Last Sunday morning was spent enjoying quality time with my dad, taking a bracing walk along Divis and Black Mountain. These mountains sit in the heart of the Belfast hills and give you spectacular views of the Belfast landscape and far beyond (to Scotland and Cumbria on a clear day).
A few facts
Divis and Black Mountain came into the care of the National Trust back in 2004. The land was previously owned by the Ministry of Defence. And thanks to the work of the National Trust, it is now accessible to the general public. There are walking trails in place which allow you to enjoy the best views the site has to offer.
At least 1,000 feet above sea level, it is naturally an exposed environment. But with the wind in our faces, we walked for a few miles taking in the views and stopping to admire the trees clinging on for dear life.
A few pictures from our windswept walk
A wilderness close to the city
It was a rather mean and moody morning weather wise, with strong winds and menacing clouds. That just seemed to add to the raw beauty of the place. These hills are so close to the city, but yet it felt like a wilderness.
I especially loved this wooden boardwalk, carving out a trail to the summit of Black Mountain.
A different perspective
We didn’t quite make it to the summit of Black Mountain. It was a bit too windy that morning. But , all in all, it’s a great place to stretch the legs, blow away the cobwebs and enjoy the natural beauty on our own doorstep. It was a chance too to chat with my dad and reflect on life in general. It was great to see plenty of people out walking with their children and dogs. And for any tourists visiting Belfast, I thought this would be a great place to come and see Belfast from a different perspective. After all, these mountains form the backdrop to Belfast. And it is another sign of progress that everyone can now explore this green space just a few miles from the city centre.
Time for coffee
Feeling reinvigorated after a 3 mile windswept walk, it was lovely to stop at the end for a well deserved cappuccino. The National Trust has a coffee barn serving hot drinks and cake. No cake on this occasion for me though !
For more information, you can visit the National Trust website to learn more about opening times, the various walking trails etc.
Thanks for stopping by,
Paula
The power and resilience of nature
Beautifully said. Thanks for your comment
Bleak and windswept as ever I see. Once at McArt’s Fort I saw a sign – “Anyone taking or damaging plants will be prosecuted”. Some wag had amended the sign to read – “Anyone finding plants will be rewarded”. Des.
Aha very funny..but true lol š
I love moody places and your photos capture so much of the personality of this place.
Thank u Laura š