Green Flag Sites

Antrim Castle Gardens sprawls across approximately 50 acres and are situated immediately to the west of Antrim town centre. The site is easily accessible due to its close proximity to Antrim town centre with nearby bus stops, train station and forms part of the route for the Lough Neagh Cycle Trail. The Garden is famous for hosting a number of large-scale events, such as Enchanted Winter Gardens in December, Garden Show Ireland in June and the Sixmile Festival in August to name a few.

• View our events page for further information. 
• Discover more about Antrim Castle Gardens here.

Antrim, Belmont and Six Mile Cemetery is located between Moylena Road and Belmont Road in Antrim Town. The cemetery is managed and maintained by the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and is within the Fountain Hill Ward.

Antrim, Belmont and Six Mile Cemetery is a relatively large site and although space is largely used for the primary purpose of the site i.e. burials, space has been provided for heritage and conservation features. Landscape features include:

• Old headstones and burial plots
• Mature Boundary Hedge
• Mature trees
• Grassland
• Recently planted trees
• British Legion Garden of Remembrance

Antrim Lough Shore Park and Gateway Centre is situated on the shore of Lough Neagh and is a popular destination for visitors with its unique history, natural beauty, 5-star caravan park and nautical themed play park.  In the summer of 2020, a magnificent sculpture was erected at the water’s edge. Called ‘The Protector of the Lough’ this silhouette will cut clear against the horizon and Finn McCool will be instantly recognisable from far across the water celebrating the Lough, the land, the folklore and the heritage.

This site demonstrates true community dedication with all maintenance carried out by a team of volunteers from the village.  Truly passionate about the site, opportunities to learn more and enhance for wildlife are continually pursued.  Used for wedding photos and music events – a true community gem!

This rural site is managed by the Council with significant input from local volunteers. Visit in the spring to see the array of spring bulbs planted by local volunteers.  The colour is fantastic and provides the sign of spring everyone longs for!

Crumlin Glen is situated at the entrance of Crumlin, it's a popular destination for visitors, dog walkers and nature enthusiasts, it has a natural play area and natural learning area where local schools are encouraging to come and learn in the great outdoors.

There are two ways to access the Glen from Crumlin village. Crumlin Glen is sign posted on Nutt’s Corner Road, just before the railway bridge, as visitors head out of the town. There is also another entrance off Cidercourt Road in the centre of the village.

• Discover more about Crumlin Glen here.

Designed in conjunction with the local community, this popular recreational pathway has become a destination hot spot that is equal parts working garden and world-class attraction for locals and visitors alike. The repurposing of what was already an iconic heritage landmark into a picturesque restorative space is just one of four installations across which received funding from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Community Garden as part of National Gardening Week in 2022.

Not just one, but three parks, linked by the Coastal cycle path to Belfast enables visitors to pick and choose their experience when visiting one or all of these sites.  Why not park at Hazelbank and cycle along the off-road cycle path to Jordanstown Loughshore Park for an ice cream, the exciting play park or a picnic on the beach?  Or head towards Belfast and do some bird watching at the Whitehouse Lagoon in Gideons Green – a RSPB site popular with wading birds feeding on the mudflats while the tide is out.

Jordanstown Loughshore Park The site boasts a highly commended café, play area, caravan park and toilet facilities. The accessibility and proximity to the water makes this a popular site in the summer months with its permanent chess and badminton table adding to its appeal. The bandstand provides a venue for regular concerts.

Hazelbank Park This site is home to the ‘Coronation Garden’, The concept for the garden is joyous and uplifting in style was to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and The Queen Consort. Reflecting the new King’s love of traditional architecture, craft and gardens, the new garden includes a quirky mechanical installation that will perform each 15 minutes to delight visitors. Find out more information here.

A new Sensory garden will open on the site in September; this new park makes full use of the existing mature woodland creating an immersive sensory experience.

Gideon’s Green The smallest site in the area, this site lies on the south, eastern boundary of the borough. The site is popular for bird watching due to the Whitehouse lagoon – a mecca for wildfowl and migrating species.   

This rural burial ground has a number of significant historical points of interest including a corpse house and a mausoleum. Seats have been strategically placed in the garden of remembrance to provide fantastic views over the Six Mile Valley towards the Antrim Hills. 

