Hidden paths and Wooded Demesnes
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Summary
An alternative name for this walk might be ‘A Tour of the Grand Houses of Cultra’. A good place to start and finish this walk is at Marino Station – particularly if you are travelling by train to and from Holywood.
It begins with a short bramble trail (the Black Path), down the side of the railway line which takes you to the coast and Seapark recreation grounds. It then guides you past some of the grandest homes in Cultra, built on the former Kennedy estate, and back to the coastal path for some great sea views before heading up to the main Belfast to Bangor road. Here you will pass the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Culloden Hotel before heading down to Cultra railway station and along more tree-lined avenues to your starting point at Marino Station.
The journey, at a fairly brisk pace, will take you about 75 minutes.
| TYPE | Circular walk mixed suburban and coastal scenery. Footpaths and road walking with some climbing on roads but not too steep gradients. |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE | 3.65 miles / 8.1 km |
| SURFACES | Mostly asphalt paths and roads, but some walking on unsurfaced, potentially muddy, paths. Sturdy walking boots recommended in wet conditions and winter. |
| HEIGHT GAIN / LOSS | 120 feet climb |
| HAZARDS | Some road walking on quiet suburban roads without pavements. The Black Path is narrow, muddy and quite uneven. Can be quite overgrown in summer with brambles and stinging nettles. Coastal path can be narrow in places with sheer drop down to beach. Risks in stormy weather. |
