Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Newtownards, is a large town, townland and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. Newtownards lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is situated in the civil parish of Newtownards and the historic baronies of Ards Lower and Castlereagh Lower. Newtownards is the largest town in the former Borough of Ards. It is known colloquially by locals as Ards.
The town of Newtownards is overlooked by the 100-foot (30 m) high Scrabo Tower. The tower is 41 metres high, and was erected as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, in recognition of his concern for the plight of his tenants during the great potato famine. It is open to the public and houses a historical and local environment exhibition. The basalt topped sandstone hill at Scrabo is one of the dominant features of north Down. The tower now stands tall in Scrabo Country Park with its woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood.
The Somme Heritage Centre, which is situated a little north of the town, is the Somme Association's flagship project. Situated adjacent to the Clandeboye Estate outside Newtownards, the centre is a unique visitor attraction of international significance showing the reality of the Great War and its effects on the community at home. The centre commemorates the involvement of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions in the Battle of the Somme, the 10th (Irish) Division in Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine and provides displays and information on the entire Irish contribution to the First World War.
The centre promotes cross-community contact, mutual understanding, an appreciation of cultural diversity, and is a major visitor attraction. The centre is built on ground provided by Ards Borough Council in what is to be the Whitespots Country Park. It is linked to Helen's Tower on the Clandeboye Estate via the Ulster Way. Historically, the 36th (Ulster) Division trained on the estate during the first few months of the war and German prisoners of war were interned there. A replica of Helen's Tower was built on the Somme battlefield as Northern Ireland's national war memorial.
On the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside Newtownards and near Greyabbey, stands Mount Stewart, an 18th-century house and garden – the home of the Londonderry family. The house and its contents reflect the history of the Londonderrys who played a leading role in British social and political life. The ninety-eight acre garden at Mount Stewart has been proposed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Largely created by Edith, Lady Londonderry, wife of the 7th Marquess, in the 1920s, it has an unrivalled collection of rare and unusual plants.
( Newtownards - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Newtownards . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Newtownards - UK
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Portaferry - Entrance of Strangford Lough on Ards Peninsula
Portaferry County Down is a small port town that is at the narrow entry to Strangford Lough where a daily ferry connects the town with Strangford. The town is well known for its festivals.
Portaferry is a small town in county Down, Northern Ireland, at the southern end of Ards Peninsula, near the narrows at the entrance to Strangford Lough. The atmosphere of this city might be different for being placed by the river and for being a fishing destination, but there are some other places which make Portaferry famous with them and thus tends to attract visitors all the time.
There is a marina in Portaferry that tends to carry around 500,000 people one mile across the sea to Strangford since this service operates daily at 15-minutes intervals (8am - 11pm), which stands as one of the important things that make highlight this small town. Portaferry also hosts its own small marina which is known as Portaferry marina.
The town centre of Portaferry has many old Georgian buildings along with Portaferry Castle, which is a 16th century tower, and which brings the history right into the mind and eyes of the tourist or visitor once he/she walks by them or even get the chance to get inside any of them. Even walking down the streets of this town and passing by all those different buildings is considered one of the things that one should do in Portaferry to experience it in exactly the right way.
Portaferry is known to be a popular location because of its wildlife and marine reserve which tends to attract lots of tourists and visitors to it, and that comes in addition to Exploris which is an aquarium; Exploris was opened by Ards Borough Council in 1987 and then it was extended and re-opened by prince Charles in 1994 and now it is under private management. Exploris is Northern Ireland's premier sanctuary and aquarium that features a huge walk-through tank and outdoor seal pools.
From the different places that one could check and visit in Portaferry, county Down, there are those which we have already mentioned and which include the transportation means that happens between Strangford and Portaferry, Exploris, as well as the 16th century old Portaferry Castle which is found there.
