Activities & Attractions in County Down

Things to do in County Down

The very geography of County Down offers variety in itself. There’s the Mourne mountains sweeping down to the sea. There’s Strangford Lough, the largest lough of its kind in Britain and Ireland. The Ards Peninsula has a sea-bitten flavour all of its own. Head inland, into Bronte Country, and everything changes as rock and sand quickly give way to farmland and woods.

It’s no surprise then that there’s also a wide variety of things to do and see in County Down.

Family fun never grows old here

Start with one of Northern Ireland’s most popular, fun-filled attractions. The Let’s Go Hydro Aqua Park just outside Belfast is packed with all kinds of activities, from open water swimming to waterslides, cable water sports, aqua rugby, tubing, wakeboarding and paddle-boarding. They’ve on-site glamping facilities, meaning you can make a weekend of it too.

Clearsky Adventure Centre at Old Castle Ward on the shores of Strangford Lough is another place where the sky’s the limit when it comes to things to do. Set amidst the remains of a medieval fortress, where scenes from both Vikings and Game of Thrones® were filmed, you’ll find yourself spoiled for choice. Axe throwing or archery? Cycling or coasteering? Sea safari or star-gazing from a glamping pod? You couldn’t make it all up and, fortunately, you don’t have to because it’s all there waiting for you.

The jewel in the crown – Hillsborough Castle

(Access is only available to the gardens and café during the winter. The Castle reopens in the spring).

Hillsborough Castle is one of the official Royal Palaces and is well worth visiting. It was built in Georgian style and splendour by Wills Hill and is beautifully set in 100 acres of well-tended parkland and gardens. A guided tour of the castle will trace the history of the palace as you move from one opulent room to another, including the magnificent State Rooms, the Red Room and Throne Room. Outside, you’re able to wander the grounds, discovering the restored Walled Garden, Lost Garden and a myriad of winding avenues, paths and lawns. After all that, head for the on-site cafe and gift shop, which are almost reasons to visit in themselves.

From a palace to a castle

Castle Ward, facing Strangford Lough, also offers another face to the world. It was in fact built in two contrasting styles. Why? Because the couple who built it, Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor, and his wife, Ann, simply couldn’t agree on the style and décor - and we’re not talking white or magnolia paint here! To compromise, the half of the castle facing the lough is built and decorated in an elaborate Gothic style, while the half facing inland is in a classical Palladian style. If that alone gives you a taste for the place, just wait until you get there. Apart from the house itself, there’s a stable yard which featured heavily in Game of Thrones®, plus cycling, walking, archery, horse-riding and acres of immaculately planted and tended grounds to explore.

Grand indoors to great outdoors – Mournes, Newcastle and more

After all that grandeur, get out and clear your head in the Mourne Mountains, which are perfect for hiking, criss-crossed as they are with countless walking trails and conveniently-placed car parks. Many of the accessible trails and paths will at some point lead you down into Silent Valley or up the slopes of Slieve Donard, or both. Either way, the Mournes make for a breath-taking outdoors experience. Even stepping off a trail to admire the panoramic views across the glittering Irish sea feels like an event in itself. Look out for the Cooley peninsula to the south, the Isle of Man to the north-east, with Mount Snowdon in Wales visible through binoculars on the clearest of days.

It’s a short hop from here to the popular seaside town of Newcastle, with its long silver strand, Royal County Down championship golf course, iconic Slieve Donard hotel and the usual seaside attractions for kids of all ages.

Another option worth exploring is the water, and there’s a lot of it to go around in these parts. Strangford Lough is both immense and intimate at the same time, with harbours, villages, marinas, slipways and quays dotted along its coastline. It’s a great place to take a kayak out for a few hours exploring the many islands, with hire shops and instructors always nearby.

Refuel, revive and imbibe as you explore

County Down plays host to a number of microbreweries, and if craft beer, local gins or homemade wines are of interest, we recommend you add a few of the following to your itinerary.

Shortcross Gin Distillery in Downpatrick, and the Echlinville Distillery out on the Ards peninsula are but a few of the brewers and distillers leading the way in our burgeoning craft drink revival. Each is worth a visit to take in the setting, learn about the perfection of the process, sample the wonderful products, and even take a souvenir - or a bottle - home with you too.

That’s just a whistle-stop tour of some of the highlights of this varied and vibrant county. Hopefully you’ll have found plenty of inspiration above, with more below – so get planning and away you go!

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, we strongly advise checking in advance before you travel to your intended destination to ensure its open and book tickets if applicable.

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Electric Mountain Biking on the Rostrevor Red Trail – Bike Mourne

Rostrevor

Address

Rostrevor Forest Park, Rostrevor, County Down, BT34 3AA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4377 0714

hello@bikemourne.com

Type

Type:

Mountain Biking Trails

Experience the exhilaration of the Rostrevor Red Mountain Bike Trail by E-Bike with our Self-Guided Trail Package

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Goward Dolmen

Hilltown

Address

Goward Road, Hilltown, County Down, BT34 5YL

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Goward Dolmen is situated approx 0.4km south of the B8 Castlewellan/Hilltown road on the north west slopes of the Mourne Mountains and is a fine portal tomb surrounded by trees.

