Lagan Towpath
The Department has ownership of, and custodial responsibility for, those remaining sections of the Lagan Canal that remain in Government ownership following abandonment of navigation in the 1950s, including the Lagan Towpath, carparks at Lockview Road, Stranmillis; Drumbridge and Soldierstown, and the abandoned canal.
Public notice of Lagan Towpath closure for essential maintenance works
| Phase | From | To | Other Access Points Affected | Planned Commencement Date | Planned Duration | Planned Reopening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | LCCC Civic Centre | Bridge St, Hilden, Lisburn | All access points within this stretch, including the access path adjacent to Barbour Nursery School Lisburn, and the path adjacent to the Blue Bridge, Hillhall, Lisburn. | 20 October 2025 | 3 Weeks | 10 November 2025 |
| Phase 2 | Bridge St, Hilden, Lisburn | Tullynacross Rd, Lambeg, Lisburn | Footbridge crossing Lagan adjacent to Tullynacross Rd, Lambeg, Lisburn. | 10 November 2025 | 2 Weeks | 24 November 2025 |
| Phase 3 | Tullynacross Rd, Lambeg, Lisburn | McIlroy Park, Ballyskeagh, Lisburn | All access points within this stretch. | 17 November 2025 | 4 Weeks | 15 December 2025 |
| Phase 4 | McIlroy Park, Ballyskeagh, Lisburn | Green footbridge in the vicinity of Drum Bridge, Drumbeg, Lisburn | All access points within this stretch, including both access paths from McIlroy Park, Ballyskeagh and McVicker’s Footbridge. | 1 December 2025 | 3 Weeks | 22 December 2025 |
| Phase 5 | McIlroy Park, Ballyskeagh, Lisburn | Drum bridge Car Park, Drumbeg, Lisburn | All access points within this stretch, including the green footbridge in the vicinity of Drum Bridge and McVicker’s Footbridge. | Dates to be confirmed | 2 Weeks | Dates to be confirmed |
With over 1,000,000 recorded visits a year, the 11-mile Lagan Towpath connecting Stranmillis, Belfast with Sprucefield, Lisburn as well as 3½ miles from Moira Station to Soldierstown Aghalee, qualifies as the most popular public pathway in Northern Ireland. It is also an integral part of the award-winning National Cycle Network (NCN) route between Lisburn and Jordanstown via Belfast.
A large part of the towpath runs through Lagan Valley Regional Park who have partnered with Google’s innovative Trekker Programme to map all tracks throughout the park. This information can be accessed directly through Google. However, if you wish to check specific routes along the towpath, these can be found on the Lagan Valley Regional Park website. Here you can find other useful information about the towpath and the Lagan Valley Regional Park:
The Lagan Towpath Code of Conduct
The Department operates on the principle of Leave no Trace and we have a code of conduct which we ask all users of the towpath to abide by.
Organising Events
Anyone wishing to organise an event, such as a sponsored walk, on the towpath, should notify the Department (as owners) in advance for approval. To do this please email: