Ever wondered what it would be like to head through CS Lewis’ famous wardrobe and end up in the ‘Land of Narnia’? Then get yourself over to east Belfast and find out!
Who was CS Lewis?
Author CS (Clive Stape) Lewis was born in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Famed for penning the ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ part of his ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ series.
Where is CS Lewis Square?
402 Newtownards Road, east Belfast.
How to get there
Train –
The closest train station would be the Titanic Quarter on the Bangor – Belfast line, check out Translink for times. The Square is a short walk from the station along the Newtownards Road.
Bus –
There are any number of bus/glider routes that pass CS Lewis Square. Your best bet would be to head for the City Hall and ask a bus inspector when the next bus leaves.
Car –
Head for Connswater Shopping centre, where there is ample car parking and the Square is a short walk away.
Foot-
If coming from Belfast, find your way to Ann Street (one of the main shopping streets in the City Centre). Head for the Lagan River and keep walking in a straight line, roughly 30 mins will take you to the Square.
Belfast bike-
Belfast bikes are dotted all around the City Centre, more information on how they work can be found here.
Opening hours and cost
CS Lewis Square is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The Eastside Visitor Centre is open during normal business hours. There is no entry cost.
What to see and do
Eastside Visitor Centre
The Eastside Visitor Centre is home to both the JACK Coffee Bar and an Information Centre. It is the perfect place to dive into when the rain or in our case the snow starts to fall.
In the Information Centre we picked up a map of CS Lewis Square, and also a number of leaflets about attractions within east Belfast.
CS Lewis Square
In all, there are 8 sculptures to find in the Square. These include the famous Aslan who overlooks the square, the Robin, the White Witch, the Stone table, Mr Tumnus, Mr And Mrs Beaver, Maugrim and the man himself, CS Lewis entering the wardrobe.
Megan took control of the map and safely guided us around the land of Narnia, after a near miss with the White Witch trying to turn us into ice (That was Daddy’s fault for not knowing her history). Beside each of the sculptures is a short bio explaining their roles in the story.
Outdoor Events
Eastside Visitor Centre host a number of outdoor seasonal events in the Square. Keep an eye on their website for more information.
Would we recommend visiting?
Yes, if you have a free half an hour and you’re nearby, it is well worth a look around. We would recommend joining it up with a visit to Victoria Park, which is nearby and a favourite of Megan.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog about CS Lewis Square, east Belfast.
The Lewis Family.
If you enjoy reading about our days out in Northern Ireland. Check out our other blog posts here – Northern Ireland