Castle Ward farm Trail - Strangford

Start : Parking for walkers is in the Shore Car Park within Castle Ward Demesne. (BT30 7LS)

(S/E) Starting in the Shore Car Park, walk North-West to a junction where you turn right towards the shore. When you reach the shore, turn left (North) this circular trail leads along the shore of Strangford Lough for around 1.5 Km.

(1) On the way, go around Audley’s Castle then through the surrounding woodland to reach Audleystown Road. (A)

(2) After crossing the Audleystown Road (look out for vehicles coming in both directions), the trail leads firstly through some woodland and then some open fields before reaching Walled Garden.

(3) After passing the back of the old walled garden with its high red brick wall, keep left and follow the trail through a short singletrack section through woodland. The trail then leads along an old farm track.

(4) Then, turn left downhill and through an underpass right.

(5) Turn left onto the final descent through the dense laurel. Turn right to reach the Shore Car Park. (S/E)

Start : Parking for walkers is in the Shore Car Park within Castle Ward Demesne. (BT30 7LS)

Parking: Parking for walkers is in the Shore Car Park within Castle Ward Demesne. (BT30 7LS) The car park is clearly signed from the main entrance drive. There is an information panel and map in the Shore Car Park.

Terrain : Level path and road crossing. This trail has an even surface throughout and is narrow in places, with some steeper gradients and numerous gates to open and close.

Public Transport : Translink

Facilities : Toilets, tea room, gift shop, bike hire. Those facilities are available for users with limited mobility.

Dog Policy : Keep dogs on a lead or under control at all times

Note : Please note there is a 100m diversion along this trail between March and November due to cattle in the field. Signage is in place. Please also note that National Trust entrance pricing applies for this walk.

Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.

Strangford Lough, Seals, Old Walled Garden, Standing Stone

Castle Ward : Castle Ward is an 18th-century National Trust property located near the village of Strangford, in County Down, Northern Ireland, in the townland of the same name. It overlooks Strangford Lough and is 7 miles from Downpatrick and 1.5 miles from Strangford.
Castle Ward is open to the public and includes 332 hectares (820 acres) of landscaped gardens, a fortified tower house, Victorian laundry, theatre, restaurant, shop, saw mill and a working corn mill. It has a shore on Strangford Lough. From 1985 to 2010 it has also hosted Castleward Opera, an annual summer opera festival.

More information about Castle Ward?

(A) Audley’s Castle : Audley's Castle is a 15th-century castle located 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of Strangford, County Down, Northern Ireland, on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough. It is a three-storey Tower house named after its 16th century owner, John Audley. Audley's Castle tower house and bawn is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland of Castleward, in Down District Council area, at grid ref: J5781 5058.
There are thousands of small stone towers similar to Audley's Castle in the Irish countryside. They are one of the commonest of archaeological sites, which indicates these were not buildings put up for the higher aristocracy, but for lesser lords and gentry. Most were built in the late Middle Ages (roughly 1350–1550). Audley's was built towards the end of this period.

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