Days Out NI
Nature & wildlife Craigavon

Oxford Island National Nature Reserve

Free Lough Neagh reserve with an all-abilities play park and 5 km of trails

5 photos
OpenOpen access
FreeNo ticket needed
CraigavonNature & wildlife
Get directionsOfficial website
Half a dayHow long
FreeEntry
Toddlers to abo…Best for
On leadsDogs
FreeParking

Oxford Island National Nature Reserve — Free Lough Neagh reserve with an all-abilities play park and 5 km of trails.

  • Dogs: Welcome on a lead, kept away from the water's edge.
  • Parking: Free surface car park beside the play park, with three Blue Badge bays.
  • Toilets: Yes, at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre.
Plan your visit

A play park the whole family can use

The play park is the reason most families come, and it is a good one. Swings, slides, a roundabout, trampolines, rope climbing, tunnels, stepping stones and interactive panels are all set into the woodland edge looking out over the lough. It is hand-painted with nature themes and built for mixed ages, so toddlers and older kids can both find their level. The standout is a ramp into the centre of the play park, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, made so a child in a wheelchair gets into the middle of the action. The car park sits right beside it with Blue Badge bays a few metres from the entrance.

Free Inclusive play park Trampolines and zip-style climbing Five bird hides Café on site Buggy-friendly
Good to know before you go:

Oxford Island and the Discovery Centre run seasonal events through the year, from summer activity days and pond dipping to Halloween and Christmas happenings. Check ahead before a special trip, as dates and booking change each season.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🔭BinocularsHalf the fun is spotting the birds, seals or deer before they spot you.
  • 👟Walking shoes or welliesPaths can be soft, grassy or muddy after rain — comfy waterproof feet win.
  • 🧥A coatOut in the open the weather changes fast; dress for it and enjoy the fresh air.
  • 💧Water and a snackReserves are quiet places — few have a café, so pack a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free, including parking
Opening
Reserve 9am to 9pm Mar to Sep, 9am to 6pm Oct to Feb; Discovery Centre and café shorter hours
Best for ages
Toddlers to about 11, with an inclusive play park usable by all abilities
What's there
Adventure play park, five bird hides, five km of trails, Discovery Centre, café, marina
Toilets
Yes, at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre
Parking
Free surface car park beside the play park, with three Blue Badge bays
Dogs
Welcome on a lead, kept away from the water's edge
Accessibility
Wheelchair ramp into the play park, surfaced buggy-friendly paths, mobility scooters for hire (book ahead)
How long to allow
Half a day
Address
Oxford Island National Nature Reserve, Craigavon BT66 6NJ
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free, including parking
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on a lead, kept away from the water's edge
Where do I park?
Free surface car park beside the play park, with three Blue Badge bays
Are there toilets?
Yes, at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre
Getting there

Oxford Island National Nature Reserve is at Oxford Island National Nature Reserve, Craigavon BT66 6NJ. Free surface car park beside the play park, with three Blue Badge bays. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around CraigavonSee what else is close by More nature & wildlife across NIReserves, loughs, woods and wetlands
The story

About the park

Oxford Island is a peninsula on the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland. It has been managed as a reserve by the council since 1972, with much of the woodland planted through the 1960s and 70s. Despite the name it is no longer an island, joined to the mainland as water levels were managed over the years.

The 112-hectare reserve protects reedbeds, wildflower meadows, ponds and woodland along nearly four km of shoreline, and is recognised as a National Nature Reserve. The Lough Neagh Discovery Centre opened to tell the story of the lough and its wildlife, and is now the hub for the café, exhibitions and the play park that draw families in.