Tyrella Beach to Dundrum - Lecale Way Trail
This walk is part of the trek Downpatrick to Newcastle - Lecale Way Trail.
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.
Technical sheet No. 30819785
Calculated time: 3h25[?] 
Distance : 11.82 km
Vertical gain : 20 m
Vertical drop : 20 m
Highest point : 27 m
Lowest point : 1 m 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : No
Walking
Location : Down
Starting point : N 54.253867° / W 5.747907° 
Ending point : N 54.256344° / W 5.847836° 
Today's forecast :
Description
Start : Tyrella Beach, Clanmaghery Rd, Downpatrick (BT30 8SU)
(D) From Tyrella Beach car park, continue for around 2.2 Km along A2 to the junction with Commons Road (C287).
(1) Then turn left (West) onto a minor road (Commons Road (C287)) that carries you inland through the village of Ballykinler. Follow the road North out of Ballykinler before returning to the A2. (Around 4.2 Km).
(2) Bear left (North) and walk along A2 for 800 m towards Blackstaff Bridge.
(3) Turn left and crossing Blackstaff Bridge.
(4) Then 500m later still walking along A2, turn left (South) again onto a minor road. The minor road takes a sharp right turn. Do not turn.
(5) Leave the tarmac at the apex of the bend, continuing ahead and climbing a set of steps to reach the top of an old, stone railway bridge.
(6) Turn right (South-West), you are now on the Dundrum Coastal Path, which follows the line of a dismantled railway along the shore of Dundrum Inner Bay (A). Walk along this for around 2.5 Km. The southern end of the trail is marked by a National Trust sign and car park.
(7) Turn left (South) along the main road (A2), then veer left again onto a paved footpath that leads through a small stretch of parkland. Return to Main Street to pass through the centre of Dundrum village at St Donard's Community Church. (A)
Waypoints :
D : km 0 - alt. 7 m - Tyrella Beach
1 : km 2.25 - alt. 17 m - Minor road
2 : km 6.42 - alt. 10 m - A2
3 : km 7.17 - alt. 1 m - Blackstaff Bridge
4 : km 7.84 - alt. 11 m - Minor road
5 : km 8.2 - alt. 6 m - Sharp right turn
6 : km 8.25 - alt. 4 m - Sharp right turn
7 : km 10.7 - alt. 3 m - Main road - Dundrum
A : km 11.82 - alt. 7 m - St Donard's Church - Dundrum
Useful Information
Start : Tyrella Beach, Clanmaghery Rd, Downpatrick (BT30 8SU)
Arrival : St Donard's Community Church, 183 Main St, Dundrum, Newcastle (BT33 0LY)
Terrain : Varried surfaces
Public Transport : Translink
Facilities : Toilets, accommodation and refreshments are available all the way along the walk including the village of Dundrum
Dog Policy : Dogs must be on leads at all times on the route.
Find more information and walk ideas at Walk NI here.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
During the walk or to do/see around
Did You Know?
The Dundrum Coastal Path follows the line of the old Belfast and County Down Railway, which once ran from Belfast to Newcastle. The Dundrum section opened in March 1869. At its height, the network consisted of 129km of track, with five branch lines covering much of Country Down. After operating for almost 100 years, the railway finally closed in 1950.
(A) This beautiful stretch of trail takes you along a grassy corridor, with woodland on one side and the tidal inlet on the other. One particularly enjoyable section involves crossing your own personal causeway across a subsidiary bay. Wildlife is plentiful here too; rabbits scurry across the path ahead and at low tide you may see large flocks of wading birds picking their way across the mudflats in search of food.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
