Comber Greenway Walk and Cycle Rail Trail

The path (looking towards Comber) shortly after the old Knock station. The route is a haven for a variety of flora and fauna. It's lined with hedgerows, wildflower meadows, and small wooded areas, creating habitats for many species. Wildflowers such as daisies, buttercups, and cow parsley are abundant in spring and summer, adding colour to the path. The hedgerows are home to hawthorn and blackthorn, which produce vibrant blossoms in spring and berries in autumn, providing food for birds and small mammals.

Yellow gorse by the path. The Comber Greenway is a path along the old Belfast and County Down Railway line to Comber and Donaghadee/Newcastle. This is the view back towards the old Neill's Hill station on the Sandown Road.
The fauna along the greenway is diverse, with birds such as blackbirds, robins, and wrens frequently seen or heard in the hedgerows. During the warmer months, butterflies like red admirals and peacocks can be spotted fluttering among the wildflowers, while bees and other pollinators are drawn to the floral abundance. Small mammals, including hedgehogs and squirrels, may occasionally be glimpsed darting through the undergrowth. The greenway also features wetlands in certain sections, which attract herons, ducks, and moorhens.

Former Neill's Hill station, Belfast. Neill's Hill was the next station after Bloomfield on the County Down line to Comber, Donaghadee and Newcastle. 58 years after closure the up platform survives (though mostly hidden by the bushes at middle left). The down platform has gone.
The route follows the path of the old Belfast and County Down Railway, which operated from the mid-19th century until its closure in the 1950s. Information boards along the route highlight its history, offering insights into its transformation from a railway to a peaceful green corridor. The greenway also provides views of notable landmarks, such as Scrabo Tower in the distance, and offers connections to local parks and nature reserves, making it a valued resource for recreation and education.

Site of Bloomfield station, Belfast. Bloomfield was the second station after leaving Belfast (Queen's Quay). The line crossed the Beersbridge Road here by a level crossing. Comber via the North Road bridge is to the right. Bloomfield Presbyterian church is on the left.

This is a view of the old line/footpath looking towards Comber. It was managed by the Conservation Volunteers as a semi-wild area but was substantially altered, a few years ago, when a new water main was laid under this section. Many would like to see it re-opened as a tramway but official thinking is directed towards a guided busway 

The new bridge across the Ballystockart River.

The path, looking back towards Belfast, from near Barnett's Crescent. A popular spot on a sunny spring Sunday.

 The view towards Knock station from near the King's Road end of the path.