-Bangor stretch the most popular and the easiest underfoot.

Grey Point Fort, near Helen's Bay, was built before the First World War to guard the entrance to the Lough and still holds its two large coastal guns. Crawfordsburn Country Park adds a wooded glen, a waterfall and a Victorian railway viaduct, while the shoreline at Cultra is home to the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.

The Lough and its shore are rich in wildlife: grey seals haul out on rocks offshore and the coast draws large numbers of wading and sea birds, especially at low tide when the mudflats and rockpools are exposed.