- For other places with the same name, see Newcastle (disambiguation).
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 rising to the south.
Visitor Information is based at the activity centre at 10 Central Promenade, open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM.
Get in
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By road
[edit]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.
By bus
[edit]Goldliner 237 and Ulsterbus 520 run from Belfast Grand Central every hour or two, taking 80 min via Carryduff, Ballynahinch, Dundrum and Castlewellan.
Bus 26B trundles cross-country from Lisburn via Hillsborough, Ballynahinch and Dundrum, taking 75 min. There are three buses M-F but none at weekends.
Bus 37 runs every hour or so between Newcastle, Annalong and Kilkeel, taking 35 min.
1 Newcastle bus station is at the north end of Main street.
Get around
[edit]The town straggles but is walkable. You need wheels to reach the surrounding attractions.
Taxi firms are Harbour Cabs (+44 28 4372 7373), Shimna Trave (+44 28 4372 3030) and Donard Cabs (+44 28 4372 4100).
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
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- 1 The Harbour 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.
- 2 Murlough Nature Reserve, Dundrum BT33 0NQ. Daily 8AM-5PM. High, heath-covered sand dunes formed 6000 years ago, now a National Trust-managed reserve. Dogs on leads permitted but no horses. Parking £5.
- Slidderyford Dolmen is a neolithic portal tomb along the main road quarter of a mile north of the Murlough car park.
- 3 Dundrum Castle is the substantial ruin of a Norman castle, dismantled under Cromwell. It's free to explore any time.
- 4 Castlewellan Arboretum, 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.
- 5 Legananny Dolmen 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.
- 6 Annalong 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.
Do
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- Newcastle Community Cinema is in St Mary's Hall on Main St. It has live events more often than films.
- Newcastle Centre is an activity centre on Central Promenade with gym and fitness classes.
- Tropicana adjacent is a heated outdoor pool open July-Aug.
- 1 Royal County Down Golf Club, Golf Links Road BT33 0AN, ☏ +44 28 4372 3314, [email protected]. Laid out in 1889 by Old Tom Morris, it has two 18-hole courses, the Championship and the Annesley Links.
- Mountain biking: You may cycle in the forest park of Castlewellan (but not in Tollymore) and in the Mourne Mountains.
- 2 Mount Pleasant Equestrian Centre near Castlewellan has 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.
Buy
[edit]- Lidl has moved south to Bryansford Rd, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 1-6PM.
- Tesco is on Castlewellan Rd, open M-W 8AM-9PM, Th-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 1-6PM.
Eat
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- Percy French Inn is within Slieve Donard, open daily noon-9:30PM.
- Town centre has Railway Street Cafe, Bao & Bento , Villa Vinci, Docs, Great Jones and Mauds for cake and ice cream. The pubs also serve food.
- 1 Maghera Inn, 86 Ballyloughlin Rd, Maghera BT31 9HE, ☏ +44 28 4372 2236. Daily noon-9PM. Good food, drink and music in this 200-year-old inn.
- 2 Downshire Arms, Main Street, Hilltown BT34 5UH, ☏ +44 28 4063 8899. Th-Su noon-9PM. Good restaurant and pub handy for the west Mournes. They also have rooms.
Drink
[edit]- Quinn's Bar, 62 Main Street BT33 0AE, ☏ +44 28 4372 6400. M-Sa 11:30AM-11:30PM, Su noon-midnight. Lively place with good drink, food and music.
- Taproom is within the Donard on Bryansford Ave.
- Hugh McCann's is primarily a wedding venue but serves walk-ins if there isn't an event.
- Macken's is south by Harbour House Hotel.
- Brewery: Whitewater Farm makes beer in Castlewellan 5 miles north, and offers tours.
Sleep
[edit]Budget
[edit]- Hutt Hostel, 30 Downs Rd BT33 0AG (by bus station), ☏ +44 28 4372 2133. Friendly, central hostel with 72 beds. Open Feb-Nov. Dorm £30.
- 1 Camping Tollymore Forest Park, Tollybrannigan Road BT33 0PR, ☏ +44 28 4372 2428. Clean well-run camping and caravan site open all year. Pitch £23, hook-up £27.
- 2 Meelmore Lodge, 52 Trassey Rd, Bryansford BT33 0QB, ☏ +44 28 4372 5949. Clean, comfy hostel and campsite on the edge of the mountains, with Hare's Gap bistro. Open all year. No caravans or hook-ups. Camping £12 ppn.
Mid-price
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- 3 Slieve Donard, Downs Road BT33 0AH, ☏ +44 28 4372 1066. Grand Victorian hotel and spa next to the golf club, good reviews for comfort and dining. B&B double £200.
- Conlyn House is a B&B midway along the seafront at 11 Downs Rd.
- 4 Avoca Hotel, 93 Central Promenade BT33 0HH, ☏ +44 28 4372 2253. Family run 16-bedroom licensed hotel, mostly good reviews. B&B double £150.
- The Haven is a guesthouse 100 yards south of Avoca Hotel at 125 Central Promenade.
- Dacara is a B&B 200 yards north of Harbour House at 47 South Promenade.
- 5 Harbour House, 4 South Promenade BT33 0EX, ☏ +44 28 4372 3445. Mid-range small hotel with decent bar and restaurant. B&B double £140.
- 6 Enniskeen Country House Hotel, 98 Bryansford Rd BT33 0LF, ☏ +44 28 4372 2392. Relaxing place west edge of town. B&B double £200.
- 7 The Briers, 39 Middle Tollymore Rd BT33 0JJ, ☏ +44 28 4372 4347. Cosy, welcoming B&B in Georgian country house. B&B double £100.
- 8 Burrendale Hotel, 51 Castlewellan Road BT33 0JY, ☏ +44 28 4372 2599. Good edge-of-town hotel with 68 bedrooms and spa and conference facilities. B&B double £200.
Connect
[edit]As of Oct 2025, Newcastle and its approach roads have 4G with EE, Three (patchy signal) and Vodafone, and 5G with O2.
Go next
[edit]- Downpatrick, supposedly the burial place of St Patrick, has a cathedral and ruined abbey.
- Strangford has a fine mansion and two crumbly castles. The ferry brings you onto Ards Peninsula.
- The Mountains of Mourne rise south of town.