County Down is not just about Portaferry, but there are different places out there which one could discover in different cities and towns which are all placed in county Down. Kilbroney Park is one of the places located in county Down ( Newcastle is another destination with the famous Slieve Donard Hotel ( Donaghadee in county Down could also go on your list of places to visit in this county in Northern Ireland ( Bangor Harbour and Marina was another location we have visited in county Down and thus would recommend ( and that comes in addition to different other destinations that on the list of places that one could visit in county Down, Northern Ireland.
We walked through the town of Portaferry, we experienced the atmosphere of the whole place, we enjoyed our time by one of the cafes, and we got the chance to pass by those different attractions that mark this town and add to your memory when its name is mentioned. There are green spaces, there is water, there are old buildings and a castle; what else would you want to experience all in the same place?
Portaferry is not just a local place but it is also a touristic one for its beauty, history, wildlife and the other visitor attractions. One of those important attractions of the place is Strangford Lough which is the largest sea inlet in the British isles. Portaferry is actually Northern Ireland's first Marine Nature Reserve and is also renowned as an area of outstanding natural beauty and special scientific interest with six natural nature reserves within its reaches - Queen's University of Belfast have a Marine Research Laboratory on the shorefront and currently the town is also home to a tidal energy research project the Minesto Sea Kite.
There are over 2,000 species of marine animals which have been found in the Strangford Lough and internationally important flocks of wildfowl and wading birds converge there in winter, and it is also the most important site in Ireland for breeding common seals.
There are actually lots of things to be known and discovered about Portaferry even though it is considered a small town, but you could visit different touristic attractions in it and at the same time get the chance to experience the life by the lough and know more about its importance.
Have you ever got the chance to visit Portaferry in Northern Ireland before? If you had then share your experience with us and we would listen to all the comments as well.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Donaghadee - County Down, Northern Ireland
Donaghadee has a great landmark in the lighthouse over the pier facing into the Irish Sea. There is a beautiful coastal walk here - also into the town where there is an old moat/castle structure and a great view of the surrounding area. Very close to Bangor and Belfast.
There are some small towns scattered around Belfast that open the eyes of the visitors and tourists who are staying in Belfast and give them the chance to think outside the box and go out of the city to any of these towns if they have some spare time to spend and this is usually a good plan because it will give them the chance to explore more parts of Northern Ireland during their trip.
Donaghadee is one of these different options related to small towns which we have to refer to and mention, it is only 18 miles away from Belfast and only 6 miles away from Bangor - which is not a long distance for someone to go. Donaghadee is a small town situated in county Down, Northern Ireland, that lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula; it is in the civil parish of Donaghadee and the historic barony of Ards Lower. The history of Donaghadee town and the different attractions that could be seen in it add to the encouragement that fills the visitor's heart and mind about going there.
Donaghadee town was actually featured in the Irish Rebellion of 1798; in the morning of Pike Sunday 10 June 1798, a force of United Irishmen mainly from Bangor, Donaghadee, Greyabbey, and Ballywalter attempted to occupy the the town of Newtownards, they met with musket fire from the market house and they were defeated. In addition to this historical part, Donaghadee harbour is also important when it comes to this town since it has its historical part as well; Donaghadee was used in the period between 1759 and 1826 by couples going to Portpatrick, Wigtown, Scotland in order to get married since there was a daily packet boat going there from Donaghadee harbour.
Of course when it comes to any new place you are visiting, the first thing that you will be doing is searching for the different touristic attractions that you could visit there. When it comes to Donaghadee town, there are a couple of things to consider visiting, such as the Moat, the Harbour and the Marina along with the lighthouse, and there are other minor places to consider such as the Parish Church.
The harbour and the lighthouse of Donaghadee town are famous because that harbour almost dates back to the 17th century and this harbour is well known for its lighthouse - it might be one of the most famous attractions related to this town, it has actually been a haven for ships for years and years.
