County Down - 35 places to stay
Hotels | Bed & Breakfast | Inns | Holiday Parks | Attractions | Activities | Shops | Sports | Directory
County Down should be given the label of the most inspirational county in Ireland. Not only is it known as the birthplace of the Brontë family, but its varied landscapes - low moody hills, craggy, wild mountains and turbulent riverscapes, provide the most alluring and intoxicating mix for photographers, writers, artists and dreamers alike. It’s also a pretty good place to just relax, take in some great sights and sample Celtic charm at its very best.
The countryside between Banbridge and Rathfriland was home to the father and close relatives of the famous Brontë novelists, Charlotte, Emily and Anne, so the ruins of the cottage at Emdale, where Patrick Brontë was born are a must for literary fans, as is the hilltop parish church and school at Drumballyroney, where he taught.
The granite Mourne Mountains to the South are renowned for their extreme beauty, so keen mountaineers will definitely want to give Slieve Donard a go - at 848 metres it’s the highest peak in the Mournes and the highest in Northern Ireland. Second to that is Slieve Croob, at 532 metres, the source of the River Lagan. If your sights are set slightly lower to the ground, you can lose time exploring all the quaint fishing villages at the foot of these impressive peaks - Annalong, Ballymartin, Kilkeel (the main fishing port of County Down), are amongst those worth visiting.
Lecale Peninsula is the little-visited region between Downpatrick and the sea coast. Here you’ll find fishing port of Ardglass which is home to seven small castles. If castles are your interest, then you must also take a trip to Strangford, a lovely village where the car ferry crosses the narrow sea channel - there are no fewer than five small castles within a few miles of the village; Strangford, Old Castle Ward, Audley's, Walshestown and Kilclief - all well preserved and great to walk around. Strangford Lough is better known as the Piccadilly Circus for birds (with the odd guest appearance by basking sharks as well!) so ‘twitchers’ get your binoculars at the ready. On the shores of Strangford Lough in Portaferry, you’ll find Northern Ireland Aquarium which kids will love. Also near Downpatrick you’ll find Inch Abbey, a Norman foundation beautifully situated on the edge of the Quoile River.
If you’re searching for creative inspiration yourself, you might want to take a room at The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn which is one of Ireland's oldest hostelries, which holds records dating back to 1614. Concentrate hard enough and you might be able to pick up the right vibe from one of its previous guests. They include Jonathan Swift, Dick Turpin, Peter the Great, Lord Tennyson, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and C. S. Lewis, who honeymooned there. Alternatively you could wander round Tollymore and Castlewellan Forest Parks or The National Arboretum at Castlewellan which is one of the best in the British Isles.
If you like this, Share it
Destinations
Recommended Hotels See Map
- Burrendale Hotel, Country Club & Spa Newcastle *featured*
Licensed, Parking, Historic, Pool, Gym, Parking, Restaurant
Hotels bookable online See Map
- Clandeboye Lodge Hotel Bangor *book online*
Licensed, Parking, Historic, Restaurant - Hebron House Bangor *book online*
Licensed, Historic, Restaurant - Marine Court Hotel Bangor *book online*
Licensed, Parking, Historic, Pool, Gym, Restaurant - Slieve Donard Hotel Newcastle *book online*
Licensed, Parking, Historic, Gym, Restaurant
Bed and Breakfast See Map
- Beresford House Bangor *featured*
TV in rooms, No Smoking, Historic - Ennislare Guest House Bangor *featured*
TV in rooms, Historic, Inspected, Parking - Ennislare House Bangor *featured*
TV in rooms - Shelleven Guest House Bangor *featured*
TV in rooms, Historic - The Cuan Licensed Guest Inn Downpatrick *featured*
TV in rooms, No Smoking, Historic, Parking - Lisnacurran Country House Dromore *featured*
TV in rooms, No Smoking, Historic, Parking - Rayanne House Holywood *featured*
TV in rooms, Parking - Ballaghbeg House Newcastle *featured*
TV in rooms, No Smoking, Historic, Parking
Pubs & Inns
- Old Inn Crawfordsburn *book online*
Food, Open all year, Parking, Credit Cards - Strangford Arms Newtownards *book online*
Food, Children Welcome, Historic, Open all year, Parking, Credit Cards - The Old Schoolhouse Inn Newtownards *book online*
Food, Historic, Open all year, Parking, Credit Cards
Brit Quote: |
|
On this day: |