Lagmore - City Hall

Bus Route 10 
Lagmore to City Hall

We arrived a bit late – the bus driver got lost and we hadn’t a clue how to get to the proposed start.

Brian spots a pair of buzzards.

The Derriaghy and Barnfield areas both involved long climbs, along surprisingly rural roads, and it was good to reach a downhill off-road section through Colin Glen Forest. 

 

We had a coffee at the cafe in the park, where they have imitation shops named after local people.   

Then it was straight down the main road to reach Falls Park.  Brian and I have both ran this parkrun, which has its HQ in the excellent pavilion; well worth a visit.

The Poor Ground.

The next attraction was just over the wall – Belfast City Cemetery.  Not a place you might expect to find runners but the only other living person we saw there was also running!   Some of my ancestors were buried here, including my great-grandfather who is buried, along with 
80 000 others, in the poor ground.  Another possible family member is recorded as having died aged 15 minutes!

The Cemetery is a fascinating place to explore.  Some graves record people who died around the year 5500 – can you work that one out?  I’m also intrigued by the underground wall that was constructed presumably to keep the souls of our different religious groups from mixing after death.  I wonder if that idea works?

We emerged from the Cemetery (sorry about that one) and ran down to the Bog Meadows.  Few cities have a wildlife oasis like this so close to their centre and it’s easy to forget where you really are.

Today’s run ended with calls at the former Christ Church (a good bit of restoration), the Maritime Hotel site - the birthplace of Van Morrison’s brilliant band Them, and Cafe Renoir (which is so good, I forgot to take a photo).

 

Back blogging in a couple of weeks.