In addition to the harbour and the lighthouse, there is also the Moat - or as it is also known and referred to the Motte - which was actually built to house the explosives used in building the harbour. The Moat is also one of the most prominent features of the town that dates back to 1818 but today it is now part of a park, giving views across the town and seawards towards the Copeland Islands (
These are the most common things to be done in this small town but there are still other activities which one could also include and which might be a walk by the town that includes the marine walk by The Commons: this is a semi-cultivated open space with bowls, tennis, putting, and an adventure playground. There are also those restaurants, hotels, and bars which you could choose from and enjoy sitting at, one of them is the famous Grace Neill's bar which opened back in 1611 as the King's Arms and which is considered the oldest bar to be found in Ireland.
When you are visiting Donaghadee town, you should always check the events that might be taking place there because you could get the chance to enjoy your time attending any of them. There are also those shops and boutiques which might be offering different products that you could go back home with any of them - make your visit count.
There are some other small towns and cities which are close to Donaghadee - and that of course in addition to Belfast the capital city of Northern Ireland and the one mostly visited ( - from these places, there is Bangor which is the closest to Donaghadee and which is mostly known with its harbour ( there is also Portaferry which is mostly known with its Exploris Aquarium ( and there is also Ballywalter which is considered not far away from Donaghadee (
These were the things we managed to visit in Donaghadee, county Down, and this was the trip we went on and enjoyed. Have you ever been there before? Share with us more of your stories and adventures.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
4K Drone Footage Northern Ireland
City Hall - Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Created at TripWow by TravelPod Attractions (a TripAdvisor™ company)
City Hall Belfast
This beautiful, neoclassical building serves as the seat of the city's government.
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Travel blogs from City Hall:
- ... The only things our bus tour guide talked about were politics and religion We saw the major sites of Belfast, including the City Hall, the shipyards where the Titanic was built, Queen's University, the Shankill, and the leaning Albert Clock ...
- ... Aside from the great history lesson and cab tour, we wandered about the city seeing the city hall, an open air market, and a nice little shopping district ...
- ... After lunch, we headed to the Belfast City Hall, which is really beautiful, and had all kinds of special exhibits for its centennial this year (including the switch ...
- ... Instead I got chatted up at City Hall by a guy doing tourism surveys he was pretty cute and very friendly ...
- ... a few beers alaong the way and after the pub tour went to Fibber Magee's and boogied away to some traditional Irish music The City Hall in Belfast stands right in the middle of the square - it cost 370,000 pounds to build in 1904 and is going to cost ...
- ... We went and did a tour of the City Hall and saw the cranes that built the Titanic and saw some of the disturbing murals of men in balaclavas on some of the walls ...
- ... At first annoying, but we were glad of them later as soon as we saw the garbage fire outside of City Hall ...
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Photos from:
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Photos in this video:
- Amazing etchings at City Hall, Belfast by Vhenschke from a blog titled An extreme quickie to Belfast
- The Lord Mayor's chair at City Hall by Sianna4685 from a blog titled Belfast and Beyond
- City hall and the ferris wheel by Dhrycun from a blog titled The ferry to Belfast
- Council Chamber at City Hall by Emilyb from a blog titled Belfast
- Belfast Wheel by City Hall by Nancy.chappell from a blog titled 2nd half of N. Ireland trip
- Belfast City Hall by Kiwidel from a blog titled Troubled Belfast
- City Hall, Belfast by Vhenschke from a blog titled An extreme quickie to Belfast
- Belfast city hall by Wandergal from a blog titled the wall
- Belfast City Hall by Canadianjulie from a blog titled First Irish stop: Belfast
- Belfast City Hall by Ksullivan from a blog titled There's no doubt. . .
- Belfast City Hall by Mollyandmikeuk
- Belfast City Hall by Emilyb from a blog titled Belfast
- Belfast City Hall by Mattdonna from a blog titled Belfast
- City Hall by Ronandbarb from a blog titled Portrush to Belfast
- City Hall by Bisoder from a blog titled Belfast
Boat Chandelier at Mount Stewart House, Newtownards, N. Ireland
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (
A beautiful beach walk from Holywood to Cultra in County Down Northern Ireland
Went on a wee walk along the beach on a fine Spring afternoon on the beautiful County Down coastline from Holywood to Cultra in Northern Ireland. What a beautiful country old Ireland really is.
