Cave Hill Country Park Circular, Belfast

Cave Hill Country Park rises directly above north Belfast and the circular trail from Belfast Castle delivers one of the city's best loved viewpoints at McArt's Fort. It is a genuinely dog friendly hillside, with a wide mix of wooded lower paths and open grass ridgelines where most owners feel comfortable.

Dogs must be on a lead across the whole circuit, since the upper slopes graze cattle and occasional sheep and the ridge edge is exposed. The 7.2 kilometre loop climbs steadily to around 368 metres at the fort, with mixed surfaces of forest track, tarmac drive and rough mountain path. Parking, toilets, and a coffee shop and restaurant are at Belfast Castle, though dogs are not allowed inside the castle buildings or the formal gardens.