Places to Visit Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is renowned for its natural beauty and rich built heritage. NIEA owns and manages a wealth of places where you can enjoy great days out. These include Country Parks and Countryside Centres, Historic Monuments and Nature Reserves. Many of these are open to the public all year round and knowledgeable and friendly staff are located at the main sites, some providing guided tours.

To find out more about walks in the Northern Ireland countryside, see the Countryside Access and Activities Network website www.walkni.com.

* Country Parks and Countryside Centres

NIEA manages seven Country Parks and two Countryside Centres making the countryside accessible to everyone. As well as the facilities available at most Country Parks, the Countryside Centres offer innovative and award-winning exhibitions and audio-visual displays to assist the visitor's understanding of the countryside and of wider environmental issues in general.

*Historic Monuments

The Historic Monuments in state care are of huge importance to visitors both as places to visit in their own right, as tangible reminders of their cultural heritage and as features to be appreciated as part of the landscape.

* Nature Reserves

NIEA is responsible for the designation of statutory nature reserves and for ensuring their appropriate management. These reserves have been selected from among the very best sites in Northern Ireland for natural habitats, wildlife or geological features. Access to these sites is promoted alongside the need to protect and manage them for conservation.