The grave of William Steel Dickson 1744 -1824 United Irishman
another Prebyterian minister and yet another United Irishman.
Born on 25 December 1744, William Dickson was the eldest son of John Dickson, a tenant farmer of Ballycraigy, Carnmoney, Co Antrim. He received his early education from the Rev. Robert White, the Presbyterian Minister of Templepatrick. In Glasgow University he studied under Adam Smith and John Millar.
Pastor of Ballyhalbert in 1771 and Portaferry 1780, in 1793 he was chosen Moderator by the Synod of Ulster. An enthusiastic member of the Volunteers he was a strong and consistent advocate of immediate Catholic emancipation and of parliamentary reform. He took an active part in the political campaigns of Robert Stewart Sen. - later Lord Londonderry (1781) and the young Robert Stewart - later Lord Castlereagh (1790). When in 1791 the Society of United Irishmen was formed in Belfast. Dickson became a member. In 1798 he was reputed to have been Adjutant General of the County Down forces and, while this was never proved, he did not deny it.
On 5 June 1798, two days before the attack on Antrim that started the Rebellion in Ulster, Dickson was arrested in Ballynahinch. Not charged with any offence, he was moved, in August of that year, to a prison ship in Belfast Lough where he remained until transferred, with the other State Prisoners from Dublin to Fort George in Inverness, Scotland. Set free on 13 January 1802 he found himself without employment until he was called by the new Congregation of Second Keady and installed in March 1803.
His campaign to clear his name from the imputations of being implicated in treasonable or seditious practices leveled at him by the Synod of Ulster in 1799 succeeded when, in 1813, a meeting of the Synod declared that the words were inaccurately used of him. In 1812 he published his A Narrative of the Confinement and Exile of William Steel Dickson, DD.
In 1815 he resigned from his congregation and retired to Belfast where he died on 27 December 1824. He is buried in Clifton Street burying ground.
Dickson surviving written works are a testament to his progressive mentality and his detestation of the arbitrary abuse of power by government. His was the driving force in the spread of the gospel of liberalism, from which the United Irishmen derived much of their strength.
GALWAY tout ça tout ça I Ireland Adventure
mon petit weekend à Galway, souvenirs du Connemara et de Cliff of Moher. Merci la vie!
Island Hill Newtownards Co Down N Ireland
Found on the coastline half way between Comber and Newtownards is scenic Island Hill. A small island conneced to the mainland by a narrow man made concrete causeway which is submerged for hours with the incoming tide.
A great place to unwind and getavf back to nature because you are surrounded by wonderful coastal views of Strangford Lough, views of drumlin farmland and then you have also a vibrant bird life all the year round.
Seabirds, ducks and Geese abound especially in Winter.
Strangford lough
Strangford lough scenery, between Portaferry and Strangford
Down County Museum - Downpatrick - Co. Down Northern Ireland
If you are trying to discover Northern Ireland, you will come to the point where county Down is on the list and that is when you will need to check the touristic places that one could visit there. Down County Museum is located in Downpatrick, between Down Cathedral and Downpatrick Courthouse and it calls out for people to come and check this historical treasure found in the place.
Down County Museum brings to the visitors the history of county Down from the earliest times until the present day through the artifacts that are displayed there. This museum is located in the historic buildings of the eighteenth century County Gaol of Down, the Gaol was opened back in 1796 and it was then closed in 1830 - throughout all those years, it housed thousands of prisoners in it.
The Gaol used to incarcerate many people for very minor offences and it also held rebels captured after the battle of Saintfield and Ballynahinch in 1798, and the United Irishman, Thomas Russell, was executed for his role in the abortive rebellion in 1803. The Gaol was also a convict Gaol and hundreds of transportees were imprisoned in it prior to their journey to the convict colonies of New South Wales.
