The Maritime Heritage Trail has been developed through Cycling UK’s Routes and Roots project. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the Community Heritage Fund in early 2021, the project aims to connect the communities of East Belfast and Sailortown through a journey across the city. The route takes in the Maritime Mile and features many landmarks synonymous with Belfast, including C.S Lewis Square, the Harland and Wolff cranes, Titanic Quarter, Queen’s Quay, Clarendon Graving Docks and St. Joseph’s Church.

Whilst connecting the two communities, the project highlights how industries of the past shaped places and people – ropeworks, shipyards, linen mills, distilleries and tobacco factories to name just a few. These places and this journey are very different to how they would have looked 30 to 40 years ago. The vast majority of these industries are now closed, with those remaining majorly scaled back. Many of the buildings have been knocked down and replaced by commercial outlets. However, we hope that riding or walking this trail will inspire you to imagine what these places would have once been like.

Click or tap the points on the route map to find out more about each place.

Discover how this area used to look a century ago with this map from Queen's University Heritage Hub.