NEWS

Rea’s Wood at Loughshore Park, Antrim Bathers are being advised to stay out of the water at Rea’s Wood on Lough Neagh this summer after the site was again classified as “poor” for water quality due to faecal contamination and recurring blue-green algae. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has advised against bathing at Rea’s Wood on Lough Neagh in Antrim, councillors have been told. A report presented to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

A young people’s group is to be given a key role in helping shape plans for a new skate park in Antrim. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has approved proposals for a new “granite-style skate plaza” with floodlighting at the Peace Play Park beside Antrim Forum. Councillors backed the project during a meeting of the local authority’s Operations Committee last month. A report presented behind closed doors said the project would “adopt the design and engagement approach us

Ballycastle beach, County Antrim Northern Ireland’s bathing water system could face its biggest overhaul in years under new proposals that may change how swimming sites are identified, monitored and protected across the country. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a 12-week public consultation examining whether current bathing water rules are still fit for purpose as outdoor swimming surges in popularity and more people use coasta

A major new report has revealed a striking contradiction at the heart of life in Northern Ireland — while millions of outdoor visits are made every year and most people say nature improves their wellbeing, only a small minority believe they can easily reach greenspace close to home. The findings, published in the latest People in the Outdoors Monitor for Northern Ireland (POMNI), show overwhelming public demand for better access to parks, woodlands, coastlines and natural spa

A major cross-border initiative is encouraging people across Mid and East Antrim to get moving this May, with a growing programme of free, weekly community walks designed to boost physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. The Walking for All programme, led by Outscape and supported by PEACEPLUS, is inviting residents to mark National Walking Month by joining organised walks taking place across the borough, with no cost, no equipment required, and routes tailore

Cregagh Wood, the location for Dance Encounters An immersive dance experience set deep within one of the Glens of Antrim’s most scenic woodland areas will see audiences step directly into a live performance this weekend, as Maiden Voyage Dance brings a unique guided tour to life during the Cushendun Big Arts Weekend. Taking place on Saturday 2nd May, “A Walk in the Woods with Dance Encounters” invites participants to explore Cregagh Wood not just as a landscape, but as a livi

The scene on Saturday evening as firefighters battled multiple blazes across the Mourne Mountains in Co Down. (Photos: Patricia Williams, MeAndering Images) Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) crews are tackling multiple wildfire incidents across the Mourne Mountains, with operations continuing into Sunday as authorities warn of ongoing risk to life and property and urge the public to avoid affected areas. Firefighters remain on the ground at two key locations —

Families across Ballymena and the wider area are being invited to enjoy a free day of outdoor fun later this month as the Portglenone Bluebell Festival returns to Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, celebrating one of the area’s most striking spring displays. Running from 11:00am to 3:00pm, the festival promises a full programme of activities built around the annual arrival of the forest’s bluebells, transforming the woodland into a colourful spring attraction for visit

Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Anton Savage at Ravensdale, Co. Louth in RTÉ‘s latest series of Tracks & Trails Spring’s most soothing television watch is back this week as RTÉ’s much-loved walking series Tracks & Trails returns for its 13th season, bringing viewers across some of Ireland’s most spectacular landscapes — including a dedicated Northern Ireland episode featuring Belfast’s Cave Hill and Rathlin Island, Co Antrim. The new five-part series begins this Friday, 10 April, at

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has called for a reappraisal of the recently halted redevelopment project at Ronán’s Way in Cushendun. Independent councillor Margaret Anne McKillop said the landowner at Ronán’s Way had been awaiting a lease agreement with the council, which would have allowed the £225,100 redevelopment scheme to move forward. Last month’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting approved PEACEPLUS funding for two elements of the Layde Path, Cottage

A major fundraising walk along Northern Ireland’s iconic Causeway Coast is set to return this summer, as AWARE NI launches its flagship Giant Steps event for 2026 — at a time when demand for mental health support has never been greater. Taking place on Saturday, 6 June, the popular event — now in its fifth year — has already raised more than £200,000 to sustain frontline services, with organisers hoping for another strong turnout from communities across the region. A walk wi

(L-R): Laurentiu Ghisoiu from the National Trust, Sheena Dickson from Tourism NI, Oliver McMullan, Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens and Mel McQuitty of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust. A spectacular stretch of Northern Ireland’s north coast has been chosen to host the region’s very first “Signature Walk” — a move designed to transform how visitors experience its most iconic landscapes. Launched by Tourism Northern Ireland in partnership with National Trust, Causewa

Helping to announce details of the Sperrins Festival 2026 were, from left, Broadcaster Joe Mahon, Zoe Ramsey from Far and Wild and Ciara Toner Sperrins Partnership. A new three-day festival celebrating one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive landscapes will launch this spring, bringing guided walks, storytelling, music and heritage experiences to the heart of the Sperrins. Running from 20–22 March 2026, the Sperrins Festival will take place across the Sperrin Area of Outst

Hillwalkers and visitors to Slemish Mountain for St Patrick’s Day in 2025, with large crowds expected again in 2026. A centuries-old tradition will once again bring hundreds of people to the slopes of Slemish Mountain this St Patrick’s Day, as families from across County Antrim prepare to take part in the annual uphill climb. Held on Tuesday 17 March, the popular St Patrick’s Day ascent blends local legend, shared history and outdoor adventure in one of the borough’s most rec

A €7.5 million cross-border initiative designed to tackle isolation, inactivity and poor wellbeing in rural communities has been officially launched — with Mid & East Antrim and Causeway Coast & Glens set to play a key role. Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust has welcomed the introduction of the new ‘Walking for All’ programme, supported by PEACEPLUS and managed by Special EU Programmes Body , and led by Outscape . The programme was launched on Friday, 27 February 2026 at

Plans for a new lakeside Eco Village near Portrush are offering a detailed look at a holiday development designed to sit naturally within a former quarry landscape while delivering sustainable accommodation and local jobs. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has now received a full planning application from White Rock Eco Parks for a 45-unit Eco Village on a 4.72-hectare site at a disused quarry close to Ballybogey Road. The proposal includes self-contained holiday lod

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has approved essential repair works at The Gobbins cliff path following significant rockfall damage...