Forest bathing at Minnowburn

Minnowburn is National Trust land on the River Lagan, within the Lagan Valley Regional Park on the southern edge of Belfast. The riverside circular walk follows the Lagan banks along an avenue of trees parallel to the river, passing Edenderry Nature Reserve and Clement Wilson Park. A second loop climbs to the Giant's Ring, a prehistoric henge.

This is the easy-access choice for south Belfast. The riverside walk is about 2.5 miles on mostly flat gravel and tarmac with a few gentle gradients, and it's given two hours, so there's no hurry. Start from the free car park on Ballylesson Road, where a coffee van parks most days. Toilets, including accessible ones, are at the Lock Keeper's Cottage partway round. Dogs are welcome. If you only have an hour, walk one bank of the river under the trees and come back the same way.