Sunrise Social Belfast first came to life on 15 May 2021 and since then we have made hundreds of new friends and met dozens of pups!
You can find us every Saturday morning, rain or shine, hiking Cavehill to watch the sun rise (or just sit in the clouds!) We have people of every age and every walk of life joining us, so it’s a wonderful excuse to get to know someone you wouldn’t usually get a chance to meet.

Cavehill has a few different paths and routes to the top, we meet at Cavehill Carpark on Upper Hightown road. We start our hike about 45 minutes before the sun rises and walk up as a group. The hike takes about 25-30 minutes and is fairly easy. Basic fitness would be helpful as there are 2 steep parts that even our regulars struggle with, they are steep but short so you get to feel a sense of pride for achieving something strenuous so early!
Once we make it to the top (weather dependant) we lay down our blankets and watch the sun slowly rise over Belfast Lough. We have the tunes playing and there’s usually a few dogs wandering around looking for pats.
If the weather is cloudy, we still head up and depending how many of us there are, we sit in a group and chat to each other. The clouds can have the effect of making our time at the top really intimate and cosy, so no matter the weather, we always have an amazing time up there.

After the sun has come up, we head back down the hill and then a short 7 minute drive to The Last Drop Belfast where they have a coffee dock awaiting us and some of the friendliest staff around. They have heaps of covered outdoor seating and even a fireplace to warm us up.

We occasionally have some morning events after sunrise, some of them have been: a mates dates morning which was a wonderful way to get to know everyone in a “speed dating” setting, then we have had a painting morning where we all left with a picture painted by everyone in the group. Lots more fun and unique events to come!

Sunrise Social has offered people the chance to find like minded individuals with similar interests to themselves which has led to many lasting friendships. Success stories of activities that have extended outside Sunrise Social have included meet-ups such as sea dips, hikes, roller skating, mindfulness evenings, brunches and lots more!

Our team of fantastic volunteers are always the most enthusiastic and welcoming people you’ll ever encounter before dawn. Each of them has been so crucial to the success of Sunrise Social Belfast and are always there to make sure anyone who comes alone isn’t alone for long.

So if you’re wanting to try something outside of your comfort zone, meet people from all walks of life and get a little bit of exercise in, come and join the best social group in Belfast!