A crisp, bright autumn day is a treasure. The foliage, the sunshine, the temptation to kick up some leaves and hunt for conker. Our journalists are drawn from across Northern Ireland and they have shared their favourite autumn walk. What’s yours?
William Scholes – The Argory, Co Armagh
At the Argory you’ll meet autumn with a capital A. At this time of year the paths through its woodland are carpeted with a blaze of golden leaves, perfect for kicking your way through if its dry and crisp, but there’s almost as much fun to be had by squelching through them if it’s wet and claggy.
Several looped routes are signposted from the car park of this National Trust property which sits on the River Blackwater, right on the correct side of the border between Armagh and Tyrone. None are particularly strenuous but all are ideal for family outings. Younger children will find a place of adventure and imagination, with ditches to clamber through, trees to climb and bushes to hide in.
Autumn here is big and bombastic, colourful and crunchy; there’s a vivid sense of the old being shed to make way for the new growth that will come in spring when winter relaxes its grip. And so the cycle of the seasons continues; an inscription on the Argory’s sundial puts it like this: “Here, reader, mark the silent steps of never standing time…”
nationaltrust.org.uk/northern-ireland/the-argory
John Manley - If You Know, You Know... (Near Downpatrick)
I’m an advocate of free access to the countryside, believing that, as in Scotland, we should be able to roam our landscape, as long we behave responsibly. Ireland is particularly poor in terms of the access offered to the public, with most open spaces commodified by councils or charities like the National Trust.
You may therefore find it slightly ironic that I refuse to disclose the location of this particular walk, which I’ll describe as a favoured, rather than favourite walk, as I’d prefer not to rank those familiar places where I feel most alive.
It is public but parking is poor and access far from straightfoward, while the paths can get muddy – but that’s all part of the charm.
Much of its appeal lies in the fact the dogs and I usually have this ancient woodland to ourselves, apart from the occasional red deer, pinemarten or buzzard.
At this time of year, as the leaves fall in a variety of autumnal hues, you can almost feel the energy being drawn from the canopy into the earth. Come spring the forest floor will come alive again with carpets of wild garlic and bluebells.
Maeve Connolly – Slemish in Co Antrim
More of a climb than a walk, every time I summit Slemish I celebrate as though I’ve conquered Everest.
I’ve been scrambling up Slemish since I was knee high to a Ballymena grasshopper because as a child no St Patrick’s Day celebration was complete without trotting up the hill like a mountain goat. One March 17 the snow was deep, but still we climbed. Slemish is beautiful all year round and the view from the top makes the climb worthwhile. There’s a beautiful Celtic cross there too.
And if you see someone at the top, jumping up and down and waving their arms about, it’s me, doing my Everest celebration.
Caoimhe Quinn McCullough – Antrim Castle Gardens
At this time of year, I like to take in the autumnal surroundings of Antrim Castle Gardens.
The grounds offer a mixture of woodland and small gardens rich in autumn colours to explore. It’s easy to spend an hour or more wandering around the different pathways on the bank of Six Mile Water River, especially with two dogs.
The on-site dog park has two fully enclosed areas where they can exercise off lead and I can enjoy a hot drink from the nearby café.
Conor Coyle – Kilbroney Forest Park in Co Down
I only discovered this gem a few weeks back when we were looking for a nice Sunday out with the dog, who is a big fan of jumping around the autumn leaves like a hooligan. Take the car up to the ‘upper’ car park if you fancy a shorter dander, or for a real workout start from Rostrevor itself and make your way through the gorgeous grounds of the park entrance. If you can make it to Kodak Corner the most epic views await over Carlingford Lough.
Rohit Balaji – City to river circuit in Belfast
This Belfast route packs city, park and river into one 10,000-step loop. Starting downtown in the city centre, walk south along Great Victoria Street onto University Road and you’ll reach Queen’s Quarter where you can fuel up at one of the many coffee spots (QUB’s campus area has enough caffeine outlets to power a small country).
Head down University Road past the Lanyon Building, turn right onto Botanic Avenue and enter Botanic Gardens through the main gates. Stroll through the gardens and exit at the PEC, where the route meets the Lagan River, and where joggers and cyclists sharing the towpath with wandering ducks. The river leads you to the Big Fish, past the Albert Clock and back to the city centre, hitting 10,000 steps while offering constant changes of scenery. Plus, you’re never more than a bench away from a breather.
Sophie Clarke – Mill Race Trail in Antrim
My favourite autumn walk is one of Antrim’s best kept secrets for those in the know. Located right beside Muckamore Cricket Club in the grounds of Antrim Technology Park, a steep dirt track leads to this magical woodland wonderland which weaves past the remains of Moylinny Bank Mill and its abandoned waterwheel, the whoosing waters of the weir on towards the Shakey Bridge.
The walk is part of the Mill Race Trail which runs alongside the Six Mile Water. It is a charming and picturesque stroll which combines features of our industrial heritage together with a rich abundance of wildlife.
