Days Out NI
Park Belfast

Ormeau Park (Belfast)

Free 100-acre park on the Lagan with a big playground, BMX track and bandstand.

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Open dailyDaily, dawn to dusk
FreeNo charge
BelfastPark
Get directions
Half a dayHow long
All agesBest for
FreeEntry
On siteParking
OutdoorsSetting

Ormeau Park (Belfast) — Free 100-acre park on the Lagan with a big playground, BMX track and bandstand.

  • What's there: Playground, BMX track, basketball/netball courts, soccer pitches, bowling greens, bandstand, eco trails, dog park.
  • Best for: Toddlers to teens; playground refitted for all ages and abilities.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Parking: Car parking at the park; enter at Ormeau Road, Ormeau Embankment, Park Road or Ravenhill Road.
  • Toilets: Changing pavilion on site; bring what you need for younger children.
  • Dogs: Welcome, with a new fenced dog play area (separate small and large dog pens).
Plan your visit

A playground for all ages, and a BMX track for the brave

The Park Road playground was refitted with new top-of-the-range equipment built for children of all ages and abilities, so the little ones and the bigger climbers are both covered. When they have worn that out, the gravel BMX track gives older kids a proper run of jumps and whoops on a bike or scooter. There are basketball and netball courts and open soccer pitches for a kickabout, plus eco trails and an orienteering course if you want to turn it into a game. A new fenced dog play area means the family dog gets a run too, with separate pens for small and large dogs.

Free Open dawn to dusk Big playground BMX track Summer bandstand 100 acres to roam
Good to know before you go:

The Victorian bandstand hosts free band performances every summer weekend, and the park is a regular host for seasonal council events and the Belsonic music series. Check 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
Daily, dawn to dusk
Best for ages
Toddlers to teens; playground refitted for all ages and abilities
What's there
Playground, BMX track, basketball/netball courts, soccer pitches, bowling greens, bandstand, eco trails, dog park
Toilets
Changing pavilion on site; bring what you need for younger children
Parking
Car parking at the park; enter at Ormeau Road, Ormeau Embankment, Park Road or Ravenhill Road
Dogs
Welcome, with a new fenced dog play area (separate small and large dog pens)
Accessibility
Wide, mostly flat paths; buggy-friendly across the main areas
How long to allow
Half a day with a picnic and a walk
Address
Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 3GG
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Free
Is there parking?
Car parking at the park; enter at Ormeau Road, Ormeau Embankment, Park Road or Ravenhill Road
Are there toilets?
Changing pavilion on site; bring what you need for younger children
What ages is it best for?
Toddlers to teens; playground refitted for all ages and abilities
Can we bring the dog?
Welcome, with a new fenced dog play area (separate small and large dog pens)
Getting there

Ormeau Park (Belfast) is at Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 3GG. Car parking at the park; enter at Ormeau Road, Ormeau Embankment, Park Road or Ravenhill Road. Tap below for turn-by-turn directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the park

The land was once the Donegall family estate. They built Ormeau Cottage as their home in 1807, and George Chichester, 2nd Marquess of Donegall, expanded it and lived there until his death in 1844. Financial trouble forced the family to sell.

Belfast Corporation bought the 100-acre site in 1869 and opened it to the public in 1871, making Ormeau Park the oldest municipal park in the city. Architect Timothy Hevey won the competition to lay out the grounds, and the park largely keeps his original design today.

A river embankment built in the 1920s cut the park off from direct waterfront access, but it still overlooks the Lagan. Ormeau Park held the Green Flag Award every year from 2011 to 2022.