Giant Experiences

The Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion is full to the brim with exciting experiences. Whether you’re planning your next family break or your latest solo adventure, our forests, mountains, and shores are home to some of the most unique day trips, excursions and experiences around. 

Follow in the footsteps of Champions

Take in the most spectacular setting of the beautiful Royal County Down Championship Golf Course in Newcastle, Co. Down from the fairways.  A rare opportunity to test your skill against the glorious backdrop of Slieve Donard mountain. 

Trails and Tours in Mourne Gullion Strangford 

Head into the heart of the mountains on a Men of the Mournes Tour. Learn about the giants of industry who created the twenty two mile Mourne Wall, using traditional techniques. Follow in the footsteps of masons, soldiers and smugglers as you trek the mountain terrain. 

Get up close and personal with some of the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion’s best loved residents at Cranfield Alpacas. Learn to care for these majestic animals, or take a guided Alpaca trek through the mountains, fields and sands of the local landscape. 

Take a stroll back in time at the Montalto Estate. The estate’s gardens host some of the finest exotic plants in Ireland. Tour the site of the Battle of Ballynahinch, one of the key events on the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion. 

Walk the eighty two mile St. Patrick’s Way, and experience some of the key sites from the life of Ireland’s most famous son. Complete the walk, and you’ll receive a fully stamped pilgrim’s passport, which will make you the envy of your friends. Alternatively, the St Patrick’s Pilgrim Walk is a guided tour of some of the region’s most important ecclesiastical sites. 

Giant Food and Drink Experiences 

Combine your love of the great outdoors with some of our finest locally brewed craft beers on the Trails and Ales Tour. Choose one of three guided excursions, and sample Whitewater Brewery’s beers in the landscape which inspires them. 

Head to the Killowen Distillery for a taste of traditional spirits. Tour the distillery, where small batch whiskey, gin and Poitín are made using ancient techniques. Learn more about the connection between local spirits and the landscape, mythology and history of Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion. 

Sample Northern Ireland’s first craft award winning gin, made with techniques and provenance that result in quality you can taste. Enjoy the Shortcross Gin Discovery and Tasting experiences on Rademon Estate. where the wild botanicals are grown and foraged in the nearby lush green fields, blooming gardens and dense forests all go into Shortcross gin, including wild clover, apple, elderflower and elderberry. 

Whitewater Brewery is at the forefront of Northern Ireland’s craft beer scene. Since 1996, they’ve created incredible brews using locally sourced ingredients. Tour their state of the art facility, or pull up a seat in their onsite tap room. 

Try the bread making experience at Mrs C's Home Kitchen with a taste of homegrown comfort food. Forage for seaweeds, an array of colour delights with Crawford's Rock and discover the kelps and the wracks along with dulse and sea lettuce. Enjoy a coastal flavours extravengaza of sustainably harvested locally caught mussels, crab and oysters served with our multi award winning seaweed

Wellness and Retreats 

Take a much needed rest at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa. Named the UK’s best spa in 2020, the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa offers body treatments, massages, facials, and state of the art facilities, including saunas, steam rooms and heated pools. 

At Killeavy Castle Estate you are surrounded by woodlands on the Ring of Gullion. There is a real sense of fresh air and living both in and with nature. Sustainability is at the heart of the hotel owner’s ethos.  You can breathe deep, relax and make the most of the hotel’s forest trails or spend the afternoon looking out to Slieve Gullion from the wonderful spa while they prepare your lunch.

Reconnect with nature in the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion. Founded by local woman, Ann Ward, Xhale offers forest bathing, meditation and mindfulness experiences in some of the region’s most tranquil landscapes. Escape from the stresses of everyday life with timeless meditative techniques. 

Stay in an 18th century millhouse at Green Holiday Cottages. Set on eight acres of private land, the cottages are perfect for exploring ancient woods, quiet meadows and the peace of the countryside. 

Built in 1642, Denvir’s Coaching Inn is one of the oldest traditional pubs in the area. Sit down and enjoy a quiet pint beside the roaring fire, or book yourself into one of the Grade A listed Inn’s bedrooms for some classic hospitality. 

Water Based Experiences 

The Carlingford Lough Ferry departs on the hour from Greencastle during the summer months. The Lough attracts thousands of visitors every year, to enjoy its unspoiled natural beauty. Enjoy the sights on the surrounding shores on this short ferry trip. 

Head to Strangford Lough and explore the varied local landscape with a Sustainable Journeys Ireland experience. Learn more about Strangford’s varied history, as you gaze up at its imposing towers, castles and fortifications. 

Indulge in some retail therapy on the banks of Ireland’s oldest man made waterway in Newry. The Canal Court Hotel is just minutes from the thriving Buttercrane and Quays Shopping Centres. After a long day of bargain hunting, rest and recharge in the Hotel’s Granary Bar and Restaurant.