Facilities

There is a large car park next to this park, but there is also a sports centre next to the car park so demand for spaces is high. Arrive early to secure a spot. There is a train to Carrickfergus from Belfast however, which arrives into a very pretty little train station, and a bus service also. There are no changing facilities available, but there are toilets in the sports centre next to the car park.

Course

This is a three lap course which goes in and around the park. The route is entirely paved, though paths are narrow and you may need to do a little bit of running on the grass verge if it gets congested. The course is mostly flat save for a short pinch about halfway through the lap. The many twists and turns along the route can be slightly confusing the first time around, but there are marshals on duty to show you the way, and yellow markers painted on the path. The park itself has many interesting features like a small pond and a bowling green.

Coffee

There is a cafe in the sports centre where parkrunners gather after the run for a coffee.

X Factor

I could not write this post without mentioning the song Carrickfergus, which I’m sure has made many’s the Irish emigrant shed a tear or two over the years. I believe that nobody knows who wrote the song, and there is even some doubt that it refers to Carrickfergus in County Antrim, but it is nice to think that there is some connection. There is also a very impressive castle in Carrickfergus, which is worth a look.