Official tourism website for Northern Ireland
En

Slievenacloy Nature Reserve

Flowbog Road, Lisburn, County Antrim, BT28 3TE
Image is a close up of a pink wild flower in a field

Book Tickets Online

About

A great escape from the hustle and bustle of Belfast and Lisburn, Slievenacloy Nature Reserve is located in a valley in the Belfast Hills. Initial impressions may suggest only grassy fields, but the site is in fact a vast wildlife paradise of grassland, meadows, rush and heath. The site is particularly important for orchids, birds and fungi, and offers panoramic views from the Mourne Mountains to the Sperrins and beyond.

But there’s more than spectacular views to see at Slievenacloy - look out for a long list of Northern Ireland priority bird species including: hen harrier, lapwing, curlew, skylark, mistle thrush, song thrush, grasshopper warbler, starling, linnet and reed bunting. Snow buntings are frequent visitors during the winter.

On the ground you’ll find some interesting plants such as great and lesser butterfly orchids, frog orchid and the rare moonwort fern. The range of plant diversity also supports a wide variety of invertebrates such as butterflies, moths and bees.

A good example is devil's bit scabious - the exclusive food plant of caterpillars of the internationally rare marsh fritillary butterfly. Over much of the area, the vegetation is dominated by sharp-flowered rush and Yorkshire fog, but with a wide variety of associated species, including herbs such as cuckooflower, tormentil, marsh willowherb and meadow buttercup.

This site is also a hotspot for brightly coloured waxcap fungi, including the pink meadow waxcap which pops-up in autumn. Irish hare can be spotted here and there have been recent reports of barn owl.

Ulster Wildlife manages this special part of the Belfast Hills, for everyone to enjoy. Nestling in behind Divis and Colin mountains, Slievenacloy Nature Reserve offers a truly wild experience and spectacular views of the Mournes, Lough Neagh, Belfast and Scrabo Tower.

Slievenacloy Nature Reserve is accessible – for full details of their accessibility features, see Slievenacloy Nature Reserve | AccessAble

Book Tickets

Facilities

Catering

  • Picnic Area

Provider Preferences

  • Dogs Welcome Inside - must be on a lead

Guide Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
TicketFree

Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.

Add Slievenacloy Nature Reserve to your Itinerary

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel+44 (0) 28 4483 0282

Map & Directions

Opening Times

* Open at all times

What's Nearby

  1. Discover the story of 200 years of Irish Republicanism told through the prism of a unique…

    1.81 miles away
  2. Colin Glen is Ireland’s leading adventure park - a land of storytelling and a state of…

    1.84 miles away
  3. It’s Ireland’s only official Gruffalo Trail; a Julia Donaldson-endorsed walk. Step into…

    1.86 miles away
  4. Complete with bell and cast iron fountains, this Victorian cemetery was opened in 1869 as…

    3.36 miles away
  5. Laganvale Farm caters for all weather offering a super indoor soft play centre which can…

    3.71 miles away
  6. Áras Uí Chonghaile | The James Connolly Visitor is an award-winning modern,…

    3.77 miles away
  7. The beautiful Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park comprises rolling meadows, woodland,…

    3.78 miles away
  8. Hilden Brewery is Ireland's Oldest Independent Brewery. We have been running for over 40…

    3.98 miles away
  9. Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich is an arts and cultural centre with a strong focus on Irish…

    4.06 miles away
  10. The park provides a green oasis in an otherwise urban landscape and is often busy with…

    4.17 miles away
  11. The Ballance House farm museum, run by The Ulster New Zealand Trust, is the restored…

    4.33 miles away
  12. Built in 1897 by the Naughton brothers of Randalstown, Clonard Monastery was designed in…

    4.39 miles away
  13. R-Space Gallery is a visual arts and crafts space, presenting and commissioning a…

    4.43 miles away
  14. Castle Gardens is the most historically significant open space in Lisburn and was once…

    4.45 miles away
  15. The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is an award-winning museum located in Market…

    4.47 miles away
  16. Lagan Valley Regional Park is recognised as Northern Ireland's only Regional Park. It…

    4.52 miles away

Virtual Tour

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Directions from Town:Slievenacloy Nature Reserve is situated in the Belfast Hills and can be reached from either the Belfast or Lisburn direction along the Ballycolin Road and the Flowbog Road. If you would like more detailed directions or further information please contact the Ulster Wildlife Trust on 028 44830282 during office hours or visit our website www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org.

Back to Top

Tourism Northern Ireland

Don't Miss