We have listed a number of County Down's major attractions for your ease of reference.  We trust you will enjoy your stay in County Down, Northern Ireland's sunny south east!  If you are unsure where an attraction is please key the postcode into MULTIMAP

21. Giant's Ring
This earthwork, only 5 miles south of Belfast city centre and west of the A24 in Ballynahatty, is a huge prehistoric enclosure nearly 200m in diameter.  It encloses nearly three hectares with the Druid's Altar, a dolmen from around 4000BC in the centre.  Prehistoric rings were commonly believed to be the home of fairies and consequently treated with respect, but this one was commandeered in the 19th century as a racetrack.  The 4m-high embankment was a natural grandstand and course barrier.  It's an impressive and atmospheric place.

22. Rowallane Gardens Saintfield, Ballynahinch, BT24 7LH Tel: 028 9751 0131  
Renowned for spectacular displays of rhododendrons and azaleas in the spring.  Summer and autumn are excellent times to visit too.  Rowallane House was inherited in 1903 by Hugh Armitage Moore, a distinguished gardener who spent 25 years developing the 21 hectare garden. 

23. Legananny Dolmen  
This is perhaps Ulster's most famous Stone Age monument and is found just west of Slieve Croob (532m).  The tripod dolmen is less bulky than most and its elevated position gives it the impressive backdrop of the Mourne Mountains to the south.  Legananny Dolmen is situated off the B7, 7 miles south of Dromara, signposted from Dromara and Castlewellan. There is no entrance free and visitors are welcome to visit all year round.

24. Bronte Homeland    & Bronte Parsonage Museum
Details of the Bronte Homeland Drive and the Bronte Homeland Interpretive Centre can be found on the first web link. The second web link is for the Museum and the site has information about the lives and novels of the Brontë Family and the Brontë Parsonage Museum.

25. Mourne Heritage Trust  87 Central Promenade, Newcastle, BT33 0HH Tel: 028 4372 4059  
For details on the Mournes drop in here or visit their website.  The trust has books and brochures on the area, and maps of suggested walks.  Guided walks of varying distances into the mountains leave from the centre at 10am at the weekend (ring to double check).  Booking essential.

26. Donard Park Southern end of Newcastle town 
Donard Park is a public park and is next to the Glen River, which forms the boundary along one side. The park is named after St. Donard, who also gives his name to Slieve Donard, the mountain which the park is at the foot of.  The reason why we have included it here is that you will find it is the best place to ascend Slieve Donard itself.

28. Castlewellan Forest Park Main St, Castlewellan, BT31 9BU Tel: 028 4377 8664  
Located in a dramatic setting of mountains and sea, this is one of the most oustanding tree and shrub collections in Europe.  The garden is a mixture of informal and formal design with terraces, fountains, ornamental gates and flower borders. To walk around the forest park's mile-long lake, encountering some intriguing modern sculptures on the way, is to enjoy a great experience of eighteenth-century landscaping.

29. Mount Pleasant Horse Trekking Centre Bannonstown Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9BG Tel: 028 4377 8651  
Ireland's leading Riding and Trekking centre in the heart of County Down. Situated within 2000 acres of breathtaking forestry encompassing Castlewellan, Tollymore and the Mountains of Mourne, there's no better way to get away from it all than take to the reigns at Mount Pleasant.

30. Mournes Coast Road
The coastal drive south along the A2 around the sweeping Mournes is the most memorable journey in Down.  Annalong, Kilkeel, Rostrevor and Warrenpoint offer convenient stopping points, from which you can detour into the mountains.  If you take the Head Road, following the signs for the Silent Valley half a mile north of Annalong, you go through the beautiful stone-wall countryside, past the Silent Valley and back to Kilkeel.

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