The main purpose and aim behind Down County Museum is to appreciate the history, culture and environment of the county through the organisation of exhibitions, the activities and events which are there to inform the visitor of the information that he/she might have came to the place searching for.
After the Gaol was closed, there were some restorations done to the place in 1981 and now visitors could check the conditions in which the prisoners were kept in the Gaol by visiting the restored cells which are complete with displays on individual prisoners.
Going through the programme of the museum, you will come to see that there are two different types of exhibitions held there, the permanent exhibitions and the temporary exhibitions. From the permanent exhibitions held there, there is the Down Through Time exhibition which brings 9000 years of human history in county Down, the temporary exhibitions on the other hand usually deal with everything from the Victorians to local artists.
The old Gaol building passed through lots of stations before reaching the final destination which is Down County Museum. When the prisoners were transferred to the new Gaol, there were some restorations done to the place and it was used for several reasons across the years, it was even used in the First World War by the Royal Irish Rifles, but it finally came to the point were history was being shared from the place when the museum started.
There are lots of important features from the old Gaol that still survive until this day, such as the original cells, doors and fittings, which are preserved on the ground floor of the three-storey cell block. The original roofing slates from the cell block also survived until today and they are displayed inside the entrance to the building.
There are lots of interesting things to be seen inside this museum and even though there are some original things still found inside until this day, there are those which were removed, such as the original window bars which could be seen from the chiselled grooves that still survive to prove that the windows were removed.
Inside Down County Museum, you will also see the image painted by Nigel Hughes back in 1992 about the old Gaol as it might have appeared when it was a prison. This enlarged image is displayed at the Museum's entrance vestibule in the west gatehouse.
This is not the only place to stop at while being in county Down, but there are other important destinations that should shape your trip and provide you with more historical information about the place. Dundrum Castle is one of the old historical castles that you could visit in county Down ( there is also Mount Stewart, the 19th century house and gardens which attract visitors to it ( The Moat in Donaghadee with the views that it could offer those who visit it ( Scrabo Tower is also one of the historical attractions that are found in county Down ( and there is also the Greyabbey or the Grey Abbey as some people prefer to say it which is also found in county Down (
There are lots of other historical destinations that could be checked in county Down, Northern Ireland, and Down County Museum in Downpatrick is one of the most famous; have you ever been to this museum before? What do you think about the things displayed through the video?
If you have been there already, share your experience with us and let us know what did you like the most about the place.
The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Ballywalter; Massive Sandy Beach and Good Water Quality
Ballywalter County Down is a village in County Down - facing the Irish Sea. It has an impressive beach which attracts holiday makers to the local accommodation and caravan parks. Hence everyone wants to know the weather in the area! Worth going to see the beach alone...wow!! Great rock pools for kids to explore. (
This civil parish in county Down is on the east coast of Ards Peninsula between Donaghadee and Ballyhalbert and back in the 12th century, it has been known as Whitkirk before it becomes referred to as Ballywalter.
The massive sandy beach of Ballywalter and the excellent quality of water makes this place one of the most famous and well known places in Northern Ireland, but that is not the only famous thing to be found out there, there is also the Ballywalter Park which is on the outskirts of the village - this park is open to the public by appointment only because the Mulholland family still lives on the estate. In this park, the Northern Ireland Game Fair is held and it usually attracts lots of people to it.
The interesting thing about the Ballywalter sandy beach is that it has entertainment for all the members of the family; young and old. There are those different entertainment things for kids which include the rock pools as well as the public playing area, and it is also considered famous when it comes to dog walkers or even for those who are coming to enjoy watching the sea and getting away from all the hassle of the city.
At the Lime Kiln, which is a raised area there, one will be provided with great views of the Irish sea coastline. Like any other place in the world, there are the positives and the negatives for Ballywalter beach; the positives include making a lane for the disabled and being open all year long for the visitors, but on the other side one of the negatives is that there aren't any lifeguard services there, or at least when we were there.