Kilbride Cemetery is an old burial ground with a newly created Garden of Remembrance. The boundary of the site is in part a mature hedgerow which provides habitat for wildlife as well as privacy, shelter and a sound barrier for people visiting the site. A stone wall creates the rest of the boundary which provides a unique habitat for a range of species. The site has several Irish Yew trees which are indicative of a burial ground and the site provides a place for relaxation and peaceful reflection.

The Lilian Bland Community Park is situated in the urban area of Glengormley and is one of the closest parks to a town centre. Other local parks include Burney’s Lane (few facilities) and Sandyknowes Park. The Lilian Bland Park is comprised of a play park, bowling green, pavilion, tennis or basketball, casual football pitch and areas of open green space. Lilian Bland Community Park holds a special place in the hearts of local people and is vitally important to the health and vibrancy of the town.

• Find out more about Lilian Bland Community Park here

Mallusk Cemetery provides plenty of opportunities to learn about local history with significant graves in abundance. The site is managed for biodiversity with local school children taking part in events including bulb plantings and bug hunts!

Mallusk Cemetery is a burial ground with three main sections; old, new and Remembrance Garden. The boundary of the site is a mature hedgerow which provides habitat as well as privacy, shelter and a sound barrier for people visiting the site. The site has several Irish Yew trees which are indicative of a burial ground. Mallusk cemetery provides a place for relaxation and peaceful reflection in a busy industrial area

The Mill Race Trail is a site of importance for industrial heritage and wildlife.  Follow way markers and information panels as they tell the story of the Six Mile Water and its importance to the local area. The site offers dual use pathways, safe river crossings, signage, informal amenity areas, and educational interpretation of the existing natural and built heritage. The Six Mile Water river provides an attractive setting for the town of Antrim.

The Monkstown Jubilee Centre is a community facility, owned by the Council but managed by the Monkstown Community Association.

As well as the centre, substantial green space, adjacent to the centre, provides the entrance point for visitors to Newtownabbey Way

In addition to the centre and the surrounding green space, a new centenary garden with raised beds was created at the front right side of Jubilee Centre.  These raised have been developed in partnership with Community Association with the aim to create an inclusive space for the whole community.

Monkstown Village Garden is a uniquely designed community garden which features two polytunnels with a number of raised flower beds, providing  residents with opportunities to participate in a variety of gardening related activities; and a sensory garden to enliven the senses, providing a natural space to unwind and relax.

The garden is open every Monday from 10am-4pm and on other days by arrangement, for a number of purposes including; volunteer sessions, sale of produce (when available) and visits. The garden can be visited anytime between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

The Newtownabbey Way is a linear walkway through the heart of Newtownabbey linking a variety of parks and providing a fantastic off-road cycle and walking path along the banks of the Threemilewater.  From Mossley Mill to the shores of Belfast Lough, you will experience mature woodlands and wildflower meadows, making it hard to believe you are minutes from an urban metropolis!

The Newtownabbey Way provides for safe, off road outdoor recreation. The path also provides pedestrian links to Council managed sites; Threemilewater Park, Mossley Park, Whiteabbey Glen, Jordanstown Loughshore Park, Hazelbank Park and Gideons Green as well as Monkstown Wood Local Nature Reserve, which is managed by the Woodland Trust. 

• Discover more about the Newtownabbey Way here.

Randalstown River Path is a green linear space and recreational amenity on the edge of the town, consisting of approximately 0.5 miles along the River Maine. At various sections, are various information and interpretation panels to highlight the importance of the natural and industrial heritage of the site.

The River Path provides for safe, off-road, outdoor recreation. People can enjoy a number of activities such as dog walking, angling, canoeing and running. The green, open spaces (as well as the outdoor gym facility) can be used for general activities for families and children to enjoy. Seating areas and picnic tables are available. 

This centre is built in the heart of the community and is run by a team of volunteers from the local and surrounding areas. It offers a custom built dance studio, main hall, training room and board room which are available to hire to the community.

It's also the entrance point for Carnmoney Hill. The site is closely located to a thriving wildlife pond, wetland area, community garden, polytunnels, beehives and orchards.

