Montalto Estate
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
ENTRY
from £6.10
WHERE
Ballynahinch
What it’s like
Woodland trails, a hand-built tree house with a forest slide, and a natural play area to explore across the estate grounds.
The tree house is the thing your kids will talk about on the way home: a hand-built wooden structure with a jungle bridge, a climbing tower, rope bridges and a slide that drops straight out of it onto the forest floor. It sits alongside a natural play area at The Low Wood, a custom-built wooden playground that's worth building the rest of your visit around.
This is a grounds and trails visit rather than a house tour, so wear proper footwear. The site is upfront that some trails, including the Woodland Trail and the History Trail with its steep incline, are not going to work for wheelchairs or buggies with dodgy wheels, while the Lake and Garden Trails are more accessible. If you've brought the dog, it can go on the trails on a lead, and there's an off-lead Bark Park too if it needs to stretch its legs properly.
Entry is £6.10 for a child aged 5 to 16, £9.10 for an adult, and under-5s go free, or £27.30 for a family of two adults and up to three children. Tickets are non-refundable, which stings a bit if the forecast turns on you, and trails can close in bad weather, so it's not a spontaneous booking you want to make on a day that's already looking grim. There's no need to book ahead though, you can just walk up.
The café does breakfast, lunch and a deli counter using local and estate-grown produce, and there's an ice cream parlour too. Parking is free on site with a handful of accessible spaces. Last admission is an hour before closing, which runs to 5pm through spring and summer and 4pm the rest of the year, so a morning start gives you the best run at the trails and the play area before you need lunch.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 to 16, with under-5s free but better suited to older siblings
- Last entry
- Last admission to trails and gardens is 1 hour prior to closing
- Booking
- Trails & Gardens tickets: no pre-booking required, walk-ups accepted
- Parking
- Free on site
- Food
- The Café serves breakfast, lunch, and deli items using local and estate-grown produce
- Wheelchairs
- Registered carers free with person they care for
- Dogs
- Well-behaved dogs permitted on leads
- Wear footwear suited to forest paths, especially if the ground is wet
- The Bark Park off-lead dog area is included with a standard entry ticket
- Gift vouchers for trails, gardens and membership are sold online or at the ticket desk
- A defibrillator is kept at the toilets by the natural play area
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£9.10 for an adult, £6.10 for a child aged 5 to 16, and under-5s go in free. A family ticket for two adults and up to three children is £27.30.
Do we need to book ahead?
No pre-booking needed for trails and gardens tickets, you can just turn up.
What age is it best for?
The tree house and trails suit children from about 5 upwards; under-5s are free but the site is really built around slightly older kids who can manage the walking.
What time do you need to arrive?
Last admission is an hour before closing, so 4pm in spring and summer and 3pm in autumn and winter.
Is there anywhere to eat?
The café does breakfast, lunch and a deli counter with local and estate-grown produce, plus an ice cream parlour.
Is it OK for buggies and wheelchairs?
Some trails, especially the Woodland Trail and the History Trail, have steep sections that are not accessible. The Lake and Garden Trails are more manageable, and the café and shop are fully accessible.
Can we bring the dog?
Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the trails on a lead, and there is an off-lead area called the Bark Park included with a standard ticket.
Can we bring bikes?
Larger bikes are not suitable for the trails, but under-5s can bring small bikes and trikes.
Is parking free?
Parking is free on site, with a small number of accessible spaces.
What happens if it rains?
Trails can close in adverse weather, and the food and drink options may be more limited on those days too.
Are tickets refundable if we cannot go?
All tickets are non-refundable, so it is worth being sure of your date before you buy.
Do carers get in free?
Registered carers accompanying the person they care for get free access, either booked online in advance or shown with ID on the day.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Castles, Historic Houses & Heritage in Belfast · Things to do in Belfast
MAKE A DAY OF IT
