Castle Ward loughside walk
Overlooking the south shores of Strangford Lough, Castle Ward is one of Northern Ireland’s finest demesnes, or country estates. At its heart lies an unusual Georgian mansion, but there's a lot more to discover here.
An excellent walk to spot winter wildlife
This walk explores the waterside, a ruined castle, woodland, an ornamental lake and follies. Visit in winter for a chance to see a fantastic range of migrating birds and the resident seals, and come in summer to visit the Old Castle farmyard animals and wildflower meadow.
Map
Start:
Old Castle Ward farmyard, OSNI grid ref: J573498
1
Start at the old farmyard. Note the tower house, a fortified home built in 1610. It was the Castle Ward estate's main residence before the mansion was built. Follow the blue trail down towards the water and boathouse through a large stone gateway. The name Strangford comes from the Old Norse for 'strong fjord' and probably describes the powerful currents where the Irish Sea enters the lough.
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Castle Ward falls within the Strangford Lough Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (currently under review), which was designated in 1972. The shores, woodland, meadows, streams, marshes and farmland of the lough provide a diverse landscape rich in wildlife and cultural heritage.
2
The path leads along the water front, passing boat houses and small quays, before reaching Audley's Wood. Enjoy beautiful views across to Portaferry. You may see seals bobbing about in the water and, in autumn and winter, birds such as redshank and oystercatcher.
Birds
Winter is an excellent time to watch wading birds such as oystercatcher, dunlin, curlew and knot in Castle Ward Bay. Some species perform spectacular aerial displays in the evening as they prepare to roost. 75,000 wildfowl and waders spend the autumn and winter at Strangford Lough, including 75 per cent of the worlds light-bellied brent goose. The Ards Peninsula-side of the lough is the best place to spot them.
3
At the edge of the wood, a path on the left takes you on a short detour up the 16th-century Audley's Castle. Climb to the top for a great panorama across the estate and Castle Ward Bay. Look out for pine marten and a long-eared owl that are sometimes seen here at dusk. Close to the castle is a Neolithic cairn where around 30 skeletons were found.
Audley's Castle and Castle Ward
Audley's Castle, now a picturesque ruin, was the home of the Audley family from the 1550s. Nearby is the site of Audley's Town, which was cleared by the Wards in the Georgian era to improve the views within their new landscape park. Viscount Bangor spent a lot of money in the 18th century on perfecting his country seat at Castle Ward. His family, the Wards, had lived here for several hundred years, but in order to keep up with the latest aristocratic fashions, he built a large mansion with sweeping views down to Strangford Lough.
4
Continue walking along the loughside then turn left away from the water and through Audley's Wood, home to badgers and lots of small birds.
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough is the United Kingdoms largest sea inlet covering 58 sq miles (150 sq km) with more than 350 islands. Millions of litres of water flow in and out twice daily, bringing vast quantities of plankton and nutrients for wildlife to feed on. Underwater reefs and kelp forests provide a habitat for 2,000 marine species like anemones, sea-squirts, starfish, sponges and urchins. Mussel beds are also an important habitat here, but in recent years trawling has done real damage to them.
5
When the path exits the woodland, head right on a track, which soon leads to a gate in a stone wall. Emerge through this gate in to the parkland surrounding Temple Water. The temple itself is perched up on your right. You pass a Victorian walled garden, currently used to grow wildflowers.
Old Castle farmyard
Built around 1610, this is the oldest group of buildings on the estate. See farm animals, a saw mill and a working corn mill (every summer Sunday).
6
Follow the path away from the lake along a tree-lined avenue back to the farmyard. In summer, note the wildflower meadow on your left. A series of paths lead to the mansion house, woodland and playgrounds. To find out more about wildlife on the estate and lough, visit the Strangford Lough Wildlife Centre, adjacent to the farmyard.
End:
Old Castle Ward farmyard, OSNI grid ref: J573498
