A free country park on the wooded hillside above Holywood, climbing through old woods and open meadow to grand viewpoints over the whole of Belfast Lough — with bluebells in spring and, if you're lucky, a red squirrel in the trees.
What you'll see and do — the big viewpoint over Belfast Lough, the city and the Antrim hills from the top of the hill; mixed woodland trails through some of Holywood's oldest trees; open meadow and grassland; and quiet walks off the beaten track. Spring brings a carpet of bluebells, wood sorrel and anemones.
Wildlife — the woods are said to be home to red squirrels (their shyest resident), along with tits, finches and — in the scrub near the top — willow warblers and blackcaps in summer. Rabbits are common in the open glades.
The walking — there's said to be around seven kilometres of paths in all, from short circuits to a five-kilometre running trail. It's a proper hillside, so most routes involve a decent climb.
How long — a short circuit and the climb to a viewpoint is an easy hour or two; you can stretch it out or keep it quick.
Getting in — free to walk in, and free to park. There are a couple of car parks off the Old Holywood Road and pedestrian gates from the edge of Holywood. No booking, just turn up.
Bring & food — good shoes for the hilly, sometimes muddy paths. There's no café on site, so bring water and a snack — Holywood town, with plenty of cafés, is a short way down the hill.
Dogs — a firm favourite with local dog walkers; bring the lead and clean up after them.
The trails climb steeply. This is a hillside park — paths rise sharply and can be muddy after rain, so wear proper shoes and take your time with little ones.
No facilities or café on site. There are no toilets or refreshments in the park itself and signage is light — go prepared, and Holywood is close by for a coffee after.
Plan your visit
Can I just turn up? Yes — and it's free.
Redburn is a free public country park — free to walk in and free to park. There are a couple of car parks off the Old Holywood Road (the main vehicular access is opposite Palace Barracks), plus pedestrian gates from the edge of Holywood. It's open through daylight hours and there's no booking for a normal visit. Just remember it's a working hillside with few facilities — bring what you need, because the nearest coffee and toilets are down in Holywood town.
This is a steep, natural hillside with light signage and no facilities — good shoes and a bit of navigation help. And the best views need a climb, so pace it for younger legs and reward them with the panorama at the top.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
🥾Good shoes or bootsThe paths are hilly and get muddy after rain — grippy footwear for everyone, especially the little ones.
🧥A coat, whatever the sky's doingThe top of the hill is exposed and catches the breeze off the lough — a light coat means the weather is never a reason to stay in.
💧Water and a snackThere's no café or shop on site, so pack a drink and something to nibble — Holywood is a short way down for a proper coffee after.
📷The cameraThe viewpoints over Belfast Lough, the city and the Antrim hills are the reason to climb — and the bluebells in spring are worth a photo too.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free. It's a free public country park — free to walk in and free to park.
Hours
Open daily through daylight hours — longer on summer evenings, shorter in winter. Best to visit in good light, as there's little lighting on the hill.
What you'll see
A wooded hillside above Holywood with grand viewpoints over Belfast Lough, the city and the Antrim hills; mixed woodland (said to include some of the area's oldest trees), open meadow and grassland; spring bluebells; and wildlife including red squirrels, woodland birds and rabbits.
Walking
There's said to be around seven kilometres of paths in total, from short circuits to a five-kilometre running trail. It's a hillside, so expect climbs; paths are natural and can be muddy after rain.
Getting there
Entrances are off the Old Holywood Road — the main car park entrance is opposite Palace Barracks — with additional pedestrian access from the edge of Holywood. Free parking on site.
Food
No café or shop on site. Bring water and snacks; Holywood town, a short way down the hill, has plenty of cafés and places to eat.
Toilets
No toilets in the park itself — plan around that, with Holywood nearby.
Dogs
Popular with dog walkers. Bring a lead and clean up after your dog.
Accessibility
This is a steep, natural hillside with unsurfaced woodland paths and light signage — challenging for prams and wheelchairs. Wear good shoes and take the climbs steadily.
How long
Allow an easy hour or two for a short circuit and the climb to a viewpoint; longer if you take in more of the trails.
Questions
Before you go
Is there a charge?
No — Redburn is a free public country park. It's free to walk in and free to park, with no booking needed for a normal visit.
Is it a hard walk?
It's a hillside, so most routes involve a climb, and the reward is the view from the top. The paths are natural and can be muddy after rain — wear good shoes and take your time. You can keep it to a short circuit or stretch it across the wider network of trails.
Are there really red squirrels?
The woods are said to be home to red squirrels, described as the park's shyest resident — so sightings aren't guaranteed, but keep quiet and look up in the trees. You're more likely to spot rabbits in the open glades and woodland birds like tits and finches.
When are the bluebells out?
Spring is said to be the best time, when parts of the woodland floor turn blue with bluebells, alongside wood sorrel and anemones. Late April into May is usually the window — worth checking locally before you set your heart on it.
Is there anywhere to eat?
Not on site — there's no café or shop in the park, so bring water and a snack. Holywood town is a short way down the hill and has plenty of cafés and places to eat for afterwards.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes — it's a firm favourite with local dog walkers. Bring a lead and clean up after your dog.
Getting there
Redburn Country Park, Old Holywood Road, Holywood, County Down, BT18 9LP — on the wooded hillside just above the town. The main car park entrance is off the Old Holywood Road, opposite Palace Barracks, with pedestrian gates from the edge of Holywood. Free parking on site.
The park grew out of the old Redburn estate, long the home of the Dunville family — the Belfast whiskey dynasty behind Dunville & Co. Their grand Victorian mansion, Redburn House, is said to have been built in the 1860s to the designs of the Belfast architects Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon, and stood in well over a hundred acres of grounds with the lough spread out below.
The house's fortunes turned in the twentieth century: the story goes that after the last of the family died it was taken over during the Second World War, fell derelict and was eventually demolished, with the estate passing into public hands around 1950. Today the grounds are the country park — the woods, said to include some of Holywood's oldest trees, the open meadows and that long view over Belfast Lough are now open for everyone to walk.