QUINGO ACCESSIBLE ROUTES: BARNETT DEMESNE 1

Quingo Accessible Routes: Barnett Demesne

Quingo Scooters encourages users to get out and see the world, from the comfort of their mobility scooters. In our series of articles, we’re drawing your attention to the accessible routes throughout the UK which are fully accessible, helping you discover the nation’s natural beauty.

Heading to the other side of the Irish Sea, we’re stopping in County Antrim in Northern Ireland today. Here you’ll find Barnett Demesne, a former estate which is now a public park with accessible routes.

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Barnett Demesne

In County Antrim (South Belfast) you’ll find Barnett Demesne, which first opened to the public in 1951. It has since become a popular natural attraction, due to its closeness to the scenic River Lagan, Shaw’s Bridge and Clement Wilson Park. On the former estate’s grounds, you’ll find an arboretum, a daffodil garden, and trails. The Lagan Towpath is a particularly popular trail, as it takes you along the beautiful riverside.

Barnett Demesne boasts stunning natural beauty. It is home to various tree and plant collections, as well as woodlands and wildflower meadows. Over 70 species of wildflower grow in Barnett Demesne in the summer months. The estate also features various fascinating creatures, including grey and red squirrels, badgers, rabbits, rooks, jays and a plethora of songbirds. April in particular is a great time to visit, as Barnett Demesne holds its annual Spring Fair, with entertainment, wildlife and music.

On the grounds, you’ll also find Malone House. This provides everything from information on the park to refreshments in its popular café and restaurant. Barnett Demesne is free to enter and open all year round. However, it is worth noting that Malone House opens from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Mondays to Saturdays, with an earlier start time of 9am on Sundays. Barnett Restaurant opens from 12 noon to 3pm every day.

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Accessibility

Barnett Demesne is one of the Belfast area’s most accessible attractions. You can reach the park by public transport from Belfast City Centre. It is also accessible by car, with entrances through Dub Lane, Milltown Road and Shaw’s Bridge. There is a car park at Barnett Demesne based just outside Malone House which provides free accessible parking.

You can take a level path from the car park around to the front of Malone House. The café and restaurant in Malone House are accessible to mobility scooter users. The complex also features fully accessible toilets. You can contact Malone House on 028 9068 1246 to speak to staff and find out more.

The Lagan Towpath is perfect for mobility scooter users, with two options available. You can take the short, circular Lagan Towpath, which carries you on a one mile circular route along the edge of the River Lagan from Shaw’ Bridge to Lock Keeper’s Cottage, allowing you to view some stunning historical attractions. You can also take the 11 mile linear Lagan Towpath route down a tarmac path.

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.