Belfast

This charming cafe has a C.S Lewis theme as situated close to the Square and trail commemorating the Belfast born writer.  I was a fan of the movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I was growing up. We visited on a Friday morning with a friend for a breakfast as it was listed as a dog friendly spot. There was a separate menu for dogs which was a nice touch and the selected item came out in a small pie dish. Dexter chose bacon ( his Friday favourite)  which came out as a single slice. Unfortunately this meant that I had to cut it into pieces, which was messy and there was no water bowl provided. The young lady that served the food  also show no awareness of approaching dogs while carrying food. Despite this we enjoyed our visit, the food was tasty and the gentleman that served us was helpful in explaining the menu and dietary restrictions. The place looked lovely and I will return in the summer to try the outdoor spaces, we also enjoyed our walk along the trial and greenway afterwards. 

Wow – love this extremely dog friendly bar. The first time we visited was during the week.  The place was crowded because there was a pub quiz taking place and had already started. This didn’t seem to worry the staff as they were only too delighted to get a water bowl for Dexter (without being asked), came over to get to know him and gave him a treat. Both staff and patrons were genuinely welcoming, even though Dexter is not always as friendly in return.

There is a sign on the front door warning those that enter that dogs may be roaming free. Also, lovely mural on the side of place clearly showing their love of dogs. There is a small section at the front which is railed off from the main road so still secure enough if you dog is an escape risk. 

This bar is just up from the Botanic Gardens (see separate post). It is a sports bar so good is you want to watch the football/ rugby while having a drink with your furry friends.

This place knows how to be dog friendly. 

This very popular and sometimes busy city park is a lovely spot for tourists and locals. It is a on lead park and unfortunately a bit of a short cut for food delivery cyclists, so extendible leads can be tricky if your dog is like Dexter and can’t pick a side to sniff.  This park is next to the campus of Queens University so there can be a lot of students, especially in good weather. 

There are lots of pathways from various entrances which can make for a long walk in a small park. There is the usual picnic area, benches, toilets and café/ice cream vendors. The glasshouse, Palm house and neighbouring museum are not dog friendly for obvious reasons, but you may be able to book a local dog walker to give you a bit of time to explore. I didn’t find any eatery near by that was dog friendly but there is an excellent pub, Jeggy Nettle Pub, which is extremely dog friendly (I post on that soon) and nearly all the many food places have outdoor seating so there is plenty of choice. Though if the weather is nice you can just simply get a food delivery to your picnic table. 

’m sure you are thinking “Aren’t all coffee carts dog friendly?” Yes, they are outdoors, which usually makes it easier for those with dogs, but these guys go that little bit extra. The cart is placed on the grounds of the Belfast Boat Club but is accessible to all. The club is obviously near the river but also on the Lagan Tow Path, which is a popular walking spot (see separate post).

So, what makes the Coffee Box extra dog friendly? Well, Dexter and I are regular visitors, where a sausage bacon bap is ordered with the Bacon on the side (for him). This is lovingly prepared and bought to us with the joke that the young staff member is Dexter’s personal chef (they are a big Dexter fan). All dogs are made welcome with a dog treat jar, numerous dog water bowls and even a basket of free tennis balls (from the club so also great reusing). The area is enclosed so the dogs are free to run about and there is a large, covered area for those rainy days. 

This is a lovely friendly place and highly recommended if you are in the area. 

This is an old Stately Home Park (unfortunately no old estate house) near the centre of Belfast city.  This park links into many other walks and parks in the Lagan Valley. There is a car park with a Coffee Cart on site (for those who like some caffeine and a treat during or after their walk) and yes, they are kind enough to have dog water bowls available also some seating.

The paths are more like tracks so can get a bit muddy in the winter but there is a good variety of routes so you can shorten your walk if needed. It is very popular with dog walkers and the trails to the left of the car park is not as popular for mountain biking as the trails to the right. Weekends sees more families walking but there are no other child friendly activities (other than the beauty of nature).

Unfortunately, there are not any toilet facilities for humans and the only bins available are at the car park.

There are a number of water spots for those dogs that love a splash but warning there is one lower section where the water in deep and fast moving so take care with water obsessed dogs. This section was also prone to flooding after heavy rain when the river bursts its banks.

Summertime will see some camper vans but in general the area is very well maintained with friendly forestry staff happy to chat, while they work.

This is an off-leash area and Dexters enjoys the chance to have a good run. Plenty of opportunities for dogs and humans to socialise.

Link to map

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/belvoir-park-forest