Days Out NI
Farm Experience · Food & Farm Walk Greyabbey, Ards Peninsula

Ballyboley Dexters

A family, pasture-fed Dexter cattle farm by Strangford Lough — book a guided farm walk among the little native cattle and an outdoor feast with the water as your view.

4 photos
By booking onlyTicketed events · not a walk-in
Check ticket pricesSet per event · book early
GreyabbeyStrangford Lough, Co. Down
Get directionsOfficial website
A few hoursHow long
Adults & foodiesBest for
OutdoorFields & coast
By the loughSetting
TicketedBook ahead

A family farm of small, pasture-fed Dexter cattle grazing the shore of Strangford Lough near Greyabbey — where you can book a guided farm walk and an outdoor feast with the water as your table view.

  • What it is — a working, family-run herd of Dexters, the little native breed, raised entirely on grass on coastal pasture. This is a booked farm experience, not a daily open farm.
  • The experience — a guided farm walk to meet the herd up close, paired with outdoor "wild dining": long tables and deckchairs set out in the field, looking straight over the lough, with food built around the farm's own grass-fed beef.
  • The setting — the farm grazes the Strangford shore and the National Trust's Orlock coastal land, so a big part of the day is simply the view and the sea air.
  • How long — allow a good few hours for a walk-and-dine event — it's an evening or afternoon to settle into, not a quick look.
  • Take some home — the farm also sells its own 100% pasture-fed Dexter beef in boxes, and shows pedigree Dexter cattle.
  • Ticketed events — book ahead. Dates, prices and what's included are set per event. See what's on and book on ballyboleydexters.com, and book early — places are limited.
  • Not a walk-in attraction. There's no daily gate or car park to turn up at — you come for a specific booked event on a set date.
Plan your visit

This one runs on booked events

Ballyboley Dexters isn't an open farm you drop into — it's a working family herd that opens its gates for a run of ticketed experiences through the warmer months: guided farm walks to meet the cattle, and outdoor "wild dining" events where a long table is laid out in the field with the lough in front of you. Each event has its own date, start time, price and menu, so the way to go is to check the farm's Events page, pick a date and book ahead — places are limited and they fill up. Prices aren't fixed year-round, so we won't quote a figure that might be out of date; the current cost is always on the booking page. If you'd rather just taste the farm than visit it, you can also order a box of their pasture-fed Dexter beef to your door.

Outdoor dining at some events Guided farm walk to meet the herd Grass-fed Dexter beef boxes Book early — limited places
Worth knowing:

It's a real coastal working farm, so events run outdoors on grass and are weather-and-season dependent. Check the exact date, meeting point, start time and what's included on ballyboleydexters.com before you set off, and dress for a field by the sea.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👢Sturdy shoes or welliesYou're walking a working farm on coastal grass, so leave the good trainers at home — the ground can be soft and uneven.
  • 🧥A warm layer and a coatIt's out in the open by the water, and the sea breeze finds you even on a fine evening — a wet day here is still a good one with the right layers.
  • 🧢A hat & water on bright daysLittle natural shade out in the fields, so enjoy the sun with a hat and some water to hand.
  • 📷A cameraSmall dark cattle, buttercup meadows and Strangford Lough behind them — the light off the water in the evening does the work for you.
Good to know

