Things to see and do Newcastle

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.

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…

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.