One of the other things which are related to Ballywalter beach is that in winter there are different types of birds that come over and take the beach for themselves and this includes the Ring Plover, the Golden Plover, Turnstone, Manx Shearwater, and a number of other names as well but these are the ones we could remember; this makes the place a very good opportunity for all the bird watchers out there because they will have a good view combined with a good chance of watching the birds.
Ballywalter might be one of the best Irish beaches to be found in Northern Ireland but there are still other ones which could be also recommended for those searching for the best beaches where they could enjoy their times along with the rest of the family members. In addition to Ballywalter, there is also Crawdfordsburn beach which is beside Helen's bay ( there is also the Whiterocks beach in Portrush, county Antrim ( the Ballygally beach which is right next to the Ballygally Castle Hotel ( the Runkerry Beach that is also located in county Antrim ( and you could even come across other beautiful beaches with their great quality of water in other parts of Northern Ireland as well.
Even though the water of Ballywalter is the one thing that is usually visited and even though the park comes directly after it, we should never forget that this village still has some other attractions and places that visitors could visit and which might include the Ballycopeland Windmill, the Ballywalter Windmill, and Gas Works; you might not find lots of touristic places to go to in Ballywalter because it is a small village which does not carry lots of things to be checked - just go for the beautiful beach and you will enjoy the whole thing.
County Down in which Ballywalter is located is one of the six different counties that form Northern Ireland and there are actually lots of different things that one could visit in it that will differ according to the town or village that you will be staying at. Those places which are related to water and which are located in county Down include Rostrevor ( there is also Portaferry ( there is Bangor Harbour ( and that comes in addition to the different castles, towns, and other touristic places which one could visit in county Down as a whole.
Ballywalter is definitely a beach to choose for the entertainment it could offer and the good quality of water that it could provide and that is exactly the reason why we love this place.
Have you ever been to Ballywalter before? Share your experience with us and tell us more about the place.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
The Ards Peninsula & North Down
Preview of 'The Ards Peninsula & North Down' on DVD - Scenic treasures
Portaferry tractor run just leaving 28-12-12
Leaving
Scrabo Tower - Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland
Being in Newtownards means getting the chance to visit Scrabo Tower - and you should never miss such a chance! (
Scrabo Tower is located to the west of Newtownards in county Down, Northern Ireland, this turreted tower is a noted landmark which stands at 540 feet (which is 160 meters tall) above sea level and is 125 feet (35 meters) high; a tall building which is now banning people to go up for some security reasons.
For the length of this tower as well as for being placed on a hill, it could be actually spotted from almost all the north part of county Down. The history of Scrabo Tower began in 1857 as it was built as a memorial to Charles Stewart, the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry who was one of the Duke of Wellington's generals during the Napoleonic Wars.
Today, Scrabo Tower houses two floors of display with access to a viewing level via a climb of 122 steps, but in April 2014 it was closed for the safety of the visitors because the Northern Ireland Environment Agency said that the tower had suffered serious water ingress that had damaged the electricity supply. In 2015, the tower started to reopen occasionally until it opened completely once again in 2017, allowing all those who might be visiting Newtownards for Scrabo Tower to climb it and see the views from up there.
There is a country park just beside the tower - or which is considered part of the tower itself - which is always open to the public and has several woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood. As much as this is considered a historical building to check and know more about while being in Newtownards, the scenes and views which you will get the chance to receive are magnificent; actually the view from the hill extends across Strangford Lough to the Mountains of Mourne and the Scottish coast.
The name Scrabo which is given to the tower is said to come from the Gaelic word for a cow pasture for the days when there was a community pasture for cattle on the hill, but unfortunately the stone or hut circles were destroyed by the creation of the golf course.
