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Counties Down & Armagh

County Down's treasures fan out beyond Belfast. Strangford Lough's sparkling, island-fringed waters stretch south, with the bird-haunted mudflats of Castle Espie and Nendrum's ancient monastery on one shore, and the picturesque Ards Peninsula on the other. The Mourne Mountains' velvet curves sweep down to the sea near Downpatrick and Lecale, the old stamping grounds of Ireland's patron saint. To the south of the Mournes, the coastal road passes the picturesque coastal towns of Rostrevor and Warrenpoint, the respective hosts of summer folk and blues festivals.

Down's neighbour County Armagh is largely rural, from the low, rugged hills of the south to the apple orchards and strawberry fields of the north, with Ireland's ecclesiastical capital, the appealing little city of Armagh, in the middle. South Armagh is a peaceful backwater with enchanting scenery ideal for walkers and cyclists.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Counties Down & Armagh.

Historic Building
Mount Stewart
The magnificent 18th-century Mount Stewart is one of Northern Ireland’s grandest stately homes. Entertaining tours tell the story of the house and its contents; treasures include a painting of racehorse Hambletonian in Hambletonian, Rubbing Down (1799–1800) by George Stubbs, one of the most important paintings in Ireland. The house overlooks formal gardens filled with colourful sub-tropical plants and eccentric topiary. Mount Stewart is on the A20, 3km northwest of Greyabbey. Buses from Belfast to Portaferry stop at the gate.
Archaeological Site
Navan Fort
Perched atop a drumlin, Ulster's most important archaeological site is linked in legend with the tales of Cúchulainn and named as capital of Ulster and the seat of the legendary Knights of the Red Branch. Exhibits at the Navan Centre place the fort in its historical context, and display a re-creation of an Iron Age settlement. It's 3km west of Armagh City; take bus 73 (seven daily Monday to Friday).
Forest
Kilbroney Park
This 16-sq-km forest park has walking paths offering awesome views, as well as Northern Ireland's best downhill mountain-biking trails. Arriving by car, the main park entrance is 1km east of Rostrevor. From the lower car park, you can continue to the top of the forest drive, from where a 10-minute hike leads up to a superb view over the lough to Carlingford Mountain, as well as to the Cloughmore Stone, a 30-tonne granite boulder inscribed with Victorian-era graffiti.
Historic Building
Castle Ward Estate
Famed for its role as Winterfell in Game of Thrones, 1760s-built Castle Ward House has a superb setting overlooking the bay west of Strangford. The estate's history is relayed in entertaining 45-minute upstairs/downstairs tours of the house and servants' quarters. On the extensive grounds are a Victorian laundry museum, a farmyard, 16th-century Plantation tower Old Castle Ward and 15th-century tower house Castle Audley, along with walking and cycling trails.
Forest
Slieve Gullion Forest Park
A 10km scenic drive through this forest park provides picturesque views over the surrounding hills. From the parking and picnic area at the top of the drive, you can hike to the summit of Slieve Gullion (576m), the highest point in County Armagh, topped by two early Bronze Age cairns and a tiny lake (1.5km round-trip). Slieve Gullion is 10km southwest of Newry on the B113 road to Forkhill.
Cathedral
St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral
The city's Anglican cathedral occupies the site of St Patrick's original stone church. The present cathedral's ground plan is 13th century, but the building itself is a Gothic restoration dating from 1834 to 1840. A stone slab on the exterior wall of the north transept marks the burial place of Brian Ború, the high king of Ireland, who died near Dublin during the last great battle against the Vikings in 1014.
Wildlife Reserve
Castle Espie Wildfowl & Wetlands Centre
Situated 2km southeast of Comber, off the Downpatrick road (A22), Castle Espie is a haven for huge flocks of geese, ducks and swans. The landscaped grounds are dotted with birdwatching hides, and are great for fledgling naturalists, with family bird-feeding and pond-dipping sessions. The best months to visit are May and June, when it's overrun with goslings, ducklings and cygnets, and October, when vast flocks of the 30,000 light-bellied brent geese (75% of the world's population) arrive from Arctic Canada.
Library
Armagh Robinson Library
A first edition of Gulliver's Travels, published in 1726 and annotated by Swift himself, is the most prized possession of the wonderful Armagh Robinson Library, founded in 1771 by Archbishop Robinson. Other treasures include Sir Walter Raleigh's 1614 History of the World, the Claims of the Innocents (pleas to Oliver Cromwell) and engravings by Hogarth and others. The oldest manuscripts here are theological works dating from the 1480s.
Historic Building
Hillsborough Castle
The British monarch's official Northern Ireland residence is this rambling, late-Georgian mansion, which was built in 1797 for Wills Hill, the first Marquess of Downshire, and extensively remodelled in the 1830s and '40s. Hour-long guided tours take in the throne room, state drawing room and dining rooms, and the Lady Grey Room where, in 2003, Tony Blair and George W Bush held talks on Iraq. Highlights of the lovely gardens include the lime-tree walk and the restored, 18th-century walled garden.