nature · Antrim
Divis and the Black Mountain bring an upland landscape to the edge of Belfast: open heath, blanket bog, stone tracks and long views across the city. Several routes share the same National Trust property, so choose one walk to suit the weather and your available daylight rather than treating every trail as a separate attraction.
From research
Choose the Summit Trail for a shorter climb or the Ridge Trail for a longer circuit with Belfast-facing views. The gentler Lough Trail offers another option. This is an exposed outdoor visit: low cloud can remove the panorama, and the current works mean that the upper car park and Barn Café are closed.
Know before you book: Use the lower car park; do not plan on the upper parking area or café being available.
Place highlights
The Summit Trail crosses heath and blanket bog towards Divis, the highest peak in the Belfast Hills. Its three-mile circuit is described by the National Trust as challenging. Pick it for the upland setting as well as the prospect of distant views.
The Ridge Trail is a longer circular walk across open slopes, with viewpoints over Belfast. Gravel, pitched stone, boardwalk and stiles mean that the route is more varied underfoot than a paved city-park path; allow time for the ground as well as the distance.
The short Lough Trail follows a wider, gentler route near the Long Barn. Across the property, grassland, heath and bog support upland wildlife. Stay on designated paths and keep dogs on leads, particularly where cattle graze.
The story behind the visit
The mountains form part of Belfast’s familiar skyline, but their slopes contain more than a viewpoint. Archaeological stonework survives within a patchwork of grassland and wet heath, and several rivers rise on the property. Read the landscape slowly: the surface of a bog, a watercourse and a stone-built feature tell different parts of its story. Remaining on the paths protects that mixture while keeping a walk manageable on ground which can hold water. Source ↗
The different named trails are alternative ways of exploring one mountain property. A clear day may reward a climb with distant horizons; mist shifts attention towards the nearby terrain instead. Choose your route before leaving the parking area, carry its map, and leave enough daylight for the return. Shortening a plan is sensible when visibility deteriorates. The current improvement project also changes the practical experience: limited toilets and closed upper parking make preparation more useful than assuming the facilities shown in older walking descriptions are operating. Source ↗
Visitor information
Approach via Divis Road off Upper Springfield Road. The Trust warns there is no safe pedestrian approach along the surrounding roads. Official visitor information ↗
Confirm current access and visitor arrangements with the operator.
Match the signed Summit, Ridge or Lough route to your time, conditions and ability. Source ↗
No. The Barn Café and upper car park are currently closed during works. Source ↗
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Use the lower car park; do not plan on the upper parking area or café being available.
54.60074, -6.04165 · Reference point; confirm the correct entrance and access. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Orientation only: a verified public entrance is not established by this pin. Use the operator arrival information before travel.