Downpatrick to Audley’s Castle - Lecale Way Trail

Lecale Way extends from the heart of Downpatrick, taking in Strangford Lough and finishing in the seaside resort of Newcastle. Tower houses, castles and ancient monuments are dotted throughout its landscape and a wealth of wildlife can be discovered along the contrasting shores of Strangford Lough and the Irish Sea. An entrance fee to Castle Ward applies (National Trust Property).

This walk begins at the Down County Museum, passing the Mound of Down, travelling along the Quoile River taking in sights such as Quoile Countryside Centre and Steamboat Quay.

This is the 5th section of the Lecale Way Trail. The Lecale region of County Down is characterised by pretty villages, wild coastline and a liberal scattering of historic sites. This walking route uses a combination of country roads, tracks and footpaths to explore the best of the scenery, with lowland terrain and frequent signposts making it suitable for most levels of walking experience. A series of roads now leads to a beautiful stroll along a disused railway line.

This is the 4th section of the Lecale Way Trail. The Lecale region of County Down is characterised by pretty villages, wild coastline and a liberal scattering of historic sites. This walking route uses a combination of country roads, tracks and footpaths to explore the best of the scenery, with lowland terrain and frequent signposts making it suitable for most levels of walking experience. Most of this section follows roads, with a brief interlude along the Killough Coastal Path.

Let's see the countryside of Strangford and his castle. This trail leads along the shores of Strangford Lough and then winds through the woodlands surrounding Audleys Castle. The trail then leads through farmland before a narrow trail leads back to the car park. This trail leads through fields where there may be livestock.

This trail is a link section between Dundrum and Newcastle. Walk in fields and along the Beach and become aware of the nature that surrounds us.

The Dundrum Coastal Path runs along a 2.5 Km stretch of the disused railway line on the western shore of Dundrum Inner Bay. The path forms part of the Lecale Way and is popular with walkers and birdwatchers alike. The path itself is of considerable nature conservation interest with a variety of semi-natural habitats along its length including herb-rich grassland, marginal scrub and scrub-woodland, marshy tall herb stands, brackish pools, and a narrow fringe of saltmarsh.

This is the 2nd section of the Lecale Way Trail. The Lecale region of County Down is characterised by pretty villages, wild coastline and a liberal scattering of historic sites. This walking route uses a combination of country roads, tracks and footpaths to explore the best of the scenery, with lowland terrain and frequent signposts making it suitable for most levels of walking experience. The off-road trails along the shore of Strangford Lough provide the highlights of this section.