St Columb's Park (Derry/Londonderry)

A riverside walk, a big green run-around, and town on the far bank

Start with the wooded walkways and the open parkland — 70 acres gives everyone room to run, kick a ball or spread a picnic. There's a small play park for younger children, and grown-up climbers among the tall beech trees to look up at. Follow the riverside path and the Peace Bridge carries you over the Foyle to Ebrington Square and the walled city, so a park visit can turn into a full day in Derry/Londonderry without moving the car. If the weather turns, the Foyle Arena at the edge of the park is the dry option — a modern leisure centre with a swimming pool, gym and climbing wall (check current times and prices before you go). Tucked in the trees you'll also find St Columb's Park House and the old church ruins for a slower wander.

Free entry 70 acres to roam Play park Peace Bridge to town Foyle Arena leisure centre Dog exercise area

Good to know before you go:

Toilets and baby changing are at the Foyle Arena and over at Ebrington Square rather than dotted around the park, so plan a stop. Opening times and Foyle Arena prices change with the season — check current times before you travel.

What to wear & bring

🥾Sturdy shoesThe riverside path is paved; the woodland trails can be soft, so footwear that copes with mud is best.

🧥LayersA coat or spare jumper covers the river breeze — and rain just makes the Foyle look grand.

💧Water & snacksToilets and cafés cluster near the arena and Ebrington, so pack for the middle of the park.

🧢A hatOn a bright day the open parkland and the walk to town are lovely — a hat and some shade keep it comfy.

Everything before you go

Cost

Free to enter

Opening

Open daily — check current times (Foyle Arena has its own opening hours and prices)

Best for ages

All ages — a small play park for little ones, plenty of open space for older children

What's there

Woodland and riverside walks, open parkland, a play park, the Foyle Arena leisure centre, sports pitches and running track, St Columb's Park House, St Brecan's Church ruins, and a dog exercise area

Toilets

At the Foyle Arena and at Ebrington Square rather than throughout the park

Parking

Free car parking, including disabled bays, off St Columb's Road; more free on-road parking on St Columb's Road and at Ebrington Square

Dogs

Welcome; there's a fenced dog exercise area with separate small-dog and large-dog zones. Clean up after your dog

Accessibility

The Ebrington Loop is a roughly 2.5km largely asphalt route with gentle inclines and is buggy-friendly; the woodland paths are rougher and can be muddy

How long to allow

Half a day, or a full day if you add the Foyle Arena and a walk into town

Address

Limavady Road, Waterside, Derry/Londonderry BT47 6JY

Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?

Yes — St Columb's Park is free to enter and open daily. The Foyle Arena leisure centre charges its own admission; check current prices.

Is there parking?

Free car parking, including disabled bays, is off St Columb's Road, with more free on-road parking on St Columb's Road and at Ebrington Square.

Are there toilets?

Toilets and baby changing are at the Foyle Arena and at Ebrington Square rather than throughout the park, so plan a stop.

Can you walk into the city from the park?

Yes — the riverside path and the Peace Bridge cross the Foyle to Ebrington Square and Derry/Londonderry's walled city, a short walk away.

Can we bring the dog?

Yes — there's a fenced dog exercise area with separate zones for small and large dogs. Please clean up after your dog.

Getting there

St Columb's Park is on Limavady Road in the Waterside, Derry/Londonderry BT47 6JY. Free car parking, including disabled bays, is off St Columb's Road, with more free on-road parking nearby. Tap below for the council park pages or turn-by-turn directions.

Directions on Google Maps Official website See it on our map

Nearby

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The story

About the park

The park grew out of an old estate on the east bank of the Foyle. St Columb's Park House, the Georgian manor at its centre, is said to have been built in 1788 for a Royal Navy officer, and the land passed through several families before the council stepped in. Derry Corporation is recorded as buying the estate in 1937 and opening it to the public in 1939, so the park you walk today has been a shared green space for well over eighty years.

There's older history still in the trees. The ruins in the woods are the remains of St Brecan's Church, thought to date back at least to the medieval period, with the standing stonework believed to be from the late 16th century. St Columb's Park House itself fell into disrepair and was renovated and reopened in 1993, and has been used since as a centre for community and reconciliation work — fitting for a park now joined to the city by the Peace Bridge.

That bridge, opened in 2011, is what makes a park visit feel bigger than a park visit. It carries you over the Foyle to Ebrington Square and on into Derry/Londonderry's walled city, so a morning among the beech trees can end with an ice cream in town. Work has also been under way to bring the estate's historic walled garden back to life.