This huge prehistoric earthwork, nearly 200m in diameter, is a circular neolithic ritual complex with a dolmen (known as the Druid's Altar) in the centre. Prehistoric rings were commonly believed to be the home of fairies and consequently treated with respect, but this one was commandeered in the 19th century as a racetrack, the 4m-high embankment serving as a natural grandstand. The site is 6.5km south of Belfast city centre, off Milltown Rd near Shaw's Bridge.
Giant's Ring
Belfast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.98 MILES
The stunning, star-shaped Titanic Belfast is the city's number-one tourist draw. Standing majestically at the head of the slipway where the Titanic was…
3.99 MILES
Belfast's classical Renaissance-style City Hall was built in fine, white Portland stone in 1906. Highlights of the free, 45-minute guided tour include the…
2.98 MILES
You could spend hours browsing this state-of-the-art museum, but if you're pressed for time don't miss the Armada Room, with artefacts retrieved from the…
3.83 MILES
There are not many historical monuments that you can enjoy while savouring a pint of Guinness, but the National Trust's Crown Liquor Saloon is one of them…
7.4 MILES
The view from the summit of Cave Hill (368m) takes in the whole sprawl of the city, the docks, Belfast Lough and the Mourne Mountains – on a clear day you…
2.99 MILES
The showpiece of Belfast's green oasis is Charles Lanyon's beautiful Palm House, built in 1839 and completed in 1852, with its birdcage dome, a…
4.79 MILES
Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse…
-
14.04 MILES
The magnificent 18th-century Mount Stewart is one of Northern Ireland’s grandest stately homes. Entertaining tours tell the story of the house and its…
Nearby Belfast attractions
0.86 MILES
This five-arched stone bridge is a popular starting point for riverside walks and kayaking.
0.94 MILES
A late-Georgian mansion on the grounds of former private estate Barnett Demesne, Malone House is now used mainly for weddings and conferences, with art…
3. Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park
1.37 MILES
Rolling meadows, woodland, riverside fields and formal gardens make up this beautiful park, along with a walled garden, a Japanese-style garden, a…
1.5 MILES
This tree-fringed loop in the river to the right of the Lagan towpath (heading south towards Lisburn) is a good place for a picnic on a summer's day.
2.98 MILES
You could spend hours browsing this state-of-the-art museum, but if you're pressed for time don't miss the Armada Room, with artefacts retrieved from the…
2.99 MILES
The showpiece of Belfast's green oasis is Charles Lanyon's beautiful Palm House, built in 1839 and completed in 1852, with its birdcage dome, a…
3.01 MILES
In the Botanic Gardens is the unique Tropical Ravine, a huge red-brick greenhouse built in 1889. It was designed by the gardens' curator Charles McKimm to…
3.02 MILES
Just inside the Stranmillis Rd gate of Belfast's Botanic Gardens is a statue of Belfast-born William Thomson – Lord Kelvin – who helped lay the foundation…