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Strangford Lough is derived from the Old Norse meaning 'strong fjord'
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The island studded sea lough is the largest inlet in the British Isles
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© Craig McCoy
Common and Grey seals are found at Strangford Lough all year round
A most beautiful landscape of international importance
Strangford Lough is a unique and wonderful place of immense international importance for nature conservation. It is the largest sea lough in the British Isles, covering an area from Angus Rock at its mouth on the Irish Sea, to the vast sand-flats at its northern end 20 miles (33 kilometres) away. It is one of only three designated Marine Nature Reserves in the United Kingdom.
The wealth of wildlife, unrivalled in Europe, is complex, delicately balanced, dependent on tides, and the variety of habitats found between seabed and shoreline, and of course, how we as humans interact with this precious resource.
Don't miss
- A Marine Nature Reserve with over 2000 species of marine plants and animals
- Internationally important breeding and overwintering seabird populations
- Breeding colonies of Common and Grey seals
- Over 400 archaeological features spanning thousands of years of history
- With over 100 islands and 150 miles of shoreline, Strangford is a lough for adventure and discovery