Building this tower went through different stages and there were even different designs created before settling on the one given to this tower, and all that was just to commemorate the Marquis. The first tenant of the tower was William McKay, a foreman at the quarry, who with his wife brought the family of 8 children in the tower and even the keys of the tower were handed back to Londonderry Estate by his granddaughters.
Getting these mesmerizing views from Scrabo Tower and enjoying the green area that is surrounding it is only one thing that you could enjoy doing in Newtownards because there are still other things to be visited and other places to be considered.
If you came to check this tower in Newtownards then you should also consider some other places as well, such as the Greyabbey ( the Kiltonga wildlife reserve which will provide you with a walk along the birds' view ( and there is also Mount Stewart House and Gardens (
On the other hand, there are lots of places that are located in county Down, Northern Ireland, and even if they might not be all close to one another or within reach, we can mention some of those which we have been to: we have been to Rostrevor ( Donaghadee ( Portaferry ( Dundrum Castle ( Crawfordsburn ( Bangor ( Ballywalter ( and Tollymore Forest in Newcastle ( these are some of those which we have visited, but you could still find lots of other places in county Down.
We personally recommend visiting Scrabo Tower if you happen to be in Newtownards, not just to check this as an old historical building but also to indulge in the scene that you are going to receive if the tower is open and you are allowed to get inside, or even just by getting this view while standing on the hill right next to the tower; it is all worth it! We have already been there several times and we are happy about them all.
If you have been to Newtownards before and visited Scrabo Tower, tell us about the experience you have had and share with us any of the discoveries which you have managed to find out about the place - we will be very excited to hear from you all.
This was our trip to Scrabo Tower in county Down, Northern Ireland, and the the views we have managed to receive - just amazing!
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
'Lesser Spotted Journeys' (Series 2) Launch (30 secs version)
'Lesser Spotted Journeys' returns on Tuesday 30th August at 9.00 pm on UTV and on UTV Ireland on Sunday 4th September at 5pm
Press Release for new series:
Joe Mahon returns from his recent travels with a brand new series of Lesser Spotted Journeys beginning Tuesday 30th August at 9.00 pm on UTV and on UTV Ireland on Sunday 4th September at 5pm
As the title suggests, Lesser Spotted Journeys has taken Joe and his crew all over the country and into every province; “It’s no exaggeration to say that we’ve spent three of the last twelve months on the road. We’ve travelled to twelve different counties and I’ve stayed in many places I’d never set foot in before, all of them memorable for one reason or another – Loop Head in County Clare for the sheer impact of its extraordinary coastal scenery, Fethard in Tipperary for its remarkably intact medieval town walls, Lough Oughter in Cavan for its labyrinthine waterways and floating castle, Cappoquin on the beautiful Munster Blackwater where they keep the summer when the rest of us aren’t using it, Desertcreat in County Tyrone, one of the most historic parishes in Ulster and a genuine hidden gem of a place, Ballymahon in Longford (how could I not go there?) home of the astonishing iron-age Corlea Trackway…
…I could go on (as is my wont) but I’ll sum it up by saying that it’s all been exhilarating, enormously entertaining and hugely educational, and I’m very pleased with what we’ve brought back – that traditional mixture of history and heritage, banter and beauty, colour and character, that our very discerning UTV audience has come to expect. I’m sure this latest series of Lesser Spotted Journeys won’t disappoint them!”
The new series kicks off with what Joe Mahon describes as “a long overdue visit to the western shore of Strangford Lough”.
“It’s funny,” says Joe, “we have, of course, filmed in and on Strangford Lough many times in the past but, for some reason, we’ve had this tendency to head down the eastern shore along the Ards Peninsula to places like Greyabbey, Kircubbin or Portaferry, and to overlook all the equally rewarding opportunities on the other side - most of the islands on the lough are close to the western shore for instance. So we’re making good that omission this time round with a visit to a few of those islands, and what you might call “semi-islands”, the sort that you can reach by a causeway, like Mahee Island, which contains one of the most truly atmospheric places I’ve ever been in - the ancient, and archaeologically fascinating, monastic site of Nendrum.
