I might be biased about County Down. I grew up in the neighbouring county of Armagh, went to secondary school in Newry - which sits right on the border - and later bought a house on the Down side, which in Irish terms counts as a betrayal of your origin county. But the bias is earned. The Mourne Mountains have some of the best walking trails and mountain biking on the island. The beach at Newcastle is where every Armagh child learns what the sea looks like. Strangford Lough, on the eastern side, is a vast tidal inlet full of seals and islands. Not enough people visit. Go.
This is also St Patrick's country. Downpatrick is where he is supposedly buried. Saul is where he built his first church. Struell Wells is where he prayed. The county wears this heritage lightly - there is no Patrician theme park, just quiet sites in the landscape. The Ards Peninsula stretches south from Bangor with fishing villages, a coastal path, and Mount Stewart, one of the great gardens of these islands.
Know before you go
The Mournes are a car destination - public transport to Newcastle exists but is limited. The Mourne Coastal Route from Belfast through Dundrum and Newcastle to Kilkeel is the scenic approach. Walking in the Mournes requires proper boots and waterproofs - the weather changes fast. Strangford Lough is best explored by car with detours down to the shore.
Below you'll find my complete Down intelligence - where to base yourself, what's genuinely worth your time, and the practical stuff that the tourism brochures conveniently skip. Everything from first-hand experience.
