Belfast - Béal Feirste Castle

Belfast Castle is on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park in Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste). Its in a prominent position 400 feet (120 m) above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views over the City of Belfast and Belfast Lough (Irish: Loch Lao). The building that can be seen now was built in the 1860's. It replaced an earlier twelfth century Belfast Castle which was burnt down in the early eighteenth century. The present Scottish style building is open to the public and provides leisure and restaurant facilities. Cave Hill Country Park is popular with visitors. The hill itself reaches a height of 368 metres (1,207 ft).

When on the summit of Cave Hill there are views southwards over Belfast City and Lough. Reaching towards the Mourne Mountains, Irish: Beanna Boirche) Scrabo Tower and Slieve Croob (Irish Sliabh Crúibe) in the Dromara Hills. When the weather is clear the views towards the east allows the Mull of Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Maol nan Gall) in Scotland and the Isle of Man (Manx Gaelic: Mannin) to be seen. There are three large manmade caves on the slopes of Cave Hill, but they are difficult to reach. On top of Cave Hill are the remains of an ancient promontory fort called McArt's Fort. Cave Hill was originally called 'Ben Madigan' from the Irish Beann Mhadagáin. That name has its origins in a king of Ulster called Madagán who died in 856AD. There is a Visitor Centre in the Castle with displays on the history and folklore of Cave Hill Country Park and the story of Belfast Castle.

Link: discovernorthernireland Belfast Castle Estate and the image is courtesy of their website.