Things to see and do County Down

Tollymore is one of Ireland's largest forest parks, crossed by the Shimna River. It was the first state forest in the country and offers beautiful walks on the northern slopes of the. It is particularly nice to enter the Bryansford Gate, impressive door with its granite turrets and Gothic style architecture dating back to 1786. The whole site covers 630 ha and, like many other places in Northern Ireland, it has grown to posterity thanks to the game Game of Thrones, which turned some scenes into it.

The Murlough Nature Reserve offers many hikes and is a paradise for all birdwatchers. It is a rare and 6,000-year-old dune area with superb views of the Mourne Mountains. There are many wildflowers and several species of butterflies.

This tourist agency offers a wide range of tours and activities linked to the international hit series Game of Thrones: archery, bike tours, King Robert's banquet, meeting the Direwolves (the Stark wolves), tour of Tollymore & Winterfell. The possibilities are endless and will delight Jon Snow aficionados. Their most successful offer is certainly the boat tour on Strangford Lough (in County Down), discovering the most impressive castles in Westeros. A serious address.

The XVIII domain reflects the heterogeneous and antagonistic tastes of Lord's couple and Lady Bangor for architecture. On the one hand, there is a neo-classical style, and the other is a rather Gothic influence… the differences are quite intriguing to observe between the front façade and the big staircase, as well as the back of the house and the éventail's range of the éventail. You can take tea in the rooms of the castle. Part of the site was used in the shooting of the game Game of Thrones for plans from Winterfell castle, which makes it a pilgrimage place for all fans.

The site was under British influence throughout the Middle Ages. Now in ruins, the place is worth a visit for its high gothic windows on the east side, the layouts of the chapter house and the refectory which give an idea of the grandeur of the heyday of piety. The marshes around the river Quoile are also interesting to walk around. Fans of Game of Thrones will not miss passing through here, as the place was used as a backdrop for a scene in the series, when the Starks asked to meet the Freys to cross the river!

This beautiful forest park spans 1 000 hectares. A 10 km road allows you to cross it and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding hills. At the entrance to the site begins a hike for the Slieve Gullion Hill, from which you can see the whole county. At the top are some megalithic cairns.

A hiking trail starts on the left of the Donard car park along the river. Then, you must always pass through the river to a stone bridge that crosses to the left. The river is always located on the right and runs through the forest, forming cascades and water. The itinerary goes up, and it can be interesting to think of putting a bathing suit in his bag to bathe in hot weather in one of the many water deductions that underpin the road! The route is quite obvious, the only hesitation that can be found in a sign that indicates the Forest Service Glen River Track and where you go down an asphalt road. At that point, you must take the bridge on the right and turn on the left, where there are steps. After a 15-minute walk, you can find the Ice House, a picturesque circular stone circular cahute built in the 20 th century, to keep food covered by ice. The stony trail on the right, behind the sign, leads there. It is then in a lush, picturesque valley, where a river vigoureusement through the rocks, with the backdrop of the Mourne mountains. We already see a segment of the wall that runs along the ridge of the twelve mountains. Why have we undertaken this mammoth work? The assumptions issued are as follows: to prevent sheep from drowning in lakes that lie at the bottom of the mountains and give themselves work to do at the time of the Great Famine in order to escape the madness or débauche of the désoeuvrement… By turning its back to the mountains, one also has a splendid view on the bay of Newcastle framed with dark pines. By passing the Ice House and continuing straight away, you can reach the foot of the Slieve Donard. From here, 20 min are still at least necessary to climb it, but the views, from here, are already extraordinary…

At the foot of the hill is the information center. The building with the glass entrance proposes an interactive presentation of the life of the saint who would be buried not far from there (the scholars still discuss this probability). There is a 20-minute Imax projection of St. Patrick's journey through Irish history and an art gallery with painted scenes of his life, as well as objects related to him. There is also a craft store and a restaurant, which opens onto a garden.

Around 432, Saint Patrick was busy converting pagans by the thousands. His charisma was such that a local chief gave him a barn(sabball) to live in while he was in the Strangford Lough area. It is now known as Saul's church and was rebuilt in the 12th century after it was burned by the Vikings. To the north, on the top of a hill (called Slieve Patrick), stands the world's largest statue of St. Patrick. A charming spot, from where one can enjoy beautiful views of the lake

The splendid ruins of Grey Abbey, founded in 1193, are among the finest examples of Anglo-Norman architecture in Northern Ireland and can be the object of a pleasant and bucolic walk. The Cistercian monks also had a great knowledge of plants and their benefits. In this elegant setting, an aromatic garden has been reconstituted by an association of villagers next to the ruined building, with more than forty medicinal essences. A visit not to be missed if one passes in the area!

Just a 30-minute drive from Belfast, this is the must-see tour for all Game of Thrones fans! The studio tour, located on one of the filming locations of the most broadcasted series in the world, invites you (with a quality audio guide) to discover the backstage of the Seven Crowns and to leave on the tracks of Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister. It takes two to three hours for the visit. To you Westeros and Winterfell!

This Landscape Centre is a beautiful place to walk by watching birds on this reservoir of water that houses wildlife. The centre is housed in a cottage near the ruins of a th century castle. The dike that allows the reserve was built in 1957 to retain Strangford Lough.

The views offer clear views of the inland lands, the Mourne Mountains, Strangford Lough and the Irish Sea. The old windmill of 1771, built by the Savage family, was destroyed by a fire in 1878. The. Peninsula is known as the «Small Northern Holland» because of its high winds. 

Castlewellan is a small town of the eighteenth century with an unusual layout and the structure of the streets was designed by a French architect. The park allows for walks around the castle and a small lake, with one of the most remarkable collections of trees in the British Isles. You will also find the great Peace Maze maze, symbolizing the path to peace in Northern Ireland.

The Norman fortress was erected in 1177 by John of Courcy and is, after Carrickfergus, an outstanding example of the Norman invasion of Northern Ireland. It was an essential part of the coastal defense. Located on a wooded hill to the northwest of the village, the fortress truly dominates the bay. The circular keep, the guardhouse and the twin towers were added successively throughout history. The castle was finally destroyed by Cromwell in 1652. Its ruins are now the subject of a pleasant walk.