Natural landmarks · Northern Ireland
Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula
Ireland's largest sea inlet, ringed by National Trust estates, monastic ruins and a historic cathedral town.
Strangford Lough, the largest inlet in Ireland and the wider British Isles, is almost fully enclosed by the Ards Peninsula. Mount Stewart and Castle Ward, both National Trust properties, sit on its shores alongside the ruined Cistercian priory of Grey Abbey and the early Christian monastic site of Nendrum on Mahee Island. Scrabo Tower looks out from its hill near Newtownards, while Ballycopeland Windmill still functions and the WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre protects wintering wildfowl. Down Cathedral overlooks Downpatrick at the lough's southern end.
Places in this guide
📷 5Natural landmarks · Northern Ireland
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
📷 5Galleries · Northern Ireland
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart — Historic house museum and garden in Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
📷 5Castles · Northern Ireland
Castle Ward
Castle Ward in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
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Flagship📷 4Abbeys & priories · Northern Ireland
Nendrum Monastery
Nendrum Monastery — Christian monastery on Mahee Island in Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · Northern Ireland
Grey Abbey
Grey Abbey — ruined Cistercian monastery in Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
📷 4Natural landmarks · Northern Ireland
Scrabo Tower
Scrabo Tower in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
📷 3Windmills · Northern Ireland
Ballycopeland Windmill
Ballycopeland Windmill is a windmill in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Wildlife reserves · Northern Ireland
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre — nature reserve in United Kingdom.
📷 5Natural landmarks · Northern Ireland
Downpatrick
Downpatrick in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.