Country living within 20 minutes of Belfast
Readers Park, Ballyclare
Set at the gateway to the Glens of Antrim, Ballyclare market town offers a rich and leisurely lifestyle that has been one of the best-kept secrets in Northern Ireland.
Ten miles north of Belfast this bustling country town has a real family atmosphere with a town centre that has retained much of its historical character, offering a range of local shops and businesses that provide exceptional choice and value.
Central to living in any rural community is the infrastructure and the accessibility of many local services. Here in Ballyclare, you will not be disappointed. Unlike many newly created community projects that have come over the years, Ballyclare has an established structure of essential community services with leading Schools, Leisure Amenities, Sporting Clubs and Health Services.
The existing community is served by a strong public transport system and the investment by holm in the new Ballyclare Link Road will create a modern infrastructure connected to Northern Ireland's existing major road network and offering easy access to key travel links.
Every day brings a wealth of new experiences to discover in Ballyclare. Whether its playing a round of golf in the picturesque surroundings of nearby Greenacres and Ballyclare Golf Clubs, taking the family outdoors for a picnic in Six Mile Water public park or venturing beyond the town to neighbouring destinations, you will find yourself within easy reach of many major attractions and areas of outstanding beauty including Lough Neagh and the North Antrim Coast.
Schools
Ballyclare Primary School has a rich, historical heritage and a fine educational tradition. Currently serving the interests of over 500 pupils from the surrounding area, many past pupils of the school have gone on to develop distinguished careers in business, community work, education, medicine, religion, politics and sport.
The school is a Green Flag holding Eco-School, the first school in Newtownabbey to receive the award for its high standard in the participation of bio-diversity projects and sustainable living practices that are taught to its pupils from a young age.
Fairview Primary School is situated just off the Rashee Road and celebrates its 30th 'birthday' this year. It has a total enrolment of over 500 pupils and 23 teaching staff.
Fairview offers many extra-curricular activities during the course of the school year such as football, rugby, cricket, badminton, hockey, netball, table-tennis, mini-tennis, art & craft, needlework, french language, speech & drama and Lego Technic.
Ballyclare High School, located alongside the Rashee Road, has an enrolment of around 1200 pupils drawn from a wide catchment area. The grammar school admits a large number of grade-A pupils and has frequently been oversubscribed with first choice applications.
There is a strong tradition of good relationships between teachers, pupils, parents and the wider business community at Ballyclare High.
Ballyclare Secondary School was established in 1961 and is an all ability, co-educational school for 11 to 18 year olds. The school currently has over 1000 pupils and a teaching staff of 70+.
Ballyclare Secondary's top priority is to provide a caring and stimulating environment in which each pupil can strive to reach his/her potential. The school's aim is to cater for the whole person, enabling each pupil to develop mentally, spiritually and physically. Pupils with learning difficulties are given extra support in small groups. All teachers are subject specialists and use a wide range of teaching strategies to provide the best possible learning opportunities for their students.
Leisure
Whether you are spending quality time with the family or meeting new friends, Ballyclare has a bit of everything for you to enjoy.
Six Mile Leisure Centre offers a great deal of sports and activities including a swimming pool with winding water slide, fully functional fitness suite, aerobics with circuit training, water babies, gymnastics, over 50's club, badminton, weight watchers, yoga, junior soccer coaching, dog training, junior jacuzzi, steam room, solarium, judo club and jujitsu.
Sixmilewater River Park is an attractive public park with the Six Mile River gently flowing through it. Within the park, a conservation area and duck pond makes a great day out, especially if you have brought a picnic.
Tennis courts are available for enthusiasts of the sport, meanwhile the park hosts many top events such as the Ballyclare May Fair and Gymkhana.
It is a popular park for cross-country running, rambling and barbeques in the summer. To the left of the War Memorial is a mound that is a 13th-century Norman motte built as a defensive outpost of Carrickfergus Castle.
Sports
An integral part of any local community is the ability to get out and participate in sports. Whether you're playing, looking to get fit or simply spectating, there is plenty on offer within Ballyclare.
Building on the extensive facilities of Sixmile Leisure Centre, with its range of sports on offer Ballyclare offers many local major sports including:
Rugby
Ballyclare Rugby Club is a family club, with a thriving senior section playing in the Ulster Leagues. It has large mini and youth rugby sections, playing Saturday mornings, located in Ballyclare.
Football
Ballyclare Comrades is a club in the IFA Championship. This is the second level of Northern Ireland club football, one rung below the IFA Premiership
Running sides at all age groups, the club is run by a committee, which is elected on a yearly basis by the season ticket holders. It is one of the few truly democratic football clubs in existence today.
A recently-formed Supporters Club has a growing enthusiastic membership that is passionate about the Comrades, and is setting about fund raising activities to help the club financially.
Golf
Newtownabbey has golf courses for all abilities. If it is practice and tuition you need then the professionals at local courses will do their best to sort out your swing before letting you out for some target practice on the driving range. The 18-hole parkland courses of Ballyclare, Hilton Templepatrick and Greenacres provide challenging golf in the rolling County Antrim countryside.
Fishing
The Sixmilewater River is a highly productive river that enters Lough Neagh and runs through Westlands Riverside Park.
The river holds a good head of wild Brown Trout. Later in the season it has runs of Salmon and Dollaghan, a Trout which behaves in a similar way to a Sea Trout but instead of going to sea, runs to Lough Neagh.
The Dollaghan grow in many ways similar to Salmon up to 2lb or 3lb every year while in the Lough due to the feeding there. This makes them one of the biggest wild Brown Trout with many specimens being caught most seasons.
Public transport
Local bus services run regularly throughout the town and elsewhere. Passengers in Ballyclare benefit from a modern Town Service with low floor buses, clock face timetabling and modern bus stop infrastructure.
The main Bus Station stands on the site of the former Ballyclare Rail Station. Key features include park & ride facilities, a fully heated passenger waiting area, cycle racks and a parent & baby room.
The 153 bus service to Belfast City Centre runs at regular intervals from the Bus Station, ensuring reliability for those residents commuting to the city throughout the working week.
The Town Service provides improved links with all Ulsterbus services at Market Square, operating on an hourly schedule comprising a simplified network serving passengers from the nearby stop at Rashee Park that will also serve the new community at Readers Park.
Health services
The Northern Health & Social Care Trust provides a range of local services to the surrounding areas of Ballyclare.
These include services to children and older people: nursing and support services at home; outreach mental health services; and work with General Practitioners in the primary care sector to support people outside a hospital setting.