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William John’s is one of seven restored
cottages in the clachan of Hanna’s Close.
This site was settled in the mid 1600’s by
several families of Hannas who originated
from the Galloway district of South West
Scotland. The houses, which had fallen into
serious disrepair, were renovated to 3 star
NITB standard in the late 1990’s, with care
to retain many of the key features of the
original cottages, such as sash windows,
half doors and open fires.
The area which stretches between the Mourne
Mountains and the Irish Sea is known as the
Kingdom of Mourne and has been designated as
an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Hanna’s Close sits high on the banks of the
Kilkeel River which flows from the Silent
Valley to the Irish Sea. The area below has
been sensitively developed for walking,
fishing and picnicking and features bridges
and stepping stones through which the river
gently flows. Visitors in spring will find
the river banks a mass of native
wildflowers, such as primrose and bluebells.
The wooded river valley also has an
extensive range of birdlife including
herons, goldfinch and yellowhammer.
It’s safe, quiet environment makes Hanna’s
Close a great place for children to explore
and a great base for family holidays. It is
ideally situated to enable you to take
advantage of the wide range of activities
offered in the local area. These include
horse riding, walking, cycling, and a wide
range of outdoor activities that can be
accessed through three local outdoor
education centres. A number of beautiful
clean, safe beaches are located nearby and
there are also many family friendly
restaurants and cafes in the area.
Licensed anglers can take some time out to
enjoy fishing opportunities in the Kilkeel
River at Hanna’s Close or in the nearby
Whitewater River, while others may want to
take advantage of the wide range of golf
courses available in the local area, such as
Royal County Down in Newcastle, Kilkeel Golf
Course in Mourne Park and Warrenpoint Golf
Course. Our quiet, winding roads make ideal
cycle routs and provide a great way to view
the beautiful Mourne countryside. The local
area is also great for walking, whether it
be in the beautiful scenery of the
surrounding mountains, through magical local
forests and meandering country roads or
along the many stretches of seashore that
adorn our stunning coastline.
One and a half miles from Hanna’s Close, at
the mouth of the river lies the fishing port
of Kilkeel, the main shopping and business
centre of Mourne. The town of Newcastle is
approximately a 30 minutes journey by car,
as is the city of Newry. A number of popular
cultural events take place in the local area
throughout the summer months, such as the
Blues in the Bay festival in Warrenpoint,
the Fiddlers Green festival in Rostrevor and
the Herring Gutters festival in Newcastle
and a wide variety of both outdoor and
indoor activities are available in Kilkeel
and neighbouring towns, all year round.
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Distances: |
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Nearest Village: Kilkeel 1.5
miles
Beach: Cranfield Beach 15 -
20 minute drive
Golf Course: Kilkeel Golf
Club approx 3 miles |
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