In addition to the centre and the surrounding green space, a new allotment facility has been opened as part of the Rathfern Social Activity Centre. 

Rashee Cemetery is split into two sections – old and new.  The new section is fully operational and maintained to a very high standard with significant improvements for wildlife including hedgerow management and creation of living fences.  The old section is an adventure in itself.  A tangle of mature trees, headstones and regular seasonal changes make this site a pleasure to visit year round.  Particularly beautiful are the ancient bluebells that provide a dazzling display of colour and marks the start of the summer!  A magical place to visit and perfect to create a story book adventure. Investigations are currently underway on the site by the Historical site after the accidental unveiling of a large underground chamber on the site.

Sentry Hill Community Allotments has 12 new accessible raised beds, an accessible toilet, and an extension to the allotment site to add 24 new plots with paths and fencing. Work is currently been undertaken to allocate the reaming plots, as there is a waiting list for the site.

Sentry Hill is a remarkably complete 19th century farmhouse in Carnmoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.  Built around 1835, the house was renovated in the 1880s and altered again in the 1920s.  There are a number of out buildings and farmland totals approximately 20 acres. The grounds are open all day during the summer.

• Discover more about Sentry Hill Historic House

This attractive, large urban park is a gem in the market town of Ballyclare.  A variety of habitats including wildflower meadows, woodland, duck ponds and the river provides for a range of wildlife and people.  Two play parks will get the kids excited and a variety of paths around the site ensure exercise for all!  Why not try out the range of outdoor gym equipment or pay a visit to the leisure facilities at the Sixmile Leisure Centre?  A few minutes walk takes you into the centre of Ballyclare, where you can find a range of shops and cafes. 

The Canal Walk lies alongside the Toome canal and adjacent to the Lough Neagh shoreline, just to the south of Toome village in Country Antrim. The canal is part of the Lower Bann River which flows from Lough Neagh, through Lough Beg to the Atlantic Ocean at Portstewart. It offers a 2km long walk to the shores of Lough Neagh, it’s a small area of approximately 5 hectares in total, which comprises a mix of semi-natural habitats and amenity planting.

A jetty, managed by Waterways Ireland, lies immediately adjacent to the Park alongside the canal, with access to Trea Gardens housing estate, playing fields, Play Park, MUGA, community garden, allotments and a local primary school (St. Oliver Plunkett’s), lie just beyond the northern and eastern boundaries of the site.

Threemilewater Park is a significant walking/cycling path which runs through the Borough linking areas, parks and communities, it's part of the Newtownabbey Way.

The Threemile river flows through the forest in the conservation park, the site is mapped out using a mix of stoned and tarmac walkways.

Within the park there are three football pitches, two tennis courts and mini hard stand pitch. There are also changing facilities, toilets and recycling points on site.

• Discover more about Threemilewater Park here.

This site really has it all – boasting the Borough's first Skate Park - Skate 100. It's one of the largest skate parks in the UK and Ireland. The 14,000 square-foot skate park is suitable for: Skateboards, Scooters, Inline skaters, Parkour and BMX free-style bikes.

The Valley Park is a site of parkland consisting of large areas of newly planted native and mixed broadleaf woodland. A small stream from its source in the Belfast hills meanders through the length of the park and feeds into a duck pond before travelling to Belfast Lough via Glas-na-braden Glen.

The V36 incorporates an adventure playground, sports pitches, and performance space adjacent to the Valley Leisure Centre and within the boundary of the Valley Park.

This urban park in Templepatrick provides local people and visitors with the opportunity to enjoy some fresh air, get some exercise or relax in this well maintained park.  As well as an exciting play park and outdoor fitness equipment, a number of projects have been developed at this site to enhance the area for biodiversity.  

Whiteabbey Glen is situated at the foot of the Threemilewater on the shore of Belfast Lough, and is part of the Newtownabbey Way. The Glen is a significant open space in Whiteabbey with a number of paths throughout the site enable recreation in the form of walking, running and cycling. Adjacent to the Glen is a play park, football and community Centre. The Glen is well used by the community families on a regular basis. There are opportunities for bird watching and feeding with formal flowerbeds, surrounded by an avenue of trees and woodland area.