Price
Free

More Info
Kinedale Donkeys

Ballynahinch

Address

38 Chestnut Road, Ballynahinch, County Down, BT24 8JQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 73 9354 8583

info@kinedaledonkeys.co.uk

Price
Price £17.00 to £45.00 Activity

Type

Type:

Nature and Wildlife

Join Robert and his 25 therapy-trained donkeys for wellness and heritage experiences. You are welcomed to his family's farm in Ballynahinch, in the heart of County Down. Take a breather with Goat Meditation or explore the rolling "drumlins" with a…

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Price £17.00 to £45.00 Activity

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Granite Trail (Bogie Line & Drinneevar Loop)

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

The Granite Trail to Thomas’s Mountain is just over 1,100 metres

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Cloghy Rocks

Downpatrick

Address

61 Shore Road, Strangford, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 7NW

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9185 3621

nieainfo@daera-ni.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Nature and Wildlife

Cloghy Rocks is a wonderful location as a number of seals are often spotted here. There are a lot of different habitats which makes this area home to a variety of small shellfish and worms.

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Spelga Dam

Hilltown

Address

Kilkeel Road, Hilltown, County Down, BT34 5XL

Telephone
+44 (0) 33 0137 4046

visitorservices@nmandd.org

Type

Type:

Lake / Reservoir

Spelga Dam Reservoir sits in the heart of the Mourne Mountains, located approximately 10 miles outside of Newcastle, County Down. A man-made reservoir built in the 1950s by the Belfast engineering firm, R Ferguson and Son. It supplies water to…

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
Reservoir Views

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

A strenuous day walk passing through the heart of the Mournes

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
86 reviews
Mountpanther Farm Park

Clough

Address

39 Dundrum Road, Clough, County Down, BT30 8SJ

Telephone
07715 644145

info@mountpanther.com

Type

Type:

Open Farm

We are a family run farm park based just outside Newcastle, County Down. Established in 2017, we have been providing families with unforgettable experiences and lasting memories for over 5 years now.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
Helen's Bay Golf Club

Helen's Bay

Address

Golf Road, Helen's Bay, County Down, BT19 1TL

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9185 2815

mail@helensbaygc.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

Helen’s Bay Golf Club is one of the prettiest golf courses in the North Down/Greater Belfast area. Founded in 1896, it nestles on a gentle hill over Belfast Lough in the middle of a quaint village.

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Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on site
Helen's Bay to Whitespots

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Woodland corridor

More Info
Eisenhower Pier

Bangor

Address

The Seafront, Quay Street, Bangor, County Down, BT20 5ED

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9127 0069

bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Marinas

At the seafront in the City of Bangor in Ards and North Down, a short stroll from the promenade, past Bregenz House (Headquarters to HM Coastguard), takes you to the Eisenhower Pier

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Trassey to Bloody Bridge

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

A moderate linear walk giving a true taste of the Mournes

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Whitespots Country Park

Newtownards

Address

233 Bangor Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 7PH

Telephone
028 9182 6846

ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Walking Route - Short (<5 miles)

Whitespots has a fascinating industrial heritage and a walk here gives an insight into the lead mining which took place here from the late 18th century until the 1910s. In the mid 19th century, around 40% of the total lead produced in Ireland was…

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Bronte Homeland Interpretative Centre

Rathfriland

Address

Church Hill Road, Drumballyroney, Rathfriland, County Down, BT34 5PH

Telephone
028 4062 3322

info@femcwilliam.com

Type

Type:

Visitor Centres & Museums

The fertile land of County Down has been farming country for centuries. It was here that Patrick Brontë, father of Charlotte, Emily and Anne - the famous Brontë sisters, was born into a farming family on 17th March 1777.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Crawfordsburn Country Park, Glen Walk

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Gently undulating walk through mature beech wood, closely following the course of the Crawford's Burn.

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Ards Arts Centre

Newtownards

Address

Town Hall Arts Centre, Conway Square, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 4NP

Telephone
028 9181 0803

arts@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Arts Centre

Located in Newtownards’ beautifully restored Georgian Town Hall in the centre of town, the Ards Arts Centres a welcoming space which supports a wide range of community arts activities alongside our own initiatives.

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Strangford Lough Lookout

Newtownards

Address

Mount Stewart, Portaferry Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2AD

Telephone
02842787769

strangford@nationaltrust.org.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Nature and Wildlife

The Lookout is a wildlife interpretative centre, showcasing the wildlife around the Strangford Lough area. Telescopes and remotely controlled camers allow close up views of basking seals and breeding seabird colonies.

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Slieve Donard (via Glen River)

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Slieve Donard at 850m (2,789 ft) is the highest of the Mourne Mtns. The views from the summit are extensive and on a clear day the Isle of Man, Wicklow, Donegal, Wales and Scotland may be seen, as well as the long stretch of Newcastle Beach.

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Ballydugan Medieval Settlement

Downpatrick

Address

Drumcullan Road, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 8HZ

Telephone
+44 (0) 7731 441 978

magnusvikings@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Themed

Interactive Medieval history Village, offering the opportunity to step back in time and learn about the Dark Ages in Ireland.

Dates

More Info
Electric Mountain Biking on the Castlewellan Red Trail – Bike Mourne

Castlewellan

Address

The Forest Park, Castlewellan, County Down, BT31 9BU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4377 0714

hello@bikemourne.com

Type

Type:

Mountain Biking Trails

Experience the exhilaration of the Castlewellan Red Mountain Bike Trail by E-Bike with our Self-Guided Trail Package

More Info