Everything before you go

What it is
A family-run pasture-fed Dexter cattle farm near Greyabbey on the shores of Strangford Lough, which runs ticketed experiences — guided farm walks and outdoor "wild dining" events — and sells its own grass-fed Dexter beef. It is not a daily walk-in open farm.
Booking
Everything is by booking. Check the farm's Events page for the current run of dates and book ahead, as places are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Cost
Ticket prices are set per event and vary by what's included (a walk, a walk-and-dine, and so on), so check the current price on the booking page rather than relying on a figure here.
When
Events run through the warmer months and depend on the season and weather, as they're outdoors on a coastal farm. Confirm the date and start time when you book.
How long
Allow a good few hours — a farm walk with an outdoor meal is a relaxed afternoon or evening, not a quick visit.
Best for
Adults, foodies, and anyone who loves the idea of eating a farm-to-table meal in the field it came from, with a lough view. Children may enjoy the animals and the setting, but this is pitched more as a food-and-farm experience than a kids' open farm.
The cattle
Dexters — a small, hardy native breed, chocolate-brown/red or black — raised entirely on grass (Pasture for Life certified). The farm also shows pedigree Dexter cattle.
Food
The dining events are built around the farm's own 100% pasture-fed Dexter beef. Menus are set per event; note any dietary needs when you book.
Dogs
It's a working farm with livestock and food events, so assume dogs aren't suited unless the event listing says otherwise — check when you book.
Accessibility
Events are outdoors on farm ground and coastal grass, which can be uneven and soft underfoot. If you have access needs, contact the farm before booking to check a specific event suits.
Beef boxes
You can order the farm's grass-fed Dexter beef separately, without attending an event — details are on the website.
Questions

Before you go

Can I just turn up?
No — this is a working family farm, not a daily open farm, and there's no walk-in gate. You come for a specific ticketed event on a set date, booked in advance on ballyboleydexters.com.
What actually happens on the day?
Depending on the event, you'll join a guided farm walk to meet the herd of Dexters up close, and often sit down to an outdoor "wild dining" meal — long tables laid out in the field looking over Strangford Lough, with food built around the farm's own grass-fed beef.
How much is it?
Prices are set per event and change with what's included, so we won't quote a figure that might be out of date — the current price is always on the booking page.
Is it good for children?
The animals and the setting can be lovely for children, but it's pitched as a food-and-farm experience for adults and foodies rather than a kids' open farm. Check the specific event listing to see if it suits your family.
Can I buy the beef without going?
Yes — the farm sells boxes of its 100% pasture-fed Dexter beef to order, separate from the events. Details are on the website.
What should I wear?
Dress for a field by the sea — sturdy shoes or wellies, a warm layer and a coat, whatever the forecast. The ground is coastal grass and the breeze off the lough is real.
Getting there

The farm is near Greyabbey on the Ards Peninsula, on the Strangford Lough shore in Co. Down. Events sometimes run on the National Trust's Orlock coastal land nearby, so the exact meeting point can differ per event — always use the address and directions given on your booking confirmation.

Directions on Google MapsBook & see events

Contact the farm: [email protected]

See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Mount StewartGreyabbey · a few minutes away Exploris AquariumPortaferry · down the peninsula Rowallane GardenSaintfield · gardens & walks The Ark Open FarmNewtownards · hands-on family farm
The story

Little cattle, big view, farm on a plate

Ballyboley Dexters is a family farm on the Ards Peninsula, grazing a herd of Dexter cattle along the shore of Strangford Lough near Greyabbey. Dexters are the small native breed — hardy little animals, chocolate-brown/red or black, that do well on grass alone. Here they're raised entirely on pasture, and the farm carries the Pasture for Life certification that goes with that, alongside its work with conservation-grazing and nature-friendly farming networks.

What makes it a day out rather than just a farm is how the family open it up. Through the warmer months they run ticketed experiences: a guided walk out into the fields to meet the herd, often paired with an outdoor meal set right there in the pasture — long tables and lanterns, striped deckchairs, and Strangford Lough filling the horizon in front of you. The food is built around the farm's own grass-fed Dexter beef, so what you're eating and the animals grazing beside you share the same field.

Some of the grazing runs onto the National Trust's coastal land at Orlock, adding sea, shoreline and the long peninsula views to the day. It's a small, honest operation — a working herd first, opened up for a handful of special dates — so the way in is always the same: pick an event, book ahead, and come ready for an evening in a field by the water. And if you can't make a date, a box of the beef will bring the farm to your own table.