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Natural Monuments

Giant's Ring Dolmen

Natural Monuments

Giant's Ring Dolmen

Highlight • Monument

Giant's Ring Dolmen

Name: Giant's Ring Dolmen
Rating: 2

Recommended by 2 cyclists

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Lagan Valley AONB

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Location: Ballynahatty, Castlereagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

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Top cycling routes to Giant's Ring Dolmen

1. Giant's Ring loop from Botanic Belfast

24.5km

01:31

220m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

2. Saintfield to Giant's Ring loop — Lagan Valley

33.5km

02:02

290m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.8

(12)

201

riders

3. Shaw's Bridge – Lagan Towpath loop from Dunmurry

51.9km

03:05

240m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

sm milligan

August 23, 2023

After you have rested up a while on the banks of this magical place - you can carry on through to the other side, where you will find a ride able trail taking you down in to the Lagan Valley, Connecting to the tow path that will take you all the way in to the city.

Prehistoric enclosure, over 200 metres in diameter, with a dolmen in the centre. The big earthwork circle, roughly 200m across, is a beautiful example of a 'henge' monument, built in about 2700BC during the Neolithic period.

Similar monuments are found elsewhere in Britain and Ireland, but this is one of the finest. In the middle is a tomb made up of 5 upright stones and a large capstone, the bare frame of what was originally a chambered grave, covered with a cairn of stones and earth.

Beyond the Horizon

November 1, 2024

As you get closer, the mystical aura of the place unfolds, with its mighty, almost circular earthen wall, which measures over 180 meters in diameter and dominates the view over the surrounding plateau. This ancient henge complex is one of the largest and best-preserved monuments of its kind in Ireland - hard to miss when you get close to Shaw's Bridge.

In the center of the ring, a megalithic tomb awaits you, which tells its own story with its five supporting stones and a mighty capstone. You can literally feel the thousands of years that have passed here since ceremonies and gatherings probably took place at this place. It is impressive how the Giant's Ring has survived over time, while the wooden structures of the Ballynahatty settlements are long gone.

Translated by Google •

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Informations

Elevation 40 m

24/7 all year round

Free

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Wednesday 5 November

15°C

13°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 4.0 km/h

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See rides here

Take Me There

Location: Ballynahatty, Castlereagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

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Giant's Ring Dolmen

1. Giant's Ring loop from Botanic Belfast

2. Saintfield to Giant's Ring loop — Lagan Valley

3. Shaw's Bridge – Lagan Towpath loop from Dunmurry

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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