“And I really liked picturesque Killyleagh, full of great stories and great storytellers, - did you know that the entire British Museum’s collection was started when wee Hans Sloane began to pick up objects from the Killyleagh shore? And Castle Espie further up the coast is a great day out for the whole family – if you like your birds rare, colourful, exotic or just plain noisy, - then this is the place for you. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust have done a beautiful refurbishment job here and they’ll welcome you with open arms.
And did you know, by the way, that the Trust’s founder, the famous conservationist Peter Scott, invented a night-time camouflage for ships during the war that was so successful that Allied naval vessels began to crash into one another in the dark?!”
'Lesser Spotted Journeys' (Series 2) Launch
'Lesser Spotted Journeys' returns on Tuesday 30th August at 9.00 pm on UTV and on UTV Ireland on Sunday 4th September at 5pm
Press Release for new series:
Joe Mahon returns from his recent travels with a brand new series of Lesser Spotted Journeys beginning Tuesday 30th August at 9.00 pm on UTV and on UTV Ireland on Sunday 4th September at 5pm
As the title suggests, Lesser Spotted Journeys has taken Joe and his crew all over the country and into every province; “It’s no exaggeration to say that we’ve spent three of the last twelve months on the road. We’ve travelled to twelve different counties and I’ve stayed in many places I’d never set foot in before, all of them memorable for one reason or another – Loop Head in County Clare for the sheer impact of its extraordinary coastal scenery, Fethard in Tipperary for its remarkably intact medieval town walls, Lough Oughter in Cavan for its labyrinthine waterways and floating castle, Cappoquin on the beautiful Munster Blackwater where they keep the summer when the rest of us aren’t using it, Desertcreat in County Tyrone, one of the most historic parishes in Ulster and a genuine hidden gem of a place, Ballymahon in Longford (how could I not go there?) home of the astonishing iron-age Corlea Trackway…
…I could go on (as is my wont) but I’ll sum it up by saying that it’s all been exhilarating, enormously entertaining and hugely educational, and I’m very pleased with what we’ve brought back – that traditional mixture of history and heritage, banter and beauty, colour and character, that our very discerning UTV audience has come to expect. I’m sure this latest series of Lesser Spotted Journeys won’t disappoint them!”
The new series kicks off with what Joe Mahon describes as “a long overdue visit to the western shore of Strangford Lough”.
“It’s funny,” says Joe, “we have, of course, filmed in and on Strangford Lough many times in the past but, for some reason, we’ve had this tendency to head down the eastern shore along the Ards Peninsula to places like Greyabbey, Kircubbin or Portaferry, and to overlook all the equally rewarding opportunities on the other side - most of the islands on the lough are close to the western shore for instance. So we’re making good that omission this time round with a visit to a few of those islands, and what you might call “semi-islands”, the sort that you can reach by a causeway, like Mahee Island, which contains one of the most truly atmospheric places I’ve ever been in - the ancient, and archaeologically fascinating, monastic site of Nendrum.
“And I really liked picturesque Killyleagh, full of great stories and great storytellers, - did you know that the entire British Museum’s collection was started when wee Hans Sloane began to pick up objects from the Killyleagh shore? And Castle Espie further up the coast is a great day out for the whole family – if you like your birds rare, colourful, exotic or just plain noisy, - then this is the place for you. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust have done a beautiful refurbishment job here and they’ll welcome you with open arms.
And did you know, by the way, that the Trust’s founder, the famous conservationist Peter Scott, invented a night-time camouflage for ships during the war that was so successful that Allied naval vessels began to crash into one another in the dark?!”
Downpatrick and Back by Paramotor
Beautiful weather for a flight from Greyabbey to Downpatrick and back. Crossing over the narrows at Portaferry with views of the River Quoill as we fly into and out of Downpatrick with a Paramotor.
Hope you enjoy it.
Easter Tuesday band parade Newtownards 2013
Albertbridge Acc Band