Cave Hill Country Park

Description:

• This park atop a 360m (1,181-ft.) basalt cliff offers panoramic views, walking trails, and archaeological and historical sights. The park gets its name from five small caves thought to have been Neolithic iron mines, and there are several ancient sites scattered about the place and often unmarked. These include stone cairns, dolmens, and McArt's Fort -- the remains of an ancient defensive hill fort in which Wolfe Tone and his fellow United Irishmen planned the 1798 rebellion. It's mostly gone now, but you can explore the ruins, which sit atop the park's most famous viewpoint. The Cave Hill Visitor Centre, on the second floor of Belfast Castle, contains a diverting exhibition on the history of the park, and the castle itself. At the moment, the park is under construction to improve the walking paths, but the work should be done by the time you visit.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010