PrimeCarers
Derry City Walls, Derry

Companionship careDerry

Days out in Derry for an older parent

Five places in Derry that make a good day out for an older parent, from Derry City Walls to St Columb's Park and Ebrington. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated October 2026

Derry City Walls. Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0

Five days out across two towns

The best places to take an older parent in Derry

Three of them are free to visit or to walk around. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Derry City Walls, Derry

Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Day out · Derry

Derry City Walls

Derry is the only completely walled city left in Ireland, and its 17th-century walls form a walkway of about 1.5km around the old city. Along the way are the original gates, views over the Bogside and the River Foyle, and a large collection of restored siege cannon.

The walk is free and there is a step-free route from nearby parking, but gradients and some steps vary around the circuit, so a carer can choose a short stretch between two gates rather than the full loop.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free, parking charges may apply

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Derry

The Guildhall, Derry

Photo: Udit Kapoor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Day out · Derry

The Guildhall

The Guildhall is a red sandstone neo-Gothic building from the 1880s beside the city walls, famous for its stained-glass windows given by the London livery companies. Visitors can see the main hall and organ, an exhibition on the Plantation of Ulster and take a short guided tour, with Café Guild inside.

Entry is free and it sits on Guildhall Square in the city centre, with a café inside, so a carer can plan a short indoor visit and a rest.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free, small charge for guided tours

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Derry

St Columb's Cathedral, Derry

Photo: Romeparis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cathedral · Derry

St Columb's Cathedral

St Columb's Cathedral was built in 1633 and was the first cathedral built in these islands after the Reformation. Inside are stained glass, regimental flags, a display of relics from the Siege of 1689 and a peal of bells dating from 1638.

It is within the walled city and quiet inside, with pews to rest on, so it works well as a short stop combined with a walk on the walls.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Check prices

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Derry

The Siege Museum, Derry

Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Derry

The Siege Museum

The Siege Museum tells the story of the Siege of Derry in 1689 and of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, with artefacts, video and interactive displays. Visitors can also see the historic meeting rooms of the Memorial Hall.

It sits just inside the walls near other city-centre sights, so a carer can pair it with the cathedral for a short, unhurried morning.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Paid entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Derry

St Columb's Park and Ebrington, Waterside

Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Waterside

St Columb's Park and Ebrington

St Columb's Park is a 70-acre park on the Waterside with woodland walks, the ruins of a medieval church, an 18th-century manor house and a walled garden. A short loop joins it to Ebrington Square and the Peace Bridge across the River Foyle.

There is free parking including disabled spaces, a café in the park, and the loop to Ebrington is largely flat on asphalt, with toilets at Ebrington Square and the Foyle Arena.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free parking

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free
  • Café

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Waterside

Regular groups and events in Derry

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Derry.

  • Music · DerryCity of Derry Jazz and Big Band FestivalAn annual festival over the early May period, with jazz and big band sets in venues and bars across the city, many of them free to walk into. A carer can pick an afternoon session in a quieter venue, sort parking and leave when the room gets busy.Details
  • Dancing · DerryAdult dance classes with Echo EchoA dance company based in Derry that runs terms of classes and courses for adults, including beginners work focused on gentle, mindful movement rather than performance. A carer could check the current timetable, come along for the first session and help with the journey there and back.Details
  • Painting · PortstewartArt workshops at Flowerfield Arts CentreA council arts centre in Portstewart with a programme of adult workshops and classes, including visual art alongside exhibitions and events. A carer could book a short course, bring the materials and stay for the first session until the room feels familiar.Details
  • ReadingLibraries NI reading groupsPublic libraries across the county host reading groups that meet regularly to discuss a shared title, with sets of books supplied. A carer can find the nearest group, collect the book in large print or audio if that helps, and provide the lift to meetings.Details
  • Volunteering · DerryVolunteering with Foyle HospiceThe hospice serving the north west takes volunteers for a range of roles, including its charity shops, fundraising and support work, with flexible hours. A carer can help with the application and induction and provide the lift to a regular shift.Details
  • KnittingKnit and Natter at the local libraryLibraries run free Knit and Natter sessions where people bring their own work and sit and talk while they knit. A carer could check which nearby library runs one, bring the needles and wool and stay for the first meeting.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Derry

At a glance

The five places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Derry City WallsDerryan hour or twoFreePartlyAskAsk
The GuildhallDerryan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
St Columb's CathedralDerryan hour or twoCheck pricesAskAskAsk
The Siege MuseumDerryan hour or twoPaid entryAskAskAsk
St Columb's Park and EbringtonWatersidean hour or twoFreePartlyAskYes

Where the places are in Derry

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

12345
  1. 1Derry City Walls, Derry
  2. 2The Guildhall, Derry
  3. 3St Columb's Cathedral, Derry
  4. 4The Siege Museum, Derry
  5. 5St Columb's Park and Ebrington, Waterside

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Derry

Carers in Derry charge £19 to £22 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £20, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £80 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Derry has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Derry

Derry City Walls in Derry, The Guildhall in Derry, St Columb's Cathedral in Derry, The Siege Museum in Derry and St Columb's Park and Ebrington in Waterside. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

Derry City Walls, The Guildhall and St Columb's Park and Ebrington. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 9 of the carers with a rate near Derry drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £20 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Derry shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based across the wider region around Derry

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around Derry

Days out in the areas around Derry

Find a carer who could take them out in Derry

See carers near Derry who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

Search carers in DerryCall 0203 369 3624
Free to searchNo obligationVetted & insuredYou choose the carer