Newcastle (Northern Ireland)

Newcastle is a seaside resort in County Down in Northern Ireland. The "new castle" was probably already tumbledown when first documented in 1433 and even its successors are long gone. Newcastle is best known nowadays as the home of Royal County Down Golf Club, and for its beach and wildlife reserve. It had a population of 8,300 in 2021 and has lots of visitor amenities, so it's a good base for exploring the Mourne Mountains, which rise to the south.

Get in
See Belfast for long-distance routes by air or sea.

By bus
Ulsterbus 520 runs from Belfast Europa station via Carryduff, Ballynahinch, Dundrum and Castlewellan to Newcastle, taking 1 hr 20 min. They run M-F every 30-60 min, and Sa Su every couple of hours.

Goldline Express 240 runs from Newry to Castlewellan, Newcastle, Dundrum and Downpatrick, with five M-F and three Saturday and Sunday. Buses and trains from Dublin stop at Newry on their way to Belfast, but unless you're lucky with the connection to Bus 240, you usually have to continue into Belfast then backtrack on Bus 520.

Bus 26 trundles cross-country from Lisburn via Hillsborough, Ballynahinch and Dundrum to Newcastle, taking 1 hr 15 min. There are only three buses M-F and none at weekends.

Bus 37 runs every couple of hours between Newcastle and Kilkeel. An hourly bus runs from Newry to Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and Kilkeel (1 hour) so it's possible to circle the mountains, but the Mourne Rambler Bus no longer runs.

Newcastle is at the north end of Main street.

By road
From Belfast head south on A24 through Carryduff, Ballynahinch and Clough, where the road is re-badged as A2.

From Dublin take M1 to Newry then B8 (signs for Hilltown). Follow A25 to Castlewellan then A50 into Newcastle.

The town gets congested on fine summer weekends. There are car parks behind the main street.

Get around
The town straggles but is walkable. You need wheels to reach the surrounding attractions.

National Cycleway 99 runs from Bangor down the Ards Peninsula to Portaferry, Strangford, Downpatrick and Newcastle. It's all on-road. From Belfast follow the traffic-free Comber cycleway, then hug the west bank of Strangford Lough to Downpatrick then by road to Newcastle.

See

 * is a mile south of town centre along the Promenade. It was used to ship out granite quarried from the Mourne Mountains, with blocks of stone brought down by a funicular railway. This is now the "Granite Trail", a steep walking path to a viewpoint.
 * Newcastle Beach stretches 3 miles north from town to Murlough Nature Reserve and the Dundrum River estuary. Usually clean, dogs permitted. There's lots of sand when the tide is down but at high tide only the pebbles remain. In 1910 one of Ireland's first powered aircraft wobbled low over the length of the beach.
 * Slidderyford Dolmen is a neolithic portal tomb along the main road quarter of a mile north of the Murlough car park.
 * is the substantial ruin of a Norman castle, dismantled under Cromwell. It's free to explore any time.
 * , 5 miles north of Newcastle, is an extensive arboretum and forest park around a small lake. The castle itself, a Scottish Baronial pile, is nowadays a Christian conference centre and can't be visited.
 * is an impressive 5000-year-old tripod dolmen or cromlech. It's on a hillside with good views but takes some finding, 3 miles north of Castlewellan. Follow Slievenaboley Rd then Legananny Hall Rd.
 * Finnis Souterrain a mile north of the dolmen is a 100-foot underground passage from the 9th century. It doesn't appear to have been used for burials or religious rituals so maybe it was just a hideout. The entrance was created in the 19th century as the original entrance has been lost.
 * Ardglass: see Downpatrick for this fishing village ringed by medieval turrets.
 * is a fishing village 8 miles south. The Cornmill was built in the 19th century and is now a museum. There's pubs and restaurants here. A lane leads inland to the start of Silent Valley.
 * See Newry for Kilkeel, Rostrevor and Warrenpoint further south along on the coast.
 * See Newry for Kilkeel, Rostrevor and Warrenpoint further south along on the coast.

Do

 * Tropicana is a heated outdoor pool midway along the Promenade, and the Rock Pool south end of the Prom is sea water as chilly as you like. Both pools were closed during 2021 and it's not known if they will ever re-open — the Council intends to build a leisure centre over the site.
 * Mountain biking: You may cycle in the forest park of Castlewellan (but not in Tollymore) and in the Mourne Mountains.
 * on Castlewellan Rd have escorted rides and pony treks.
 * Mourne Mountains: the highest of these rise a few miles south of Newcastle. Good for hikes and for rock-climbing, but in April 2021 the Mournes suffered a wildfire centred on Slieve Donard — that area will be an unpleasant charred mess until new growth takes over.
 * Festival of Flight is an air show in mid-June.
 * Festival of Flight is an air show in mid-June.

Buy

 * Lidl is on Railway St by the bus station, open M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 1-6PM.
 * Tesco is a quarter mile north on Castlewellan Rd, open M-W 8AM-9PM, Th-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 1-6PM.

Eat

 * Percy French Inn is within the Slieve Donard Resort, open daily noon-9:30PM.
 * Others along main drag are Railway Street Cafe, Bao & Bento Asian, Villa Vinci Italian, and Mauds for cake and ice cream. The pubs also serve food.
 * The strip continues south along the Promenade. Strand is a cafe / bakery and Ardiente is a bar and grill.
 * The strip continues south along the Promenade. Strand is a cafe / bakery and Ardiente is a bar and grill.

Drink

 * Others in town centre are Hugh McCann's, Diamond Pats and The Tap Room. Macken's is south by Harbour House Hotel.
 * Brewery: Whitewater Farm makes beer in Castlewellan 5 miles north, and offers tours.
 * Brewery: Whitewater Farm makes beer in Castlewellan 5 miles north, and offers tours.

Connect
As of Oct 2020, there is a good mobile and 4G signal with O2 and Vodafone. You should manage a call with EE or Three in town but the countryside around has poor coverage. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Downpatrick, supposedly the burial place of St Patrick, has a cathedral and ruined abbey.
 * Strangford has a fine mansion and two crumbly castles. A 10-minute ferry ride brings you onto Ards Peninsula.
 * The Mountains of Mourne rise south of town.