SIR THOMAS AND LADY DIXON PARK – 1/8/25
SIR THOMAS AND LADY DIXON PARK
Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is situated on the Upper Malone Road, Belfast, about 6 miles from Belfast city centre and about 17 miles from Carrickfergus. The address is: Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Upper Malone Road, Belfast BT17 9LA.
SHORT WALK – 2.5 miles* DATE: Friday, 1 August 2025
LEADER: Robert McDowell, Telephone number 028 93373084 (land line)
07711 706022 (mobile)
MEETING POINT/TIME: Outside the coffee shop near the Lower Stables Car Park at 11.15 am
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The Ulsterbus service to/from this area is infrequent and unreliable, as I discovered after doing 3 reconnaissance trips! I attach a letter on this matter which I have written to Translink, copied to Belfast City Council and the Department for Infrastructure. The nearest Metro bus stop is at Finaghy Road South, which is a mile away from the park’s Lower Stables Car Park entrance/exit. If using public transport, your total walk will be 4.5 miles*. I will be travelling by car so, if anyone requires a lift, I can take 3 passengers, picking up in the Whitehead/Carrickfergus area.
Outward Journey:
Train:
Leaves Whitehead 9.15 am, Carrickfergus 9.24 am, Jordanstown 9.36 am, Whiteabbey 9.40 am. Arrives at Grand Central Station (formerly Great Victoria Street) at 10.00 am. Walk down Great Northern Mall to Great Victoria Street, cross at pedestrian crossing outside Europa Hotel for 10.28 am bus.
Bus:
Metro Bus Number 8b Malone leaves Great Victoria Street at 10.28 am from the bus stop outside Brennan’s Bar (formerly The Beaten Docket). Bus goes via Upper Malone Road, and turns right into Finaghy Road South at 10.41 am. Disembark at the first bus stop on Finaghy Road South and walk back to Upper Malone Road. Turn right and walk for one mile to the lower entrance (known as the lower Stables Coffee Shop entrance) into Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park. The lower entrance to the park is past the main entrance to Malone Golf Club, which is on the opposite side of the road. On entering the lower entrance to the park, cross the car park to the Lower Stables Coffee Shop. If preferred, you can enter the park at the upper entrance (above Dunmurry Lane) and walk through the park, following the signs to the Stables Coffee Shop.
Return Journey:
Bus:
Metro Bus Number 8b leaves Finaghy Road South (opposite the bus stop where you disembarked) at 2 pm, arriving at the Europa Hotel in Great Victoria Street at 2.16 pm. The next bus number 8b leaves at 2.20 pm, arriving at the Europa Hotel at 2.36 pm.
owarHTrain:
Leaves Grand Central Station at 2.45 pm; arrives Whiteabbey 3.05 pm, Jordanstown 3.09 pm, Carrickfergus 3.20 pm, Whitehead 3.31 pm.
BY CAR:
From Carrickfergus, take the A2 Shore Road towards Belfast; then take the M5/M2/A12(Westlink)/M1, leaving the motorway at the first exit onto the A55, marked ‘Belfast W & S’. At the end of the slip road, turn left onto Stockman’s Lane and continue straight on across Lisburn Road onto Balmoral Avenue and, where Balmoral Avenue meets Malone Road, turn right onto Malone Road. At the roundabout, take the second exit onto Upper Malone Road – the B103 to Finaghy/Dunmurry. Pass Finaghy Road South and Dunmurry Lane on your right, pass the first (known as the upper) entrance into Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park. You will see the entrance into Malone Golf Club on your left and the lower entrance into the park is just past here on your right hand side – this entrance is one mile past Finaghy Road South. Take this entrance (known as the Lower Stables Car Park), bear left and you will reach the free car park. The Stables Coffee Shop is marked to your right where we will meet at 11.15 am.
THE WALK:
This is a 2.5 mile circular walk on fairly flat tarmac and gravel surfaces. The park contains features such as a fountain, a walled garden, Wilmont House (the former home of the Dixons, sadly now in a rather derelict state), a Japanese garden, rose gardens and extensive meadows. The roses should still be in bloom, as the annual rose trials took place in mid July. There will be plenty of time to stop and admire the roses.
LUNCH:
As the walk will finish near the car park and coffee shop, we will have lunch in the Stables Coffee Shop, which serves light lunches, tea, coffee, scones, cake etc. There are indoor and outdoor tables and there are loos inside the coffee shop. (There are loos in the park itself, although they are not always open). Note that the Stables Coffee Shop opens at about 9 am, so if you arrive early you will be able to have tea/coffee etc and use the loos.