Coronavirus: Major NI forest and country parks reopen after lockdown

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots said the eight major parks – including Crawfordsburn, Roe Valley and Castle Archdale – can now be opened to pedestrians due to the “remarkable way” the public has responded to the strict social distancing measures.

“Pedestrian access will be available to all forest and country parks from today onwards,” the minister told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme on Tuesday.

Mr Poots has reminded the public that there will be no access for vehicles, and that the use of the parks will be for “walking purposes only” and “not for picnics, not for gatherings, not for anything else”.

Announcing the closure of the parks on March 21, Mr Poots said the closures would remain in place until the end of next month.

However, he said that the positive public response to social distancing means “less people contracting and being admitted to hospital with coronavirus”.

Mr Poots said: “It is good for your mental health and physical help to get out into the fresh air for a walk.”

He also said it would be a matter for the PSNI to monitor where people were parking if they travelled to the parks by car.

Earlier this week Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) announced it was reopening public parks for walkers to exercise.

The LCC council’s decision on Monday means that the only two remaining local authorities not opening parks are Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, and Newry, Mourne and Down.

• Full list of DAERA-controlled forest and country parks reopening:

Ness Country Park; Roe Valley Country Park; Peatlands Park; Castle Archdale Country Park; Quoile Countryside Centre; Scrabo Country Park; Redburn Country Park; Crawfordsburn Country Park.