Carnfunnock Country Park
Encyclopedia
Carnfunnock Country Park is a park at Drains Bay
, near Larne
, County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It is situated on the A2
Antrim Coast Road, 3.5 miles north of Larne. The park takes in 191 hectares of mixed woodland, gardens, walking trails and coastline and is owned and run by Larne Borough Council
.
open all year round, sundials, an orienteering
course, outdoor adventure playground, biodiversity
trail and wildlife garden. It also has a maze
in the shape of Northern Ireland, a family fun zone (including miniature railway and 18 hole mini-golf course) and children's activity centre, a touring caravan park and camp site, 9 hole pitch and putt
golf course, clay pigeon shooting
, and a modern visitor centre with gift and coffee shop.
In 2010 Larne Borough Council approved the park as a venue for civil marriage ceremonies
and the first exchange of vows took place in August 2010.
is based on the winning idea from a 1985 Design a Maze competition: a hedge maze in the shape of Northern Ireland. It has numerous paths and dead ends with seven central spaces, one for each county
and one for Lough Neagh
. The maze was planted out in 1986 with over 1,500 mature hornbeam
(Carpinus Betulus). By 1991 it was well established for its official opening marking Northern Ireland’s contribution to the International Year of the Maze.
and Lady Dixon and reverted to Larne Borough Council in 1957. Many of the original features remain, including the walled garden, ice house and lime kilns.
Drains Bay
Drains Bay is a small residential and commuter village on the County Antrim coast approximately north of Larne, Northern Ireland.-Name:The name is an anglicisation of the original name of Drinns Bay, which refers to the blackthorn which grew profusely in the area.-Features:The village is largely...
, near Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is situated on the A2
A2 road (Northern Ireland)
The A2 is a major road in Northern Ireland, a large section of which is often called the Antrim Coast Road because it follows the scenic coastline of County Antrim....
Antrim Coast Road, 3.5 miles north of Larne. The park takes in 191 hectares of mixed woodland, gardens, walking trails and coastline and is owned and run by Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Larne and the population of the area is nearly 31,000...
.
Features
The park has a walled gardenWalled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
open all year round, sundials, an orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
course, outdoor adventure playground, biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
trail and wildlife garden. It also has a maze
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
in the shape of Northern Ireland, a family fun zone (including miniature railway and 18 hole mini-golf course) and children's activity centre, a touring caravan park and camp site, 9 hole pitch and putt
Pitch and putt
Pitch and putt is an amateur sport, similar to golf. The maximum hole length for international competitions is with a maximum total course length of . Players may only use three clubs; one of which must be a putter...
golf course, clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun or any type of firearm....
, and a modern visitor centre with gift and coffee shop.
In 2010 Larne Borough Council approved the park as a venue for civil marriage ceremonies
Civil ceremony
A civil registrar ceremony is a non-religious legal marriage ceremony performed by a government official or functionary. In the UK, this person is normally called a registrar...
and the first exchange of vows took place in August 2010.
Carnfunnock Maze
The mazeMaze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
is based on the winning idea from a 1985 Design a Maze competition: a hedge maze in the shape of Northern Ireland. It has numerous paths and dead ends with seven central spaces, one for each county
Counties of Northern Ireland
The counties of Northern Ireland were the principal local government divisions of Northern Ireland from its creation in 1921 until 1972 when their governmental features were abolished and replaced with twenty-six unitary authorities....
and one for Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
. The maze was planted out in 1986 with over 1,500 mature hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
(Carpinus Betulus). By 1991 it was well established for its official opening marking Northern Ireland’s contribution to the International Year of the Maze.
History
The park originally belonged to the estate of Sir Thomas DixonSir Thomas Dixon, 2nd Baronet
Sir Thomas James Dixon, 2nd Baronet PC , was a Northern Ireland politician.Dixon was the eldest son of Sir Daniel Dixon, 1st Baronet, Lord Mayor of Belfast. He succeeded his father as second Baronet in 1907. Dixon was a Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland from 1924 to 1950 and was admitted to...
and Lady Dixon and reverted to Larne Borough Council in 1957. Many of the original features remain, including the walled garden, ice house and lime kilns.