The Heritage Project

At Colin Glen Forest Park

Online Archive

The Heritage Project will create an online archive as an educational resource for schools and the wider community. The archive will explore the layered history of human settlements and industries associated with the glen from the ancient history of Neolithic, early Christian and post-medieval sites to the growth of the linen industry in the Lagan Valley area. The archive will   document the significant role of the McCance family and the fortunes of the McCance Estate. Our timeline will trace modern social and industrial changes in the LaganValley area and their impact on the glen right down to the present day activities at Colin Glen Trust.

We plan to develop our website as a platform for posting and sharing archival images, photographs, maps and local memories of Colin Glen. If you would like to get involved in the Heritage Project please contact the Heritage Officer.

E-mail: heritage@colinglentrust.org

Phone: 028 90614115

New Heritage Trails

In the coming months the Heritage Officer will design a Short Heritage Trail for schools at the forest park and also a longer Heritage Trail for walkers, ramblers and music lovers that will begin in Colin Glen and continue across the Belfast Hills to McArt’s Fort and back down into Belfast city centre.

The Short Heritage Trail

We look forward to installing a heritage exhibition with interpretive panels at the Forest Park centre and a new Heritage Trail leaflet to guide park users as a complement to the panels. The short trail will be a unique way for schools to explore the ancient history and layered local history of the glen. The trail will be a fun walk and learning activity but can also be used with our online archive for school projects. It will be adaptable for different key stages and there will be an education pack to fit curriculum needs. Signage and resources will also be available in Irish for Irish medium schools.

The Ultimate Belfast Heritage Trail at ColinGlenForest Park    

Colin Glen Forest Park is a unique and stunning access point to the Belfast hills and we plan to develop this exciting new Heritage trail in the future with  our partner organisations. The Ultimate Heritage Trail will have three different sections and begins with local history and folklore, songs, stories and myths of the glen. Accompanied by our trail guides and musicians The Heritage Trail will follow the course of ColinRiver along the upper glen to its source at Divis and BlackMountain where we will stop for lunch and a traditional music session at the National Trust’s new interpretive centre. After a short talk on the history and bio-diversity of the Belfast hills the Heritage trail will continue across the Belfast skyline to Cave Hill and Mc Art’s fort where we will hear songs and stories of 1798. As we come down from the hills the trail will make stops at the Waterworks and at Henry Joy Mc Cracken’s grave at CliftonParkCemetery and wind down with a relaxing historical meander through the Cathedral Quarter. The trail will finish with more music and food and a fundraising event in one of Belfast’s oldest pubs.

Join The Heritage Trail for a unique musical ramble that begins in the glen, winds it’s way though Belfast history and the hills and finishes back in the centre of city. This will be an all day event. 

The trails will be part of our events programme and will operate seasonally and on demand. Contact: mailto:heritage@colinglentrust.org%20if if you want to get involved or volunteer.