Strangford is a village historically in County Down in Northern Ireland, now governed as part of Newry, Mourne and Down District. It's on the west bank of the narrow outlet of Strangford Lough, where the tides rip back and forth, hence to the Vikings it was Strangr-fjǫrðr, the strong fjord. Its population in 2021 was only 560 yet it has a sumptuous mansion house and a scattering of medieval turrets.
Get in
[edit]
Bus 16 from Downpatrick takes 25 min to Strangford. It's hourly M-F but with only four Sa and none on Sunday. Downpatrick has frequent buses from Belfast, taking an hour.
Bus 9 / 10 runs from Belfast Laganside via Newtownards and the peninsula to Portaferry, where you cross on the ferry to Strangford, for a journey time of just over two hours. The bus runs M-Sa every hour or two. On Sunday there are only four buses starting from Newtownards.
1 Strangford ferry crosses the channel from Portaferry, taking 8 min. It sails daily every 30 min between 7:30AM and 10:30PM.
Get around
[edit]The castles and tomb can all be reached by an afternoon's hike.
National Cycleway 99 runs from Newtownards down the peninsula to Portaferry, Strangford, Downpatrick and Newcastle. It's all on-road. You can also hug the west bank of Strangford Lough to make a circuit.
Downpatrick taxis serve this area.
See
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- Strangford Castle, The Square BT30 7NE. A mostly 16th-century tower house looming over the ferry pier, but with remnants of a 15th-century structure.
- 1 Castle Ward, Strangford BT30 7BA, ☏ +44 28 4488 1204, [email protected]. Daily 10AM-5PM. Grand mansion house built in the 1760s: m'lord and her ladyship couldn't agree on the style so the front is Palladian while the rear is Georgian Gothic. There are impressive interiors, a substantial art collection, any number of stuffed animals, and extensive gardens and grounds. The Old Castle and farmyard are 200 years older and these were the filming locations for Winterfell in Game of Thrones. In 1973 two members of the Provisional IRA blew themselves up while planting a bomb at the castle. Adult £15.40, child £7.70, NT free.
- 2 Audley's Castle, Audleystown Road BT30 7LP. Daily 10AM-4PM. 15th-century castle, a 3-storey tower house. It fell derelict in the 17th century but was kept as a picturesque ruin to enhance the view from Castle Ward.
- 3 Audleystown Court Cairn, BT30 7LP. 24 hr. This was found to contain human and animal bones plus Neolithic pottery. It's 27 m long, now roofless, with dry-stone walls ("revetting") on the gallery sides. At each end a forecourt gives access to four burial chambers. Free.
- 4 Portaferry is the village across the channel on the Ards Peninsula. It has the ruins of a tower house and a windmill, but the main attraction is Exploris Aquarium.
- See Newtownards for other attractions on the peninsula, or on the northwest lough such as Magee Island.
- See Downpatrick for Ardglass south along the coast, a little fishing village ringed by medieval turrets.
Do
[edit]- Fight the undead, preferably with the aid of dragonglass weapons and before the Night King shows up. If any of this makes the slightest sense, then you (along with the Unsullied and Dothraki armies) will appreciate knowing that Strangford is Winterfell in Episode 1 of Season 8 of Game of Thrones, first broadcast April 2019.
- Golf: see Downpatrick for four nearby courses.
- 1 Superdrive Motorsports Centre, Ardglass Rd, Ballyhornan BT30 7PR, ☏ +44 7778 288108. Off-road driving centre for rally and 4x4 experience.
Buy
[edit]- Mace is the village store, at the start of Downpatrick Road, open M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 10AM-7PM.
Eat
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- Lobster Pot, 9 The Square BT30 4ND, ☏ +44 28 4488 1288. W-Su noon-midnight. Slick friendly place serves good food.
- Artisan Cookhouse, 4 Kildare St BT30 7LJ, ☏ +44 28 4488 1654. Th-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 10AM-7PM. Bistro with good steaks and seafood.
- Little Wolf is a fish & chips takeaway on The Square open Friday evenings only.
Drink
[edit]- Hole in the Wall is the cosy village pub at 12 Downpatrick Road, open daily noon-10:30PM.
Sleep
[edit]- The Cuan, 6 The Square BT30 4ND, ☏ +44 28 4488 1222. Restaurant and pub with comfy rooms just above the ferry jetty. B&B double £100.
- There's self catering at The Red Door, 22 Downpatrick Road (☏ +44 7871 094945) and Old Rectory (☏ +44 7736 321847), 5 Shore Road.
- Castle Ward has camping, caravan pitches, glamping pods, and the self-catering Potter's Cottage.
- Portaferry across the channel is an alternative base. Portaferry Hotel is by the pier.
Connect
[edit]As of Oct 2025, Strangford and its approach roads have 4G with EE, Three and Vodafone, and 5G with O2.
Go next
[edit]- Ards Peninsula's main sights are Grey Abbey and Mount Stewart house and gardens.
- Downpatrick has several prehistoric and early religious sites, and is believed to be the burial place of St Patrick.